Nadia (Age: 13)
I expecct Prom to be the best night ever. Its going to be the best night ever because you plan for an entire day to have the most amount of fun with your friends and date, also because you get to dress up really nice. People should particpate in going to prom because its an experience that you only get in high school and why would you want to miss that and wouldn't you like to look back on that experience and share it with people you know in the future? Some reason people would not like to go to prom is because they might be uncomfortable with what prom is; a night of socializing and dancing. Not attending prom, people would think differently of you because you missed out on a supposebly significant part of your high school years. Influences in prom might be from media because for every prom there is shown on television, there are always big decoration and high standards the students will set for themselves such as, limo's, outfits and the plan for after-prom. I would like to attend prom because I would like to be apart of the experience and the whole emotions there is filled with going to prom and planning out series of events leading up to prom and after it.
Natalie (Age:27)
My prom experience was one of the more founders memories of high school I had and having a really great time with my friends. The difficulties of prom were trying to find the perfect dress and the arrangements of the limo with friends. Finding the right sized limo and coming up with a budget and coordinating friends to pay for their share were probably the most difficult because if you were not invited to be in the limo, you weren't consider a "close friend" which some people might of taken in offence. The "fun" part came easy, dancing, enjoying myself, dressing, make up and hair. If I were to go back, the only thing I would change is to take more pictures. Taking a million pictures pictures tells millions of stories when you get older and cannot remember as well. People who don't attend prom during my years were not really stigmatized but missed an important oppertunity to celebrate your last years of high school.
From my interviews, a lot of similarities that are shared are the experiences people look foward to having before, during and after prom.Some commonalities shared were prom being an "once in a lifetime" experience that one should attend to be apart of the "once in a lifetime" conversations. Another was to enjoy your self and that people who do not attend prom should not be stigmatized for not going but consider it as a missed oppertunity.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Hw - 57 Initial Thoughts on PROM
When I see the word "Prom", I think it is short for promoting. And what a coincidence that prom night is about projecting your self image. Much like promoting a product you plan to sell. More like a female presenting her figure in a manner to catch everyones attention. Prom is a interesting night that supposedly will be looked back upon when we get older because of how memorable a night it will be. Although some might say that prom is very much scripted, others will argue that even though it is scripted, there are many different variations of what "prom night" is. I guess for every person there is a different level of experience that is noted ranging from those who enjoyed to those who saw it by and by.
Questions I have for what prom symbolizes in our culture is, why are those who do not participate or those who participate in prom stigmatized? For one, I would like to believe that prom suits to be a dominant social practice and those who decide to go against it, are very much looked down or in lesser manner because they did not part take in this ceremony. Much like funerals, a feeling of disrespect is directed towards those that do not participate in a funeral gathering that they were suppose to attend. Those who do not attend are looked upon not as much as disrespect but with the same negative connotation level there associated with not going.
Last thing before I further theorize the meaning of prom in future blogs to come, my self experience with prom will be interesting to share and see how my initial thoughts of what prom is, with how it will compute with what my own experience of what prom will be coming up this Thursday. SENIORS!!
Questions I have for what prom symbolizes in our culture is, why are those who do not participate or those who participate in prom stigmatized? For one, I would like to believe that prom suits to be a dominant social practice and those who decide to go against it, are very much looked down or in lesser manner because they did not part take in this ceremony. Much like funerals, a feeling of disrespect is directed towards those that do not participate in a funeral gathering that they were suppose to attend. Those who do not attend are looked upon not as much as disrespect but with the same negative connotation level there associated with not going.
Last thing before I further theorize the meaning of prom in future blogs to come, my self experience with prom will be interesting to share and see how my initial thoughts of what prom is, with how it will compute with what my own experience of what prom will be coming up this Thursday. SENIORS!!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
"Visit a Cementary": Extra Credit
At the
cemetery I visited today, was my first time actually being at one. I felt a sense of precaution because I felt that anywhere I stepped, if I did not step carefully i would be disrespecting those I don't even know. I think this kind of emotion I felt is due to the fact that I am unaware of what the families who are missing their love ones felt and I would not like to be that person who stands in the way of it trying to experience myself. Basically put, the only time I would feel comfortable at a cemetery is somewhere where I can relate to the loved ones who we both are dearly missing. Another reaction I had to visiting both cementaries were the head stones that read the names of people who have passed in a popular manner of "here lies...so and so" and date of birth, which I thought was interesting because for my head stone I would to be remembered by a charateristic that best describes me and not a generic head stone engraving.
cemetery I visited today, was my first time actually being at one. I felt a sense of precaution because I felt that anywhere I stepped, if I did not step carefully i would be disrespecting those I don't even know. I think this kind of emotion I felt is due to the fact that I am unaware of what the families who are missing their love ones felt and I would not like to be that person who stands in the way of it trying to experience myself. Basically put, the only time I would feel comfortable at a cemetery is somewhere where I can relate to the loved ones who we both are dearly missing. Another reaction I had to visiting both cementaries were the head stones that read the names of people who have passed in a popular manner of "here lies...so and so" and date of birth, which I thought was interesting because for my head stone I would to be remembered by a charateristic that best describes me and not a generic head stone engraving.Harold & Maude Extra Credit
The development of Harold, one of the main characters, transforms from an individual that sees death as something to play with and that life is something that needs to end to valuable the actual essence of existence. His development as a person is aided by the second main character Maude, who sees life as something truly something precious. Through her actions, she involves Harold in activities that develop his mind around understanding his meaning of life.
On the other hand, Harold's mother who is opposed of every decision and choice he makes because she sees his antics pretending to die as childish and inappropriate. She tries to distract him by trying him to date women so he can take his focus off embracing death. This method proves to fail because his only friend that understands him teaches him that what he thinks is not wrong, but at such an early age he should not worry as much about it. In one crucial scene where Harold finally experiences what "real death" is, was at Maude's 80th birthday where she says her farewell to Harold that emotionally breaks him but in a sense is comes to understand what actual death is which is the beauty of it.
In the last scene of the movie, Harold drives his hearse off a cliff symbolizing that he is letting go of his dark morbid perspective of death, and reflecting on Maude's relationship with him embracing a new shade of life.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Hw - 55 Culminating Project - Care of The Dead
Interview with my Mother on what her Death Plans are:
1. Where do you want to be buried and why?
I want to be cremated instead of the traditional burial because my perspective of a traditional burial is that spending large amounts of money to send off a dead body to buried six feet deep into the Earth seems like a waste of money. Cremation is a easier and presumptively a cheaper method of burial that does not cost as much and I suffer from claustrophobia, so being cremated eliminates my fear.
2. What opposition do you find with traditional burial's that other may find useful?
I wouldn't say I have much opposition to a traditional method of burial, but I'm not interested in embalming where they fill my body with formaldehyde only later to finally leak out my casket if I were to be buried in the ground.
3. What type's of methods has your family typically used for a form of burial?
My family is very traditional, and care of The Dead typically dealt by having wakes, going to an open casket, having the bodied embalmed, and then later buried. At points like these, I think the embalming method is useful because it preserves the body to be more of a visible sight, but when it has to be buried, I would prefer the body to be released of any chemicals that will preserve the body from naturally decaying.
4. Last question, Where do you think and how do you think Dad would like to buried?
You know...that's a good question and I think he's a traditional guy, he probably would not like to be embalmed, but he would like to buried and have ceremonies before he is put into Earth.
Interview with Dad on what his Death Plans are:
1. Where do you want to be buried and why?
I would like to be buried, but not embalmed before. So almost a natural birth. I prefer to be buried in the ground where I decay into the ground instead of other alternative methods such as cremations.
2. What opposition do you find with traditional burial's that other's may find useful?
I don't have any type of opposition towards traditional burial's, but embalming is a type of method that I would not like to be done on me.
3.Where do you think and how do you think Mom would like to be buried?
She would like to be cremated but I am going to bury her if she does not like or not! I want her to be buried right next to me in a cemetery either somewhere in New York or in Georgia. I'm opposed to cremations because I feel like there wouldn't be complete closure if my Wife was in urn and then I would end up being buried six feet deep in the Earth. So there is an separation between us that I would not be comfortable with.
To begin with, I feel like both these interviews with my Parents of what their plans are for being buried was necessary and was not as difficult and a little bit comedic than what I thought it was going to be. I feel it was like this, and I expected something different because it was I who was not comfortable with the topic because I'm uncomfortable with the topic of burying my parents. What I realized though is that both my parents come from the same religious background but both have entirely different plans of burial which interesting because before this unit, I always thought that whatever religion you followed, typically you follow the traditional burial that follows. But from this interview, I can see that even though people may come from the same religious background, the perspective of burial is different for everyone and it really depends on what the individual feels. Furthermore, this interesting thing to know looking through the lens of care of The Dead industry where funeral directors have to attend to everyones personal reactions to forms of burial and that there is no one "ideal" burial for a mass of people. Which is an interesting thought, what would be the ideal burial that everyone would prefer?
1. Where do you want to be buried and why?
I want to be cremated instead of the traditional burial because my perspective of a traditional burial is that spending large amounts of money to send off a dead body to buried six feet deep into the Earth seems like a waste of money. Cremation is a easier and presumptively a cheaper method of burial that does not cost as much and I suffer from claustrophobia, so being cremated eliminates my fear.
2. What opposition do you find with traditional burial's that other may find useful?
I wouldn't say I have much opposition to a traditional method of burial, but I'm not interested in embalming where they fill my body with formaldehyde only later to finally leak out my casket if I were to be buried in the ground.
3. What type's of methods has your family typically used for a form of burial?
My family is very traditional, and care of The Dead typically dealt by having wakes, going to an open casket, having the bodied embalmed, and then later buried. At points like these, I think the embalming method is useful because it preserves the body to be more of a visible sight, but when it has to be buried, I would prefer the body to be released of any chemicals that will preserve the body from naturally decaying.
4. Last question, Where do you think and how do you think Dad would like to buried?
You know...that's a good question and I think he's a traditional guy, he probably would not like to be embalmed, but he would like to buried and have ceremonies before he is put into Earth.
