American Values




The American narrative tells one story and the societal narrative tells another. America claims to highly value people who are different and people who speak out for themselves. For example, in our political society we have two main parties along with several independent parties in order for everyone to be heard and valued. Another example is in the news, where people who do something different or go against society’s norms are recognized. Everything seems great, and the people who are doing different than the societal norms are being honored. 

The other side people see is on social media. On social media, what’s showcased is impossible beauty standards that are achieved using photoshop or plastic surgery. These people are placed on a pedestal on social media for the way they look and people are only adding to this “elite” group of people. Instead of going against these unachievable beauty standards, people only contribute to them. By contributing to this group, it makes others feel terrible and makes their self esteem plummet. It completely contradicts America’s values of honoring people who do different because the people who are honored here are the people who conform to the societal norms, silencing the people who are willing to go against it. 


Comments

  1. Elizabeth M. BlairOctober 25, 2019 at 6:28 AM

    Hello, Zarine! My name is Ms. Blair and I have been observing your classroom for the past few weeks. I will also be student teaching in your class this winter. I am looking forward to getting to know you and your classmates throughout this school year!

    Your post illustrates the tension that occurs when the actions and values of our society are at odds with one another. Social media is a particularly strong example of this, as it allows many people with different beliefs and values to interact with one another in a shared space. Has social media shifted our values? Can you think of any examples of social media supporting individuality?

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Quarantine Journals #3

4/20/20 My thoughts towards school have changed immensely. Before quarantine, I realized that I didn’t appreciate the beautiful architecture of the new building because that’s one of the things I miss the most about New Trier. Every morning, my friends and I would meet up in the library commons and I never really absorbed my surroundings then but now I yearn for it. I’ve talked to a few of my friends about their feelings towards New Trier and most of them feel the same way I do except a select few who absolutely resent it. Another thing I especially miss is all my teachers. I’m glad to say that I’ve loved almost all the teachers I’ve had in my years in New Trier and they all brightened up my day so much and it’s definitely not the same through zoom. I really came to this realization when I had a zoom with my Spanish teacher and she said that she’s trying her best to be her normal, bubbly, energetic self but it’s really hard for her. I hope that in my senior year I’ll be able to reco
Read more

The Real Injustice

While 47% of white murder cases are solved, less than 22% of African American cases are solved, ( NPR ) leaving many African American families with no justice for the crime that was committed against someone dear to them. Of course, nothing can ever completely solve the injustice of murder but by knowing who did it, helps provide closure for the family. Not only are most African American cases left unsolved, but when they are solved only 47% of cases result in an arrest being made (Washington Post). When Coates’s son was upset about Michael Brown’s murderer being let free, Coates refused to comfort him because of deeper injustices. Another case that didn’t result in any arrests happened in Atlanta in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. A serial killer murdered a dozen children, mostly African American boys whose bodies were later found in rivers, under bridges, and behind dumpsters. In 1982, Wayne Williams was sentenced to two lifetimes in prison for killing two adults ( New York Times
Read more

This is America

America is known for its iconic “American Dream” but knowing when one has achieved the American Dream is a different story. Success in America is not measured by personal happiness or by growth but instead by material wealth. When people see someone as “successful,” the person may have a big house or nice cars which leads to the perception of success and success is the goal of the American Dream. Material wealth is America.   Gatsby would be considered nothing to others without his material wealth. When Daisy meets Gatsby for the first time in years and takes a tour of his house, she “bent her head into the shirts and began to cry stormily….’It makes me sad because I've never seen such— beautiful shirts before’” (92). Daisy crying “stormily” over just the look of the shirts is not the real reason for her tears. She cries because of how the shirts show Gatsby’s immense material wealth and she falls back in love with him due to his new money. This same type of material attraction
Read more