Understanding Society - Assignment Example

Question 1

Individual issues or problems shared in common with others who are similarly situated in regard to ethnicity, age social class or gender and the collective actions that would be necessary to produce a solution for the problem.

The society we live in presents us with various challenges or problems in our day to day activities. These challenges could be based on the various factors that differentiate us such as our age, ethnicity, gender and social classes. These challenges are experience by people in the same age group, social class among other where you find the challenges are similar to everyone who is in the same situation.

For people from my ethnicity we experience the challenge of discrimination especially when we are in a new country far from home. Even though, the issues of discrimination are not as common since equal treatment has been emphasized in many societies the issue has not yet been eliminated. The issue has only been eliminated from media devices giving the illusion that discrimination due to our ethnic backgrounds has been eliminated. However, people from different ethnicities and not originally from Canada often experience discrimination in their interaction with people from the country thus poses a challenge to them. Further, the problem of being home sick is another issue that is faced by people from my ethnicity leaving in Canada. Being in a foreign country is not easy and most of the time people find themselves missing the home environment, the food and the people back at home which is challenge for them

The collective actions necessary to produce a problem to discrimination is setting up campaigns that are meant to ensure discrimination is eliminated and ensuring people appreciate the cultures of other persons in the society. Further, on the problem of being home sick people from the same region can meet in the foreign country thus assist in creating a sense of belonging and reducing the effect of missing home among them.

Question 2 Influence of cultural diffusion and globalization on the items in the local grocery store

Cultural diffusion refers to the spread of cultures, their characteristics or patterns from a central point in an organization. Globalization refers to the process of integration internationally which is because of the exchange of global views, cultural aspects, products among other factors. Various factors in different regions today are evidences of cultural diffusion and globalization with evidences of influence of other cultures in a region. It involves the interdependence of economies and cultures worldwide.

A walk in the grocery shows that many items sold in our markets today are influenced by cultural diffusion and globalization. For instance, the existence of Coca-Cola products in various markets is an evidence of cultural diffusion and globalization. The influence of other culture on items in the local store is seen with the presence of items from other cultures. For instance, the presence of items used in the Asian culture in Canadian markets shows the effects of cultural diffusion in these markets. Sushi is such an example, which shows the diffusion of the Japanese cuisine into other cultures.

Globalization is mostly seen with technology since it is one deriving factor of technology. For instance, a simple product such as a watch or a clock, which was first invented in china, has spread to other regions such as the Canadian markets. Trade in the local groceries store is another great example of globalization with products made in other countries being present on the shelves of the store. You find tags of items written names such as “made in china” which makes globalization evident.

Question 3 An advertisement on television that examines how the seniors are depicted and what kinds of roles they take on. My impression and the effect these advertisements have.

In advertisements involving seniors they take up roles that involving being serious and seem to be less fun. They take up the roles of responsibility and carefully planning in advertisements where they are portrayed as making choices that are well calculated and consider many factors. Further, seniors are seen as humorous when they defy the negative stereotypes they are branded by the world.

My impression from the advert is that seniors are more cautions when they are making decisions and unlike the younger generation whose decisions are based on fun and entertainment. They make their decisions based on the value for their money are more into getting products that are healthier and involve less danger for them. For instance, when buying houses they are more into ensuring the house is located in a quite environment free of noise and other toxic factors. Their adverts have the seniors choosing the location because of its convenience in providing a quite lifestyle. This may be due to the reason that their lives are based on busy work schedules and other life pressures and responsibilities, which forces them to ensure they get a quite environment where they can relax their minds.

These advertisements have the effect of ensuring the ideas that people hold of seniors being more cautious about life are maintained. Further, the advertisements have the effect of showing that people of different age groups have different needs and preferences, which are seen in their choices. Therefore, most advertisements are structured based on the needs and preferences of their target group.

Question 4 Reaction towards the answer of a friend on the question of the sex of the baby

In the world today, technology has made it possible for us to know many things that were not possible in the past. One such thing is the knowledge of the sex of a child long before the child is born. Further, most people are so eager to know the sex of their babies and they ensure that by the time the sex can be determined they visit the doctor in order to find out.

Therefore, when the friend does not know the sex of the baby after the baby has already been born, I will be very surprised. The curiosity a person has about the sex of a child is common to everyone and the existence of technology makes it possible for people to know this. Hence the lack of knowledge about the sex of a baby that has already been born will come a great surprise.

Further, for most people and even the doctors involved in ensuring safe delivery of a child the first thing they look at after the baby is confirmed to be of good health is the sex of the child. The mothers also want to know the sex of a child immediately. Therefore, my reaction towards my friend will be an assumption that the friend is ignorant for lack of knowledge of the sex of the child. The answer itself will contribute to me judging my friend for their lack of concern about the sex of the child. This will be influence by both the fact that the society treats people of different genders differently and thus it is fundamental to know the sex of a child since each sex will require different items.

Question 5 Ideas, values and themes expressed in business section of the newspaper

In the business pages of the national post newspaper, various ideas and themes are being expressed. The idea that is being expressed is the issue of unemployment rate and taxation issues. These are addressed in almost every page. For instance the issue of the house flipping tax which could assist the government in ensuring they eliminate the issue of speculative foreign money. Further, there is the idea of existence of many foreigners in the country, which is seen in the lack of clear records on the number of foreigners and the investments in the country. Further, there is the aspect of the growth of economy with most companies seeming to be doing well in their businesses such as the solar Inc.

The values being brought out in the business papers is the value of integrity especially on the issues of tax. This involves ensuring that all members of the public are paying taxes in order to assist the government serve them better. For instance, the beginning of the tax campaigns in the country which will ensure the prevention of budget deficits in the country. the value of integrity in this case is meant to ensure all persons in the public pay taxes thus prevent the effects of a budget deficit on the country.

Question 6 Theory that best explain this form of deviance

Sometime as a student, an individual is tempted to cheat in assignment due to the pressure of getting a good grade. Sometimes, the student may have read but since the mind cannot hold everything, the student forgets and is then tempted to cheat especially when they know exactly where they can get the answers to the question. However, other factors that work against this impulse prevent a student from cheating.

Firstly, the values of a student are one contributing factor that works against the urge to cheat. The values instilled in an individual contribute a lot to the actions of the individual in real life. Value such as the integrity and honesty contribute to an individual’s life by ensuring they always act based on this value. Therefore, when a student has the urge to cheat in an assignment the values an individual has of integrity works against the urge making the student not to cheat.

The second factor is the fear that an individual has of being caught which involves weighing options. The student weighs the cost of cheating and being caught and that of doing the assignment for themselves. This factor ensure that we student makes choices based on the returns of each where one prefers getting the little marks that are honest rather than cheat get caught and lose everything.

In addition, there is the factor of being honest to self or the ego. This involves a student wanting credit for only the efforts they made. Some individuals prefer being condemned for their failure than being praised for what they did not achieve. Thus based on this an individual fights the urge to cheat and ensures what they get in an assignment is as a result of their efforts.