Interview with Dad on what his Death Plans are:
1. Where do you want to be buried and why?
I would like to be buried, but not embalmed before. So almost a natural birth. I prefer to be buried in the ground where I decay into the ground instead of other alternative methods such as cremations.
2. What opposition do you find with traditional burial's that other's may find useful?
I don't have any type of opposition towards traditional burial's, but embalming is a type of method that I would not like to be done on me.
3.Where do you think and how do you think Mom would like to be buried?
She would like to be cremated but I am going to bury her if she does not like or not! I want her to be buried right next to me in a cemetery either somewhere in New York or in Georgia. I'm opposed to cremations because I feel like there wouldn't be complete closure if my Wife was in urn and then I would end up being buried six feet deep in the Earth. So there is an separation between us that I would not be comfortable with.
To begin with, I feel like both these interviews with my Parents of what their plans are for being buried was necessary and was not as difficult and a little bit comedic than what I thought it was going to be. I feel it was like this, and I expected something different because it was I who was not comfortable with the topic because I'm uncomfortable with the topic of burying my parents. What I realized though is that both my parents come from the same religious background but both have entirely different plans of burial which interesting because before this unit, I always thought that whatever religion you followed, typically you follow the traditional burial that follows. But from this interview, I can see that even though people may come from the same religious background, the perspective of burial is different for everyone and it really depends on what the individual feels. Furthermore, this interesting thing to know looking through the lens of care of The Dead industry where funeral directors have to attend to everyones personal reactions to forms of burial and that there is no one "ideal" burial for a mass of people. Which is an interesting thought, what would be the ideal burial that everyone would prefer?
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Hw - 54 Independent Research B
Death and after life take shape to multiple forms in different cultures. To many religions, death is not necessarily the end of life, because their is a "soul" that lives on after your body can no longer. Very much romanticized that sounds very comforting, but like dominant beliefs, there are the skeptics that question the "truth" to what the dominant believes to find true.
In the Atheist culture, their perspective of death and after life is "that all life-forms end in death and the elements of which they are composed return to the air and the Earth to be taken up and recycled in new organisms."(Cornish, K) And to make grounds on other religions, they do so by disproving those who believe their is a "super-natural" by using credible scientific evidence. By like many other religions, coming in to conflict of "which one is more believable", depends on the individual themselves to decide. But even at the most innocent time a human can make decisions without any bias, atheist argue that such strong religion that believe in a super-natural are inevitable of dodging super-natural belief such as God by" perpetrating a colossal fraud or ignorant and gullible people, chiefly through the indoctrination of infants."(Cornish, K) And at the ending points of life, the conscious mind, assumed to be in the brain, dies, so do "you" also cease to exist. Not as comforting as the other religions that promise purity, reincarnation or Heaven, it may seem that religion is the factor that satisfies the vulnerability we encounter with dying. As the athiest culture may find different, that the vulnerability exist because it is not being able to accept death for what it is, but when you come to accept it, "atheist [are] confronted by the matter of how best to spend the available time...worthy of a human person."
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Hw - 52 Third Third of COTD Book
Mark Harris, Grave Matters: A Journey Through The Modern Funeral Industry to A Natural Way of Burial, 2007, Scribner, New York, NY.
Precis: If you had wanted to pay your last respects to Mary Barnsley, you'd have to had come to her apartment in Austin, Texas, to do it. Home Funerals has been one long-held tradition in America where people care for the dead, usually woman overseeing the dead, washing, dressing and laying out the body. Another method of choice to choose from in the process of caring for the dead is to make your own coffin and there is no federal or state law that is opposed of you doing so. A simple coffin made from pine or other inexpensive, common material is just fine. Third to these types of methods is "Backyard Burial" which entails exactly what the name's meaning is. The Nicholson family which chose to have this kind of burial was once a common feature of the early American landscape especially in the rural south. Last but not least, the "Natural Cemetery" which is a form of burial whose purpose is to return the body to the natural environment as directly as possible.
Quotes:
"...The after-death care of one...a once long-held tradition in this country. For more than a century Americans cared for their own dead as a matter or course. Mostly the women of the house who advertised themselves as professional Layers Out of the Dead washed, dressed, and laid out a body in the dining room...where it lay in repose for any number of days when under constant vigil." (104)
"There's a comfort and healing that comes from physically caring for the dead and from spending quiet, private time in the presence of death. It's a tremendous help in the bereavement process, and helps you see death as a natural part of the cycle of life."(105)
Analysis:
My final thoughts on reading Mark Harris's "Grave Matters" is a prompt that most of the books before presented themselves. Reading these books act like rebels in my thoughts problematizing what I use to know to what I know now. Most of these books are laid out in a sequence of pro's and con's that provide a thought process that challenges what I thought I knew to what is commonly known. For example in Tina Cassidy's "Birth" she provides a focus on particularly safe/unsafe procedures, methods, preparations and tools used during a woman's pregnancy versus the role of midwives and the contrasts between the two giving you both perspectives. Grave Matters also follows a similar lay out, by going into precise detail about the methods of burial and showing the pro's and con's of each method giving the reader a chance to decide.
Precis: If you had wanted to pay your last respects to Mary Barnsley, you'd have to had come to her apartment in Austin, Texas, to do it. Home Funerals has been one long-held tradition in America where people care for the dead, usually woman overseeing the dead, washing, dressing and laying out the body. Another method of choice to choose from in the process of caring for the dead is to make your own coffin and there is no federal or state law that is opposed of you doing so. A simple coffin made from pine or other inexpensive, common material is just fine. Third to these types of methods is "Backyard Burial" which entails exactly what the name's meaning is. The Nicholson family which chose to have this kind of burial was once a common feature of the early American landscape especially in the rural south. Last but not least, the "Natural Cemetery" which is a form of burial whose purpose is to return the body to the natural environment as directly as possible.
Quotes:
"...The after-death care of one...a once long-held tradition in this country. For more than a century Americans cared for their own dead as a matter or course. Mostly the women of the house who advertised themselves as professional Layers Out of the Dead washed, dressed, and laid out a body in the dining room...where it lay in repose for any number of days when under constant vigil." (104)
"There's a comfort and healing that comes from physically caring for the dead and from spending quiet, private time in the presence of death. It's a tremendous help in the bereavement process, and helps you see death as a natural part of the cycle of life."(105)
Analysis:
My final thoughts on reading Mark Harris's "Grave Matters" is a prompt that most of the books before presented themselves. Reading these books act like rebels in my thoughts problematizing what I use to know to what I know now. Most of these books are laid out in a sequence of pro's and con's that provide a thought process that challenges what I thought I knew to what is commonly known. For example in Tina Cassidy's "Birth" she provides a focus on particularly safe/unsafe procedures, methods, preparations and tools used during a woman's pregnancy versus the role of midwives and the contrasts between the two giving you both perspectives. Grave Matters also follows a similar lay out, by going into precise detail about the methods of burial and showing the pro's and con's of each method giving the reader a chance to decide.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Hw - 51 Second Third of COTD Book
Mark Harris, Grave Matters: A Journey Through The Modern Funeral Industry to A Natural Way of Burial, 2007, Scribner, New York, NY.
Precis: Brian Benson's decision to cremate his mother puts him at odds with an unbroken traditional of burial on both sides of his family, but like other families-and entire cultures-we have been using this method since the stone age. The trade off between having a loved one cremated other than burial, its less expensive and is considered more "green." For Janet King her brother Leonard always loved the water and after he had died of heart failure and was cremated, she knew she'd have to cast his ashes over the ocean. committing to this type of burial is more complicated that what it might seem, there are state requirements needed to perform this type of burial. One of them being acquiring a scattering permit. The EPA requires that you scatter ashes at sea at least three miles from the nearest shoreline
Quotes:
"My mother thought having people see her dead body laid out in a funeral home wasn't going to her or anyone else any good. Burial she found equally objectionable, in large part because it needlessly took up so much real estate and at such high cost. Cremation, by contrast, just seemed simpler, cheaper and a whole lot more conserving."(51)
"No federal or state law prohibits you from performing either type of sea burial yourself, as long as you obey the pertinent laws...All this said, there are no "ashes police" who are actively enforcing existing scattering laws, and it's highly unlikely that you'll be cited for illegal sea scattering."(85)
Analysis:
Mark Harris provides a sequence of other burials that presumably are less expensive and potentially are "more green" depending on the company you decide to have cremate deceased loved member(s). In the second third of the book, the main focuses are alternatives to the widely traditional burials like embalming cultures usually attend to, but in this part of the book, Harris shines light on other methods people can use to perform a still significant and meaningful burial, but all at a lower cost. Cremation and burial at sea are two types of methods people tend to choose depending on whether or not the loved felt emotionally connected to be cremated and or float at see and financially not cost as much.
Precis: Brian Benson's decision to cremate his mother puts him at odds with an unbroken traditional of burial on both sides of his family, but like other families-and entire cultures-we have been using this method since the stone age. The trade off between having a loved one cremated other than burial, its less expensive and is considered more "green." For Janet King her brother Leonard always loved the water and after he had died of heart failure and was cremated, she knew she'd have to cast his ashes over the ocean. committing to this type of burial is more complicated that what it might seem, there are state requirements needed to perform this type of burial. One of them being acquiring a scattering permit. The EPA requires that you scatter ashes at sea at least three miles from the nearest shoreline
Quotes:
"My mother thought having people see her dead body laid out in a funeral home wasn't going to her or anyone else any good. Burial she found equally objectionable, in large part because it needlessly took up so much real estate and at such high cost. Cremation, by contrast, just seemed simpler, cheaper and a whole lot more conserving."(51)
"No federal or state law prohibits you from performing either type of sea burial yourself, as long as you obey the pertinent laws...All this said, there are no "ashes police" who are actively enforcing existing scattering laws, and it's highly unlikely that you'll be cited for illegal sea scattering."(85)
Analysis:
Mark Harris provides a sequence of other burials that presumably are less expensive and potentially are "more green" depending on the company you decide to have cremate deceased loved member(s). In the second third of the book, the main focuses are alternatives to the widely traditional burials like embalming cultures usually attend to, but in this part of the book, Harris shines light on other methods people can use to perform a still significant and meaningful burial, but all at a lower cost. Cremation and burial at sea are two types of methods people tend to choose depending on whether or not the loved felt emotionally connected to be cremated and or float at see and financially not cost as much.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Hw - 49 Comments on Best of your Break Hw
Comment on Sarah T's (Hw - 48):
Sarah,
I thought your post came across important points of view that are developed through a range of varieties, one in particular being the cultural differences in religion and its relation to caring for the dead. From the story and views of your father contrasting with your mothers is a interesting point of view, showing both sides of a "party" and how differently it is dealt with. I also thought your question "...why do people respect people more after they die?" is a interesting norm that I also wish to understand, from this I would like to hear your thoughts on maybe why?
Great Post!
Christian
Comments on Abdullah S's (Hw - 48):
Abdullah,
Your post had good points on the depiction of contrasting beliefs on taking care of the dead that one can really relate to. You share the point of view between both of your interviewee's that death is not something to be afraid of, "only because it's another stage in life." which I found we could problematize because by definition life is the distinguishing factor which separates living organisms from inorganic objects(dead organisms). One question I would like to add to how your Uncle responded which you also found a "little weird" is that being dead is not another stage in life, its the complete opposite which you briefly explain by scaring those who answer that they're "not afraid of dying..." by rewording it to be "ceasing to exist."
Interesting Post!
Christian
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Protege (Sister):
Hello Christian!
Really weird post. But interesting topic, "Care of the Dead", I liked your brief interviews with Mom and Dad, and Dad's point about how contradictory "showing respect" to the dead when in the first place you didn't to go to begin with. One suggestion I would add when your interviewing someone is maybe a question that doesn't particularly look at what that person's point of view is, but what they think the shared views are of "caring for the dead."
Love you!
Nadia
Sarah,
I thought your post came across important points of view that are developed through a range of varieties, one in particular being the cultural differences in religion and its relation to caring for the dead. From the story and views of your father contrasting with your mothers is a interesting point of view, showing both sides of a "party" and how differently it is dealt with. I also thought your question "...why do people respect people more after they die?" is a interesting norm that I also wish to understand, from this I would like to hear your thoughts on maybe why?
Great Post!
Christian
Comments on Abdullah S's (Hw - 48):
Abdullah,
Your post had good points on the depiction of contrasting beliefs on taking care of the dead that one can really relate to. You share the point of view between both of your interviewee's that death is not something to be afraid of, "only because it's another stage in life." which I found we could problematize because by definition life is the distinguishing factor which separates living organisms from inorganic objects(dead organisms). One question I would like to add to how your Uncle responded which you also found a "little weird" is that being dead is not another stage in life, its the complete opposite which you briefly explain by scaring those who answer that they're "not afraid of dying..." by rewording it to be "ceasing to exist."
Interesting Post!
Christian
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Protege (Sister):
Hello Christian!
Really weird post. But interesting topic, "Care of the Dead", I liked your brief interviews with Mom and Dad, and Dad's point about how contradictory "showing respect" to the dead when in the first place you didn't to go to begin with. One suggestion I would add when your interviewing someone is maybe a question that doesn't particularly look at what that person's point of view is, but what they think the shared views are of "caring for the dead."
Love you!
Nadia
Friday, April 29, 2011
Hw - 50 First Third of Care-for-the-Dead Book Post
Mark Harris, Grave Matters:A Journey Through The Modern Funeral Industry to A Natural Way of Burial, 2007, Scribner, New York, NY.
Precis: Twelve hours after they'd left Brakertown Memorial Hospital, Jim and Myra Johnson made arrangements for the burial of their daughter Jenny at the Fielding Funeral Home. Tom Feilding, the funeral director greets both Jim and Myra Johnson inviting the couple to a hush receiving room making it more or less comfortable for the family - Fielding doesn't try to console families. The Johnson's tell Feilding that they would like a funeral that is traditional to their catholic backgrounds. A viewing service at St. Matthews. Burial in Holy savior. Feilding tells the Johnson this is possible and gives them the complete detail of a variety of costs ranging from the place they want the burial (Church or funeral home) to the time and length the burial will be. The total costs for options of viewing the Johnson's chose came up to be $12,376. After the burial of their daughter, the Johnson's and the Holy savior oversee the the sealing of the vault which rests on a stand with rails running into the grave.
Quotes:
"The kind of send-off the Johnson's brought into for their daughter likely plays out more than a million times every year in this country...some twenty-seven hundred licensed embalmers like Tom Feilding will wheel a newly deceased family member into their prep rooms and there ply their trade..."(41)
"The funeral industry has taken to calling this final undertaking the traditional American funeral service...Today's typical funeral is but a modern construct, and one that bears little resemblance to the way earlier generations cared for, paid tribute to, and buried their dead."(41)
"The industrial engine beginning to drive the economy made it possible, mass-producing the trappings of the tasteful funeral that could increasingly be had in the growing marketplace of goods and on a workingman's wages. When it came to elaborating on the simple funeral, capitalism and gentility proved a winning combination." (43)
Analysis:
Mark Harris brings fourth a detailed and a precise sequence of what "deciding" a funeral and burial is for the first third of the book. The personal story of the Johnson's and their relationship with funeral director Tom Feilding advocates that Death is a business and is rather costly and is a million dollar industry. Other than briefly consoling the families who have lost a family member, the families are offered alternatives to seek therapy which is providing by the company which you have to pay more and on top of all of that, the fee's and cost of burial for a family member. From the selection of where burials can be to the type of casket a loved one will go six feet deep into the ground, its a big business and it commonly seen every day.
Precis: Twelve hours after they'd left Brakertown Memorial Hospital, Jim and Myra Johnson made arrangements for the burial of their daughter Jenny at the Fielding Funeral Home. Tom Feilding, the funeral director greets both Jim and Myra Johnson inviting the couple to a hush receiving room making it more or less comfortable for the family - Fielding doesn't try to console families. The Johnson's tell Feilding that they would like a funeral that is traditional to their catholic backgrounds. A viewing service at St. Matthews. Burial in Holy savior. Feilding tells the Johnson this is possible and gives them the complete detail of a variety of costs ranging from the place they want the burial (Church or funeral home) to the time and length the burial will be. The total costs for options of viewing the Johnson's chose came up to be $12,376. After the burial of their daughter, the Johnson's and the Holy savior oversee the the sealing of the vault which rests on a stand with rails running into the grave.
Quotes:
"The kind of send-off the Johnson's brought into for their daughter likely plays out more than a million times every year in this country...some twenty-seven hundred licensed embalmers like Tom Feilding will wheel a newly deceased family member into their prep rooms and there ply their trade..."(41)
"The funeral industry has taken to calling this final undertaking the traditional American funeral service...Today's typical funeral is but a modern construct, and one that bears little resemblance to the way earlier generations cared for, paid tribute to, and buried their dead."(41)
"The industrial engine beginning to drive the economy made it possible, mass-producing the trappings of the tasteful funeral that could increasingly be had in the growing marketplace of goods and on a workingman's wages. When it came to elaborating on the simple funeral, capitalism and gentility proved a winning combination." (43)
Analysis:
Mark Harris brings fourth a detailed and a precise sequence of what "deciding" a funeral and burial is for the first third of the book. The personal story of the Johnson's and their relationship with funeral director Tom Feilding advocates that Death is a business and is rather costly and is a million dollar industry. Other than briefly consoling the families who have lost a family member, the families are offered alternatives to seek therapy which is providing by the company which you have to pay more and on top of all of that, the fee's and cost of burial for a family member. From the selection of where burials can be to the type of casket a loved one will go six feet deep into the ground, its a big business and it commonly seen every day.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Hw - 48 Family Perspective of The Care of The Dead
Mom:
Question 1: What are some basic views of the Care of The Dead that come to mind?
Well, first of all, the body should be treated and second of all the soul must be respected.
Question 1: What are some basic views of the Care of The Dead that come to mind?
Well, first of all, the body should be treated and second of all the soul must be respected.
Question 2: What do you think some of the dominant practices are under this kind of topic?
Some of the dominant practices may be having funerals and grievances after someone who has passed.
Question 3: Do you think you do anything different than the practices done in dominant cultures?
No. Only because I feel that practices done in our culture fit with nothing posed out of the regular. I could be wrong though.
No. Only because I feel that practices done in our culture fit with nothing posed out of the regular. I could be wrong though.
Dad:
Question 1: What are some things your family taught you about caring for the dead?
Not really sure or can't remember talking to them about it. But what I can tell you is that in my family after a family member has passed, we make sure to quickly arrange a proper funeral and discuss the burial.
Not really sure or can't remember talking to them about it. But what I can tell you is that in my family after a family member has passed, we make sure to quickly arrange a proper funeral and discuss the burial.
Question 2: What are somethings you do similarly or differently to the practices done in the dominant cultures?
I do not like going to funerals but still do anyway out of respect even though that might contradict. I have never been in one but have witnessed quarrels over who gets to own what after a person has passed.
I do not like going to funerals but still do anyway out of respect even though that might contradict. I have never been in one but have witnessed quarrels over who gets to own what after a person has passed.
Question 3: What do you think needs to change in dominant social practices under caring for the dead?
Not sure. But I would like this negative assumption of not going to a burial or funeral to stop.
From these two brief interviews of my parents I can see that they are not phased by it as much and their views on it are of what dominant practices are. Although this may be the case I really liked the part where my father explained how he does not like to go to funerals but because of the pressures in our society to "show respect" it forces people sometimes to do things they may not enjoy. For this case particularly showing respect to the dead. I also noticed that dominant practices in our culture are either similar in some sense because we all treat the dead some way.
Not sure. But I would like this negative assumption of not going to a burial or funeral to stop.
From these two brief interviews of my parents I can see that they are not phased by it as much and their views on it are of what dominant practices are. Although this may be the case I really liked the part where my father explained how he does not like to go to funerals but because of the pressures in our society to "show respect" it forces people sometimes to do things they may not enjoy. For this case particularly showing respect to the dead. I also noticed that dominant practices in our culture are either similar in some sense because we all treat the dead some way.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Hw - 46 Initial Thoughts on the Care of the Dead
My initial thoughts on care for the dead is bleak. The personal connection is not there but views on the dominant practices are apparent. I know that after someone who has died, there are ceremonies, funerals, grievances, and celebrations. Alternatives to this kind of practice I have no clue on where or how it might be practiced. One thing I do realize about these practices are, that it is all brief. I may be overstating, but once someone dies, we put together these ceremonies that last for a week or two and then we move on. Why? Is it that we have a tendency of moving on from the past quickly or is that we no longer have any physical connection anymore? This has always bothered me why when people die, there of major importance for a brief amount of time, and once that time is over, it is set aside.
Coming from my parents, I was always taught to respect the ones who have passed, and in all seriousness, after leaving from a funeral, entering your home backwards instead of forwards. It was to make sure that unrested souls don't follow you in. Creeps me out still. But from there on, my 'real' personal connection with this topic is not there, or I just don't know yet.
Questions:
1. Alternatives to care for the dead?
2. Similarities and differences within dominant social practices around the topic of Care of the Dead.
3. Is it true that after someone dies, we quickly try to move on? if yes, why?
Coming from my parents, I was always taught to respect the ones who have passed, and in all seriousness, after leaving from a funeral, entering your home backwards instead of forwards. It was to make sure that unrested souls don't follow you in. Creeps me out still. But from there on, my 'real' personal connection with this topic is not there, or I just don't know yet.
Questions:
1. Alternatives to care for the dead?
2. Similarities and differences within dominant social practices around the topic of Care of the Dead.
3. Is it true that after someone dies, we quickly try to move on? if yes, why?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Hw - 45 Reply to Other Peoples' Comments
Comment on Harry's comment:
Harry,
I would like to first thank you for taking an interest and reading my post and commenting afterwards. I'm glad also that I was somehow clear enough to rid you of any doubt on how women were treated in hospitals throughout history. My central focus was to indeed bring to light the treatment of woman and how growing fads are an accomplice to the further development of doctors practically experimenting on woman. Though there was little detail, the covered basics should prompt anyone who reads this to take an interest in their own research of hospitals and just like what it has done to us, hopefully we can share with all.
Thank you,
Christian Bowen
Harry,
I would like to first thank you for taking an interest and reading my post and commenting afterwards. I'm glad also that I was somehow clear enough to rid you of any doubt on how women were treated in hospitals throughout history. My central focus was to indeed bring to light the treatment of woman and how growing fads are an accomplice to the further development of doctors practically experimenting on woman. Though there was little detail, the covered basics should prompt anyone who reads this to take an interest in their own research of hospitals and just like what it has done to us, hopefully we can share with all.
Thank you,
Christian Bowen
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Hw - 44 Comments on Other People's Projects
To Harry:
Harry,
Your topic of choice is very interesting because adoption in the U.S is overlooked by many people and should deserve more attention then what it gets now. In your post, I especially like the bit about "seeking cultural identity" because it's a interesting complexity for those who have been adopted; whether to call themselves what their adopted parents culture is, or the family that gave them up for adoption. A focus you could of also brought into this post is the psychology aspect of finding identity and how psychologist may look at this kind of issue of displacement within adopted children. This topic of seeking identity is especially interesting to me because what makes us who we are are the cultural aspects our families follow that shape and construct us and for the adopted children, they fall in between two cultures and the question of "which one do I choose"?
Great Post!
Christian
To Alex:
Alex,
I enjoyed reading this piece written to Chuck Schumer, and the basic concepts of the pros and cons of Pregnancy/Births in the U.S. In your post you bring up good points that can be developed into powerful persuading statements for instance the bit where woman are prefer hospitals over midwifes because they trust the hospital more. Here, you can expand on how the doctor influence has a connotation of professionalism that sounds more reassuring than a midwife that a woman may know little about.
Good Post!
Christian
To Matt B:
Matt,
This letter was moving with its creative and persuasive language. From the beginning of the powerful and relevant Kennedy quote, to the atrocious statistical data and your analysis of it, I found myself convinced that I was reading a speech of a "budding activist", but like American literature, we have beautiful writing but the actual action the writing is meant to provide is skewed. A question I have for you is, "if you were to begin this kind of movement, how would you account for the movement of actual action holding true to the beautiful writing provided?"
Great Post!
Christian
Harry,
Your topic of choice is very interesting because adoption in the U.S is overlooked by many people and should deserve more attention then what it gets now. In your post, I especially like the bit about "seeking cultural identity" because it's a interesting complexity for those who have been adopted; whether to call themselves what their adopted parents culture is, or the family that gave them up for adoption. A focus you could of also brought into this post is the psychology aspect of finding identity and how psychologist may look at this kind of issue of displacement within adopted children. This topic of seeking identity is especially interesting to me because what makes us who we are are the cultural aspects our families follow that shape and construct us and for the adopted children, they fall in between two cultures and the question of "which one do I choose"?
Great Post!
Christian
To Alex:
Alex,
I enjoyed reading this piece written to Chuck Schumer, and the basic concepts of the pros and cons of Pregnancy/Births in the U.S. In your post you bring up good points that can be developed into powerful persuading statements for instance the bit where woman are prefer hospitals over midwifes because they trust the hospital more. Here, you can expand on how the doctor influence has a connotation of professionalism that sounds more reassuring than a midwife that a woman may know little about.
Good Post!
Christian
To Matt B:
Matt,
This letter was moving with its creative and persuasive language. From the beginning of the powerful and relevant Kennedy quote, to the atrocious statistical data and your analysis of it, I found myself convinced that I was reading a speech of a "budding activist", but like American literature, we have beautiful writing but the actual action the writing is meant to provide is skewed. A question I have for you is, "if you were to begin this kind of movement, how would you account for the movement of actual action holding true to the beautiful writing provided?"
Great Post!
Christian
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Hw - 42 Pregnancy & Birth Culminating Project
Throughout time, history has provided us a map of what structured the establishments of fads today. One establishment that keeps growing within our society are the creations of perfecting pregnancy and birth. But how can one perfect a thing that is so complex and never the same. How can you plan for the almost unplannable. Tools. Tools used during pregnancies explored the experimental side of doctors trying to create their own perfect attempt at what a perfect birth possibly could be. And as time shows, they still haven't found one.
From the horrid treatment of women back in the 19th century to the comparison of the 21st century and how women are somewhat still treated similarly of course with many exceptions. Like in the movie, "Business of Being Born" there was not much of historical time periods being named, but some of the methods the doctors used on women, heavily drugging and giving little then less information or option of birth strategies can easily been seen in what Cassidy, an advocate for woman and maternal mortality expresses to the public. Cassidy's book, "Birth" is important to further deepen the atrocities of how hospitals and doctors toss women into a "black hole system" that traps them into having no opinion or choice of birth they would like. The establishment of fads from one generation to the next under the light of doctors practically experimenting possible and still very dangerous methods of creating the "perfect birth" to this day is still demonstrated in hospitals such as, the drugs that supposedly accelerate or ease the challenge of birth. And to the growing popularity of C-sections now, presumed as the new fad of this generation so women could hold on to their "appeal" to their significant others and on other hand not actually realizing the possible and threatening danger there is to it.
One issue I believe that woman choose to go to hospitals for their pregnancies is because it is universally known to happen in centers where doctors can assist if anything goes wrong. We have been set to imagine that when a woman is in labor, she can rely on a doctors professional help to aid in making sure that she will be fine. But this is where information like this falls short. In a convoluted system, its not easy to spot the actual dangers there are when a doctor is performing their practice on their patients, and its usually without the patience consent. The establishments of doctors performing their profession began in the mid 1900's where "[...Women] were beginning to believe they should have the more educated physician there, just in case. Doctors generally didn't like having all these women watching them work and questioning practices."(139) The women of that time and still to this day see that a person with more of an education rather than experience should be held on a level of higher standard because it is a profession that is held under a lens of creating safety in case the horrible is to happen. But what if what the doctor is leading you into in consequence is life threatening. Like the growing popularity in C-sections to this day which is called the fastest and quickest route for delivering a child. But there is so much more to it because nothing is really that simple."[A Cesarean Section]...has become such a routine operation that nearly one out of every three babies in developed countries arrives by cesarean section...Cesareans have become so commonplace that we refer to the discreet six-inch scar as a bikini cut."(103) An ideal birth today would be a C-section because it creates a sense of "efficient-ness" but what woman do not know is that this kind of procedure can alter either their next pregnancy or the functions of the organs that are cut/torn in the area of where the C-section took place. This is one of the developing fads in the U.S and in other developed countries because doctors can perform this experimenting with what can be easily done.
From the horrid treatment of women back in the 19th century to the comparison of the 21st century and how women are somewhat still treated similarly of course with many exceptions. Like in the movie, "Business of Being Born" there was not much of historical time periods being named, but some of the methods the doctors used on women, heavily drugging and giving little then less information or option of birth strategies can easily been seen in what Cassidy, an advocate for woman and maternal mortality expresses to the public. Cassidy's book, "Birth" is important to further deepen the atrocities of how hospitals and doctors toss women into a "black hole system" that traps them into having no opinion or choice of birth they would like. The establishment of fads from one generation to the next under the light of doctors practically experimenting possible and still very dangerous methods of creating the "perfect birth" to this day is still demonstrated in hospitals such as, the drugs that supposedly accelerate or ease the challenge of birth. And to the growing popularity of C-sections now, presumed as the new fad of this generation so women could hold on to their "appeal" to their significant others and on other hand not actually realizing the possible and threatening danger there is to it.
One issue I believe that woman choose to go to hospitals for their pregnancies is because it is universally known to happen in centers where doctors can assist if anything goes wrong. We have been set to imagine that when a woman is in labor, she can rely on a doctors professional help to aid in making sure that she will be fine. But this is where information like this falls short. In a convoluted system, its not easy to spot the actual dangers there are when a doctor is performing their practice on their patients, and its usually without the patience consent. The establishments of doctors performing their profession began in the mid 1900's where "[...Women] were beginning to believe they should have the more educated physician there, just in case. Doctors generally didn't like having all these women watching them work and questioning practices."(139) The women of that time and still to this day see that a person with more of an education rather than experience should be held on a level of higher standard because it is a profession that is held under a lens of creating safety in case the horrible is to happen. But what if what the doctor is leading you into in consequence is life threatening. Like the growing popularity in C-sections to this day which is called the fastest and quickest route for delivering a child. But there is so much more to it because nothing is really that simple."[A Cesarean Section]...has become such a routine operation that nearly one out of every three babies in developed countries arrives by cesarean section...Cesareans have become so commonplace that we refer to the discreet six-inch scar as a bikini cut."(103) An ideal birth today would be a C-section because it creates a sense of "efficient-ness" but what woman do not know is that this kind of procedure can alter either their next pregnancy or the functions of the organs that are cut/torn in the area of where the C-section took place. This is one of the developing fads in the U.S and in other developed countries because doctors can perform this experimenting with what can be easily done.
Even though this may be true in dominant practices, there are other options presented in Birth/Pregnancy such as using a midwife which is of the most controversial topics of birth. And like growing fads, midwives in this time are also growing in popularity. Since."...Maternal morality rates were increasing sharply, especially in urban areas. Disease and more meddlesome practices were introducing new troubles in childbirth...Government and charities sprang into action...but death rates continued to rise...in New York City [it] had risen to alarming levels...4.5 percent of women who delivered in hospitals died after what should of been a normal delivery, compared to the 1.6 percent who delivered at home with a midwife. And at least half of those deaths were preventable."(246) If women were aware of these death rates and this kind of data was publicly shared more often, some of the dominant practices that are popular today, would cease to happen and other developments under the structure of Birth/Pregnancy would arise. For midwives, the need for more experienced individuals that have preformed deliveries instead of the book-reading educated ones who have not performed deliveries would present a more safe and lifting experience to the woman. But this is not the precise case and because the popular dominant practices are still widely known and accepted without realizing, furthermore the more popular fads such as the growing use of C-sections, the more woman will be trapped in a system that provides little then less information, giving you less options of choice.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Hw - 41 Independent Research
Throughout my time of exploring the different angles of approaching the topic "Birth/Pregnancy", I was really captured by the growing amount of popularity in Midwives and the "industrial" versus "natural" side f births in the U.S. The first step in researching these sub topics in Birth/Pregnancy, I would like to plan a survey to actually test if women either prefer to have a home birth(natural) or a hospitalized birth(industrial). From the survey, I would like to see how each individual answered and sorting out how many and which of those chose the industrial hospitalized way and why and so on for those who chose home births. Doing this kind of study will provide more of a real aspect of learning other than just reading and hearing about the positives and negatives of Birth/Pregnancies.
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/homebirth.html
http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/doctor/birth_centers_hospitals.html
http://www.nyhomebirth.com/Advantages-Of-Homebirth/
http://ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=713
http://hospitals.nyhealth.gov/maternity.php
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/homebirth.html
http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/doctor/birth_centers_hospitals.html
http://www.nyhomebirth.com/Advantages-Of-Homebirth/
http://ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=713
http://hospitals.nyhealth.gov/maternity.php
Monday, March 28, 2011
Hw - 40 Insights from Book - Part 3
"Hey - thanks for writing Birth. Your core argument about the lively hood of women during and after their pregnancy and the "experimental" tools doctors used made me rethink pregnancy & birth."
But the author, surprised to be talking to someone who instead of sharing their own birth story actually rephrased the main idea of the text s/he spent months giving birth to asks, "Really, which parts were most effective or important for you?" When you answer, "Well, in the last third of the book you focused on the maternal mortality rates and the postpartum period , which added another angle to the first 2/3rds of the book. But let me be more specific." And then you listed the top 3 ideas/pieces of evidence/insights/questions from that final third of the book (and somehow even listed page number references n).
1."In Europe and many other places, postpartum women once considered polluted and therefore dangerous to men; so new mothers were not allowed to prepare or cook food for forty days."(222)
2."The lack of immediate contact between mothers and preemies had long term deleterious implications. Contact is good for babies - and their parents - right from the beginning. And it improves not just their relationship. Allowing time to bond helps increase childhood IQ scores, keeps families intact, and reduces the likelihood of child abuse."(229)
3."...Maternal morality rates were increasing sharply, especially in urban areas. Disease, decreasing numbers of midwives, and more meddlesome practices were introducing new troubles in childbirth...Government and charities sprang into action...but death rates continued to rise...in New York City [it] had risen to alarming levels...4.5 percent of women who delivered in hospitals died after what should of been a normal delivery, compared to the 1.6 percent who delivered at home with a midwife. And at least half of those deaths were preventable."(246)
At this point, realizing that s/he's having a unique conversation with a serious reader of her/his book, the author asks - "But what could I have done to make this a better book - that would more effectively fulfill its mission?" You answer, "Well, let's be clear - your text sought to provide narratives and historical analysis from the perspective of a woman for the book-reading-public to better understand pregnancy & birth in our culture. Given that aim, and your book, the best advice I would give for a 2nd edition of the text would be, to include more of the beautiful stories of birth and how it provides a empowerment to the women who succeeded. But I don't want you to feel like I'm criticizing. I appreciate the immense amount of labor you dedicated to this important issue and particularly for making me think about the effects of a Cesarean section & the tools and fads doctors used throughout history. In fact, I'm likely to do a review of the likeliness of whether women today prefer midwives over obstetricians as a result of your book." The author replies, "Thanks! Talking to you gives me hope about our future as a society!"
But the author, surprised to be talking to someone who instead of sharing their own birth story actually rephrased the main idea of the text s/he spent months giving birth to asks, "Really, which parts were most effective or important for you?" When you answer, "Well, in the last third of the book you focused on the maternal mortality rates and the postpartum period , which added another angle to the first 2/3rds of the book. But let me be more specific." And then you listed the top 3 ideas/pieces of evidence/insights/questions from that final third of the book (and somehow even listed page number references n).
1."In Europe and many other places, postpartum women once considered polluted and therefore dangerous to men; so new mothers were not allowed to prepare or cook food for forty days."(222)
2."The lack of immediate contact between mothers and preemies had long term deleterious implications. Contact is good for babies - and their parents - right from the beginning. And it improves not just their relationship. Allowing time to bond helps increase childhood IQ scores, keeps families intact, and reduces the likelihood of child abuse."(229)
3."...Maternal morality rates were increasing sharply, especially in urban areas. Disease, decreasing numbers of midwives, and more meddlesome practices were introducing new troubles in childbirth...Government and charities sprang into action...but death rates continued to rise...in New York City [it] had risen to alarming levels...4.5 percent of women who delivered in hospitals died after what should of been a normal delivery, compared to the 1.6 percent who delivered at home with a midwife. And at least half of those deaths were preventable."(246)
At this point, realizing that s/he's having a unique conversation with a serious reader of her/his book, the author asks - "But what could I have done to make this a better book - that would more effectively fulfill its mission?" You answer, "Well, let's be clear - your text sought to provide narratives and historical analysis from the perspective of a woman for the book-reading-public to better understand pregnancy & birth in our culture. Given that aim, and your book, the best advice I would give for a 2nd edition of the text would be, to include more of the beautiful stories of birth and how it provides a empowerment to the women who succeeded. But I don't want you to feel like I'm criticizing. I appreciate the immense amount of labor you dedicated to this important issue and particularly for making me think about the effects of a Cesarean section & the tools and fads doctors used throughout history. In fact, I'm likely to do a review of the likeliness of whether women today prefer midwives over obstetricians as a result of your book." The author replies, "Thanks! Talking to you gives me hope about our future as a society!"
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Hw - 39 Insights from Book - Part 2
Cassidy, Tina. Birth The Surprising History of How We Are Born. New York: Grove Press, 2006. Press.
- Arranged births and its development in "changing the perspective of women's thoughts on vaginal birth."
- The empowerment of vaginal births being given back to the "woman."
- The "black hole" system hospitals attend to, displaying little then less information to women about birthing strategies.
In Tina Cassidy's "Birth", the next 100 pages explored, explicitly focused on the method and tools doctors used during a women's pregnancy. From the horrid treatment of women back in the 19th century to the comparisson of the 21st century and how women are somewhat still treated similarly of course with many exceptions. Although in "Business of Being Born" there was not much of historical time periods being named, some of the methods the doctors used on women, heavily drugging and giving little then less information or option of birth strategies can easily been seen in what Cassidy describes to us. The establishment of fads from one generation to the next under the light of doctors practically experimenting possible and still very dangerous methods of creating the "perfect birth" to this day is still demonstrated in hospitals such as, the drugs that supposedly accelerate or ease the challenge of birth. To the growing popularity of C-sections now, presumed as the new fad of this generation so women could hold on to their "appeal" to their significant others and on other hand not actually realizing the possible and threatening danger their is to it.
"[A Cesarean Section]...has become such a routine operation that nearly one out of every three babies in developed countries arrives by cesarean section...Cesareans have become so commonplace that we refer to the discreet six-inch scar as a bikini cut."(103)
"In his 1930 encyclical Pope Pius XI declared that doctors could not take a baby's life to save a woman's. After the pope's directive, Cesarean rates spiked, as indeed did maternal mortality, since the operation was still far from safe."(105)
"...Women clung to the old-fashioned comfort of other females but also were beginning to believe they should have the more educated physician there, just in case. Doctors generally didn't like having all these women watching them work and questioning practices."(139)
"I had to perform the delivery alone. I had no experience. Medical school has only offered us theory. But I threw myself into what was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life...romantic intimacy pales in comparison to the bond an obstetrician feels with a woman in labor. You become a creator. You are given the chance to give life, to bring a human being out of the depths and into the light."(149)
"Some of the more remarkable obstetric fads were not methods or techniques at all. They were tools. And their vast permutations over the centuries tell dramatic stories of difficult births, of ignorant attempts to help, and of swashbuckling stupidity."(162)
The focus of particularly safe/unsafe procedures, methods, preparations and tools used during a woman's pregnancy versus the role of a midwife is a battle that generally is not seen. A pregnant women delivers her child in a hospital which is commonly known amongst women who have not and have gone through the process of delivering their child. Why is that? Tina Cassidy mentions that it is because focuses are mainly structured around popularity's, and midwives are falling short to that popularity line. Doing some research I discovered that even though midwifery has started to gain in popularity, only of those who are well-educated about the other options of choice in whether you want a obstetrician to deliver or a midwife are know, and the rest fall to the hospitalization of child births. In other reasons, women who do know about the other option and still choose to go with an obstetrician tend to be the ones who would like to attain their appeal or would rather not deal with the pain.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Hw - 38 Insights from Pregnancy & Birth Book
In Tina Cassidy's "Birth", the organizational aspect of the book is told through different personal stories, ranging from Cassidy's own experience in birth to the statistical and anecdotal experiences of others. Her decision to make it this way provides a sense of relatedness but also explicitly showing the distances in birth itself. She begins with the birthing stories of her grandmother and mother and then on to her own and contrasting how each birth was different.
There are multiple focuses in birth and "Birth", but some of the main focuses have been the difficulty of women delivering their child and how the perception of midwives have changed. The author's choice to focus on these two important aspects of birth as a whole is very well related with what birth is looked upon now. For instance, the perception of mid wives changing because of the ever growing "industrial medical doctor" way of delivering a child and how the outside experiences of birth is a matter of business on both ends. The mother/child and the doctor.
Major insights the book is communicating with me are the multiple different birth stories and advocating how the differences are leading to a higher need of doctors and the loosing interest in midwives and the "naturalness" aspect of birth. It's interesting to read about a dying art being revived by someone who notices it and chooses to write about it. Its a gaining experience of learning from the old and on to the improved new. The contrast between the two are collective thoughts that bring fourth a new outcome and knowing the history of what has become today.
- The perspective of Midwives.
- Role of men during the pregnancy and birth.
- "Naturalness" versus "Idustrialness"
- The danger in childbirth.
- What is the "Perfect Birth?"
The style of evidence Cassidy chooses is a balance of all, starting with personal experiences that communicate a sense of relatedness and statistical evidence that provides a relevant fact about what is shared universally amongst all. For what I have been reading, this strategy so far has been convincing but not manipulative which is important because she provides a balance of what the reader needs to know instead of the one way tunnel of thought that does not invite other developing thoughts.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Hw - 37 Comments on Pregnancy/Birth Stories
Mom (Mentor):
Christian, I really liked your analysis of our neighbor's quote, and how time, dedication and commitment are important factors of birth/pregnancy. Having the time in your day to attend something more then just you, is like a conflicting battle with your self, because of the sacrifices one should take. In your analysis, I feel like you could of wrote a bit more, maybe relating your first interview of your Aunt to our neighbor's interview and see how similar and how different it was, and why it may have been that way.
Sister (Protoge):
Christian, I liked your interview with our Aunt because it's something I never really thought about when a women is in her trials of pregnancy. Some of the more dominant perspectives of birth arise because it's most of the things I only know about. Something you could of improved on is further developing your analysis by relating all interviews together and seeing the similarities and differences of the interviewers and why?
Christian, I really liked your analysis of our neighbor's quote, and how time, dedication and commitment are important factors of birth/pregnancy. Having the time in your day to attend something more then just you, is like a conflicting battle with your self, because of the sacrifices one should take. In your analysis, I feel like you could of wrote a bit more, maybe relating your first interview of your Aunt to our neighbor's interview and see how similar and how different it was, and why it may have been that way.
Sister (Protoge):
Christian, I liked your interview with our Aunt because it's something I never really thought about when a women is in her trials of pregnancy. Some of the more dominant perspectives of birth arise because it's most of the things I only know about. Something you could of improved on is further developing your analysis by relating all interviews together and seeing the similarities and differences of the interviewers and why?
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Sarah(Thinking/Writing part):
Sarah,
The differences in the interviewee's response showed that not all women see pregnancy the same, but something prompts them all to get pregnant. Throughout your blog, your analysis of each interview and how they are different or similar to the other interviews, explained how each person perception of birth is, the only thing for your next blog should be your grammar and re-reading after you post.
Good Post!
Christian
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Hw - 36 Pregnancy & Birth Stories
Aunt (Mother of two children):
To begin with, my aunt is a mother of two little children and she is still as youthful as them today. She tells me that after having her first child, it was life changing as any pregnancy/birth experience should be, the second follows but only a bit more prepared. During her trials of pregnancy, I wanted to know about her physical and emotional feelings she had to being pregnant. She says; "It was like finally realizing what my own mother went through for me. And as I got more and more pregnant you could say, the more I felt connected to my mom then I had ever been. Of course now I couldn't do the things I enjoyed, like skiing and mountain biking, but it was all worth it to see my very own baby."
From what my aunt shared with me, it seems there is a lot more connectedness with others around you, even if you cannot physically be right with them. For my aunt it was with her mother because they could even more now relate to each other in a more emotional way than they could before.
Neighbor (Recently gave birth):
My neighbor who is very kind and very caring explicitly tells me that her trials of birth were the most difficult thing she has ever encountered and probably will be steering away from it for a while. She says if it was not for her husband and close family members, it would of made this process ten times more worse that what it already was. To find out what exactly made her time during her time of being pregnant more comfortable, I politely asked what did someone(s) do specifically to make your pregnancy much easier? Initially she said having her husband now cook the meals and not going in for work. Than more emotionally, the commitment of her husband towards her being pregnant and making sure that everything is alright. She says; "some days I would want everything to happen, like cooked meals, cleaned house, mopped floors and my husband could not do it all, but he did best making sure that I was satisfied because he knew that I was pregnant with his child and that sacrificing his time and labor is worth it at the end."
Time and dedication is an apparent factor for those who are going through the trials of birth, and I now realize that commitment to these things are just as important because in the end is the big payoff that celebrates an introduction of "new life."
To begin with, my aunt is a mother of two little children and she is still as youthful as them today. She tells me that after having her first child, it was life changing as any pregnancy/birth experience should be, the second follows but only a bit more prepared. During her trials of pregnancy, I wanted to know about her physical and emotional feelings she had to being pregnant. She says; "It was like finally realizing what my own mother went through for me. And as I got more and more pregnant you could say, the more I felt connected to my mom then I had ever been. Of course now I couldn't do the things I enjoyed, like skiing and mountain biking, but it was all worth it to see my very own baby."
From what my aunt shared with me, it seems there is a lot more connectedness with others around you, even if you cannot physically be right with them. For my aunt it was with her mother because they could even more now relate to each other in a more emotional way than they could before.
Neighbor (Recently gave birth):
My neighbor who is very kind and very caring explicitly tells me that her trials of birth were the most difficult thing she has ever encountered and probably will be steering away from it for a while. She says if it was not for her husband and close family members, it would of made this process ten times more worse that what it already was. To find out what exactly made her time during her time of being pregnant more comfortable, I politely asked what did someone(s) do specifically to make your pregnancy much easier? Initially she said having her husband now cook the meals and not going in for work. Than more emotionally, the commitment of her husband towards her being pregnant and making sure that everything is alright. She says; "some days I would want everything to happen, like cooked meals, cleaned house, mopped floors and my husband could not do it all, but he did best making sure that I was satisfied because he knew that I was pregnant with his child and that sacrificing his time and labor is worth it at the end."
Time and dedication is an apparent factor for those who are going through the trials of birth, and I now realize that commitment to these things are just as important because in the end is the big payoff that celebrates an introduction of "new life."
Mother (Mother of three children):
From my mom I gained a collective amount of information on how and when to decide on having a child is best time and when it is not. She tells me that being prepared to take care of your own baby is when your ready to settle down and give up any past life that will no longer fit with the future responsibility you will gain. You won't know when your unprepared, because you won't be prepared. Plain and simple. She says; "I had my first child at 18, at it was a life changer at too early of an age. I couldn't go to school and holding my job was more difficult than ever and even though family may be there for you, they have lives as well, not yours'."
From this interview with my mom I felt like it was a warning into what kind of life birth and pregnancy changes, and being unprepared for it, is a situation where you do not want to find yourself in.
What emotional feelings are shared after birth within a family?
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Hw - 35 Other Peoples' Perspectives
From my interviews with people around the ages of 14 - 19, the general basis of their immediate thought was that birth is a celebration of life. Birth collectively involves many changes that significantly alters someones life and the other people around them. My oldest cousin, who witnessed his mother giving birth to both his younger brothers was altering the physical and mental changes of his life even though he was the first born. Here's what my cousin said, " After I was born, my mom had made sacrifices and changes to make sure we would live a better life. After my second brother was born, I witnessed what sacrifices and changes I had to make for the better and then after the third, the process was all too similar, but still a game changer that brought another brand new change." From what I understood, it seems that birth can change who you are, even if you are effected by it frequently and that it is never the same. My friend who also saw that birth is categorized as a celebration of life, also demanded immense responsibility. Parenting issues are amongst the most important side effects that affect how the process of birth is treated. He says, "if there weren't as many different positive and negative parenting techniques, we wouldn't have parenting issues, but the amount of pressures that our culture sets our children up for along the lines of, how can I make my child become successful, there are various opinions which all may not agree with, so you choose." This is also correct, that our society does put a lot of pressures on parent about how they are going to teach, provide and care for their kids, and not all may agree with the type of technique you end up choosing. So what does this mean about the process of birth before and after then?
One thing I could say for sure is that the process of birth for each individual is different. Some people will see birth one way, and another may see it differently. But one thing that seems to be universal is that many see it as a celebration. I wouldn't argue with this classification either because I wouldn't know how to say that giving birth is a "bad" thing, even though there are many terrible things that birth consist of. From what it seems though during my interviews, the interviewee's did not see it as a "bad thing" but just one that you have to be readily prepared for. Responsibilities seem to be #1 topic of choice under the topic of birth and following after is that birth is a celebration of new life
One thing I could say for sure is that the process of birth for each individual is different. Some people will see birth one way, and another may see it differently. But one thing that seems to be universal is that many see it as a celebration. I wouldn't argue with this classification either because I wouldn't know how to say that giving birth is a "bad" thing, even though there are many terrible things that birth consist of. From what it seems though during my interviews, the interviewee's did not see it as a "bad thing" but just one that you have to be readily prepared for. Responsibilities seem to be #1 topic of choice under the topic of birth and following after is that birth is a celebration of new life
Monday, February 14, 2011
Hw - 34 Initial Thoughts on Birth
Initially, my thoughts on Birth are the limits and responsibility that are bestowed on an individuals life. Some of the responsibilities shape a person's outlook on their future life, others become more focused on the "now" of it. The split Birth causes between a individual separates where this person stands in the present and where they will be standing in the future. Generally speaking, one could say Birth can be represented as a catalyst that shifts how a person's life ultimately turns out.
Furthermore, Birth is also a celebration of new life. For the women and men who endure the 7-9 month battle, come to a end of appraisal, bringing fourth one of their own. Having a child, one could say gives that person a sense of purpose because now they are focused on the jobat hand by caring and naturing 24/7. A sense of ownership is entitled because of the ultimate decisions you have over what needs to be done to care of your child. It's almost like being the owner of a business but without the late night crying and yelling.
Furthermore, Birth is also a celebration of new life. For the women and men who endure the 7-9 month battle, come to a end of appraisal, bringing fourth one of their own. Having a child, one could say gives that person a sense of purpose because now they are focused on the jobat hand by caring and naturing 24/7. A sense of ownership is entitled because of the ultimate decisions you have over what needs to be done to care of your child. It's almost like being the owner of a business but without the late night crying and yelling.
- What are some similarities/differences that cultures do in the topic of "Birth"?
- What are people's views on Birth before and after the fact?
- What in "Birth" is the most significant in the dominant culture? Why?
- How does the dominant culture view the topic of Birth?
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Hw - 33 Comments
Harry,
We'll never know enough about things in life, but the similarities in it, help us understand the connections that exist. Your connection with Food and Illness and Dying made me think about what relations there are and your final question to if we spend so little to get sick, why must it cost so much to get better only made think of the "why's" and "how's" in life and what we do as people to understand.
Good Post!
Christian
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dean,
Your understanding of the dominant of social practices are shared by the many people who make an attempt at figuring out. The process first starts with realizing and then the next to do something about. In this blog post, I would of like to seen what you felt, or did after realizing because your arguments are very much relative, but skating over what your realizing is not entirely completely understanding.
Good Post!
Christian
We'll never know enough about things in life, but the similarities in it, help us understand the connections that exist. Your connection with Food and Illness and Dying made me think about what relations there are and your final question to if we spend so little to get sick, why must it cost so much to get better only made think of the "why's" and "how's" in life and what we do as people to understand.
Good Post!
Christian
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dean,
Your understanding of the dominant of social practices are shared by the many people who make an attempt at figuring out. The process first starts with realizing and then the next to do something about. In this blog post, I would of like to seen what you felt, or did after realizing because your arguments are very much relative, but skating over what your realizing is not entirely completely understanding.
Good Post!
Christian
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Hw 31 Comments 3
Hi Dean,
Your focus on the U.S and other nations and their health care system is relevant and probably the most important because of the economic problems we're having because of it, and in your post you clearly bring to light what the main issues are and how other countries are doing right or better. One thing I would've liked to see in your post is the expansion of your thoughts on Price of Medicine and how exactly people cannot afford health care and maybe even a personal story of someone of how they couldn't afford it.
Clear post!
Christian
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Harry,
I agree we all should know a lot more about our health care system, and that we all should have a voice or input in what's happening in it, so how would you do so? I also liked the sense of "getting lucky" you had in your blog because it truly does feel like we're risking it all on chances, "hoping" for the best and most of the time denied it.
Interesting blog!
Christian
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Rigel,
Your essential question is very interesting because already culture is what sets us apart in our society, but we all die the same way. Your insights on how deaths are represented in each different culture shows how similar we are. One thing I would like to have seen in your blog was how one dominant culture vs. another sees the topic of illness and dying, and really focusing on the trials before death instead of after.
Insightful Read!
Christian
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Matt
"Life is a series of moments flashing bye..." Powerful quote and really thought provoking because when we say bye to people, it's to move on and in life we're always moving on to the next, and the memories we have are about the things we have moved on from. Facing death is a sensitive topic that is explicitly shared in this post, one thing I would have liked to see you expand on thought were the views you had on life before the death of your grandmother vs, the actual death of your grandmother and how it has changed you.
Good Job!
Christian
Your focus on the U.S and other nations and their health care system is relevant and probably the most important because of the economic problems we're having because of it, and in your post you clearly bring to light what the main issues are and how other countries are doing right or better. One thing I would've liked to see in your post is the expansion of your thoughts on Price of Medicine and how exactly people cannot afford health care and maybe even a personal story of someone of how they couldn't afford it.
Clear post!
Christian
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harry,
I agree we all should know a lot more about our health care system, and that we all should have a voice or input in what's happening in it, so how would you do so? I also liked the sense of "getting lucky" you had in your blog because it truly does feel like we're risking it all on chances, "hoping" for the best and most of the time denied it.
Interesting blog!
Christian
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rigel,
Your essential question is very interesting because already culture is what sets us apart in our society, but we all die the same way. Your insights on how deaths are represented in each different culture shows how similar we are. One thing I would like to have seen in your blog was how one dominant culture vs. another sees the topic of illness and dying, and really focusing on the trials before death instead of after.
Insightful Read!
Christian
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matt
"Life is a series of moments flashing bye..." Powerful quote and really thought provoking because when we say bye to people, it's to move on and in life we're always moving on to the next, and the memories we have are about the things we have moved on from. Facing death is a sensitive topic that is explicitly shared in this post, one thing I would have liked to see you expand on thought were the views you had on life before the death of your grandmother vs, the actual death of your grandmother and how it has changed you.
Good Job!
Christian
Friday, January 21, 2011
Hw - 32 Final Thoughts
From the start, going into the topic of Illness and Dying was gonna be a learning experience, its a topic that most avoid even though it's all around us and our reactions to it are all completely different. From birth to our development of our conscious, we are taught on how to deal with death or illness depending on what our parents views are. It's a funny thought to see that life is seen as the day our eyes open, but the countdown to death begins at that same moment. What really stuck out to me during this unit was that our physicalities set us apart as humans, the elderly are categorized as the sick or weak, or soon to be dead and our youth is seen as lively and energentic. But our mental stability to see a lot of commonalities with life as a whole brings fourth a sense of connectiveness and a relationship almost all can relate too. Reading Tuesdays with Morrie brought fourth a lot of these interesting "connected thoughts" and as the charatcer, Morrie, who is ill and soon to die, accepts his fate and in return embraces more of the things and people around him to understand the relationships he shares with others. Interviewing my cousin about this topic who has sickle-cell disease, he also sees that life is delicate and in a instant we could dissapear so why not make the best out of things, which is a sense that most people share even if your not sick. For myself, the existential aspect of life has changed because of the experiences I've shared with everyone in this topic and what I've learned from them as well.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Hw - 30 Illness & Dying - Culminating Experiential Project
The feelings I share with the topic Illness and Dying are the majority of what my parent's views are. What they taught me is how I express my thoughts of how I should handle this sensitive topic. I'm not sick or ill or dying at the moment, but what about the views of life a sick or ill or dying person in comparison with mine differ? If not, why could they be somewhat similar?
In Tuesdays with Morrie, the protagonist, Mitch finds difficulty in understanding why his life turned out the way it did and is miserable about it. On the other hand, Mitch's professor, Morrie is suffering from a terminal illness and finds time to embrace his situation making the best out of it. Dying is only one thing to be sad over. Living unhappily is something else."(p.35) The difference between Mitch and Morrie is simple, Morrie's perspective of life is shaped differently now because of the illness he was diagnosed with and has accepted it for what it is, making the best out of it. Mitch's views on life has become shaped by the materialistic things making him miserable because he does not understand in order to accept the life he lives, he must accept and trust the ones around him first. This tendency to embrace the things around us becomes more and more apparent because we all want to have a certain purpose to others and ourselves fulfilling other peoples and our own needs.
An example of this "embracing things around us" and finding purpose and fulfilling our needs comes up in Viktor Frankl's theory of our "Existential Vacuum" which can be described as filling ourselves with satisfaction by "eating beyond all necessity...seeking power...conformity[etc]." So what would a person with a terminal illness fulfill their neediness with? The care from others? Love and support from family and friends? How much more different is that from a person who doesn't suffer from an illness? Not much. Our physical appearances may entirely be different but our internal emotions and feelings still are commonly shared amongst each other.
But what is my prediction without actually finding out how a person with a illness feels and reacts to the topic of what the meaning of life meant to them? I had to find out for myself. I asked my cousin who suffers from sickle-cell disease which is an inherited blood disorder that affects the red blood cells having difficulty passing through small blood vessels. He sees life as a privilege. A privilege that cannot be taken granted for. "One moment you could be here, and in the next, could vanish." A daily routine is his life he describes is nothing normal to what his friends in school's lives are. He has to make sure that he's fine, does not have trouble breathing and any dizziness or headaches. His friends he describes are normal because they don't have to be careful about anything of those things because it rarely happens to them, but is a commonality for him. What he shares with his friends are typical 13 year old goals which could be, playing college level basketball, becoming an actor or owning their own companies but not yet sure what that company would entitle. When he's with his friends he feels that everything is normal, but when he's at home or being rushed to the emergency room its completely abnormal and its a strange feeling of vulnerability because there is nothing he can do about it. This is where I started seeing what his perspective of what the meaning of life was to him. He explains, "even though I cannot do anything about my condition, why become miserable and isolate myself from everyone. I should make the best out of what I got to make things better." Which is something I share with him as well because what is the point in being miserable about things you can't fight, it only makes it worse. He also says that being the person who you are makes everything better and that it gives himself a sense of individuality that a lot of us always are constantly seeking.
The similarities that my cousin and I share are represented by this tendency of finding a purpose in ourselves and to others whether or not your sick or not sick, but not everyone is like this. Some people do choose to close themselves off from reality whether their sick or not sick, but its something we still share in common as people.
Bibliography:
- "Sickle Cell Anemia, Signs and Symptoms." National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Web. 18 Jan. 2011.
- "Viktor Frankl." My Webspace Files. Web. 18 Jan. 2011.
- Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie: an Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson. New York: Doubleday, 1997. Print.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Hw - 29 Reading and Noting Basic Materials
Facing Terminal Illness:
Knowing that you or someone else will be facing certain death has to be one of the most traumatic experiences for yourself and to others. Its puts everything in a different perspective that either defeats you or you accept what it is. In "Tuesdays with Morrie", the main character who was diagnosed lugaris disease, Morrie, accepted his illness and decided to make the best out of it. He figured that there was no point in being miserable about what life had to offer to him and that "once you learn how to die, you learn how to live"(p.82)
The Process of Dying:
Seeing everything in different perspective I guess would be apparent to those who face near or certain death. For Beth Bernett, when her husband was diagnosed with cancer, one of her more humorous but deeply true insights were that "when you get sick enough; Dignity goes out the window." Which is true for many because they need to be taken care of like they were at their infant stages and its funny to see how we age from this infant stage to adulthood back to our once previous stages in life. One thing that I also found very true to her speech was that when a family member gets sick, it brings families closer together. Why is that it takes someone to come close to dying, for everyone to come together like that? Is it a tendency to feel sympathetic to others because your own condition is better then theirs? Another thing I realized about Beth's presentation was that when her husband was in the hospital, the hospital had a tendency to curtain the ugly and the beauty of death. They like to coat the truth by telling the "heroic" stuff that you see in Movies and on TV.
Being Sick:
I don't have any personal "own" experience where being sick altered my perspective of things, but close family members and my parents approach to illness and dying shape my general views of how I should approach it. Until I interviewed my parents, they never really talked about illness and dying to me. It was not much of a topic to bring up to me because in their heads any "rational human being should know what to do around someone who's sick; Irrational people wouldn't."
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Hw - 28 Partner Comments #2
To Dean:
Dean,
Much different than the other posts I've read, your post set apart from actually visiting someone, but watching someone at a very old age act out in their normal kind of setting. Your multiple perspectives of Chuck Berry and his appearances and the way he played made it interesting and moderately humorous hence the "too old to be playing music." The only issue that I had with post was how brief your description of the concert was and the lack of deep insights. You could of talked about why you think he still performs for people at such an old age, or how desires to play music and becoming ill are connected?
Creative Post!
Christian
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To Harry:
Harry,
I liked reading your post because of the different attitude your family friend had with hospitals and exploiting it at it's best. Mentioning that he found hospital care to be horrid and that he was almost in this alone acknowledging that recovering was going to be long term. One thing that could of been more insightful is if you had asked him about what his approach was before he had a stroke compared to after having a stroke changed his thoughts on illness and dying, or even life itself?
Good Post!
Christian
Dean,
Much different than the other posts I've read, your post set apart from actually visiting someone, but watching someone at a very old age act out in their normal kind of setting. Your multiple perspectives of Chuck Berry and his appearances and the way he played made it interesting and moderately humorous hence the "too old to be playing music." The only issue that I had with post was how brief your description of the concert was and the lack of deep insights. You could of talked about why you think he still performs for people at such an old age, or how desires to play music and becoming ill are connected?
Creative Post!
Christian
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To Harry:
Harry,
I liked reading your post because of the different attitude your family friend had with hospitals and exploiting it at it's best. Mentioning that he found hospital care to be horrid and that he was almost in this alone acknowledging that recovering was going to be long term. One thing that could of been more insightful is if you had asked him about what his approach was before he had a stroke compared to after having a stroke changed his thoughts on illness and dying, or even life itself?
Good Post!
Christian
Monday, January 3, 2011
Hw - 27 Visiting Unwell Person
Unable to actually meet the sick family member I was suppose to be visiting, I decided to call him and ask him about his thoughts and beliefs on the sick and dying and how his condition either sets him apart from the other people he comes encounter with. He's only 13 years old and I wasn't expecting much insight would be coming from him, but I learned a lot more about him. He suffers from sickle-cell disease which is an inherited blood disorder that affects the red blood cells having difficulty passing through small blood vessels.
Unable to see his condition during this interview, I remembered what he previously looked like and from afar, he looks like what any 13-14 year old would look like. Small T-shirt with jeans fitted into his sneakers and a moderately good haircut. Anyone who didn't know him, wouldn't be able to tell he was sickly and even his attitude towards daily life wouldn't resemble those of a person who would have a disease. Knowing about my cousins condition previous to this interview, I wondered why is he so outgoing and "care free-ish"? Why doesn't this disease hold him back from committing to things normal teens would do? To him, this disease definitely sets him apart from other kids, but if they don't know, it's easier to fit in. His encounter with friends and other people who do know are always people worrying and making sure that hes perfectly fine 24/7. He appreciates that, but it gets annoying and when he meets up with friends from school, he feels like everything goes back to normal. Which is interesting because I would think, if I had sickle-cell disease, knowing that people are taking care of me and making sure I'm fine would be normal, and hanging out with friends is something new every time.
I talked him about what his family thinks and approaches his situation and he replied that his mother always worries about him, which is normal and his older brothers treat him anyway a younger brother should be treated. I asked so how are younger brothers suppose to be treated by their older brother(s) and he replied, "that were the most annoying part of the day, but they still love us and I guess the love with my brothers are shown more in a careful manner just because of my condition." Getting to a more touchy topic, he also mentioned to me that when he starts feeling ill, he tries to hide and fight it himself because he doesn't want to make his mother worrying more than anything because he's the supposed "delicate" one and wants to be shown as "strong" and able to handle any situation. At this point, he starts feeling guilty for what he is, because his mother gets worried and sad and it is because of him. He has accepted his condition, and realizes that there no point is crying over it because it's not going away, so why not make the best out of it? This reminded me of what Morrie use to say in Mitch Albom's, Tuesdays with Morrie, "Dying is only one thing to be sad over. Living unhappily is something else", which implies that being miserable about something that can't be changed doesn't make life any better, and living unhappily is not changing your situation any better and I think this is how my cousin sees it hence his attitude to always moving, playing and fighting with his brothers.
Unable to see his condition during this interview, I remembered what he previously looked like and from afar, he looks like what any 13-14 year old would look like. Small T-shirt with jeans fitted into his sneakers and a moderately good haircut. Anyone who didn't know him, wouldn't be able to tell he was sickly and even his attitude towards daily life wouldn't resemble those of a person who would have a disease. Knowing about my cousins condition previous to this interview, I wondered why is he so outgoing and "care free-ish"? Why doesn't this disease hold him back from committing to things normal teens would do? To him, this disease definitely sets him apart from other kids, but if they don't know, it's easier to fit in. His encounter with friends and other people who do know are always people worrying and making sure that hes perfectly fine 24/7. He appreciates that, but it gets annoying and when he meets up with friends from school, he feels like everything goes back to normal. Which is interesting because I would think, if I had sickle-cell disease, knowing that people are taking care of me and making sure I'm fine would be normal, and hanging out with friends is something new every time.
I talked him about what his family thinks and approaches his situation and he replied that his mother always worries about him, which is normal and his older brothers treat him anyway a younger brother should be treated. I asked so how are younger brothers suppose to be treated by their older brother(s) and he replied, "that were the most annoying part of the day, but they still love us and I guess the love with my brothers are shown more in a careful manner just because of my condition." Getting to a more touchy topic, he also mentioned to me that when he starts feeling ill, he tries to hide and fight it himself because he doesn't want to make his mother worrying more than anything because he's the supposed "delicate" one and wants to be shown as "strong" and able to handle any situation. At this point, he starts feeling guilty for what he is, because his mother gets worried and sad and it is because of him. He has accepted his condition, and realizes that there no point is crying over it because it's not going away, so why not make the best out of it? This reminded me of what Morrie use to say in Mitch Albom's, Tuesdays with Morrie, "Dying is only one thing to be sad over. Living unhappily is something else", which implies that being miserable about something that can't be changed doesn't make life any better, and living unhappily is not changing your situation any better and I think this is how my cousin sees it hence his attitude to always moving, playing and fighting with his brothers.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Hw - 26 Looking Back and Foward in Unit
- "When you get sick enough; Dignity goes through the window." -Beth Bernett
- Families get closer when another family member gets ill.
- "Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live."-Tuesdays with Morrie
- "Death ends a life, not a relationship."
- "If your a rational human being, you should know how to provide care for the sick and dying; only irrational people would not know what to do."
All of these sources have been the most helpful in coming to understand our cultures dominant social practices because each source provided a different experience for me. In the beginning I knew little to nothing about our health care system and how people reacted to ill and dying, I only knew what I knew. Learning from these variety of people and sources, I have gained a better insight and more experience in this kind of topic and that the social practices people share, are either similar or completely different but they all result in caring for another.
For the last two weeks we have in this unit I would like to know about other countries health care systems, which ones are better or worse then America's health care system and why. I would like to know this because our Country puts on this front there we're so powerful but on a list of which country has better health care, America fall's way below where you think it would be. I'd also like to know about the countries who get it right and what type of method they use to have the best health care system and what type of method the country with the worst health care system does.
Hw - 25 Response to Sicko
Precis: In a Country where millions of Americans are too poor to afford healthcare, we still find our selves saying "health care for all." As the rich get richer and the poor get poorer our health care system finds itself overcharging this system that falsly acclaims that we will provide health to all. Health Care can easily be accessable, but little less then impossible to afford if your middle class and down. Compared to Canada, England and France, their health care is free. The people their can walk into any clinic no matter what your situation is, and they will provide you with free health care. Over here in America, we charge $60,000 to reattach fingers, and "in the world of me, not we" that makes complete sense.
To be continued..
To be continued..
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