Survey and Essay IV

I finally figured out an appropriate set of survey questions for my topic, and I have had a ton of responses. So far, the responses are rather varied. However, it appears that most people do not see the difference between sex and gender, but they are aware that gender roles do exist in society. I asked people to identify themselves as either masculine, feminine or both, and then required that they give an explanation for their choice. Nearly every person justified their response with a stereotypical quality/behavior of their gender.

For my essay, I will discuss the different gender roles that exist in today's society and how these roles are developed. I will also use my survey results to discuss people's awareness of these roles.



Link to my survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FVQGBQB

Survey Results... Sort of.

My topic is a little tricky to come up with survey questions for. I am writing about the gender schema theory, which basically discusses how children develop into their gender roles and what influences them. Originally, I thought that I could survey kids to get an idea of how they were developing. However, I learned that I would need to get special permission to do that, and I don't think I have the time to go through all of that. Unfortunately, now I am stuck with the dilemma of figuring out potential survey questions that relate to my topic. It was suggested that I focus more on people's awareness of how these roles develop. I've been struggling to come up with questions that relate to that, so I do not actually have any results to post about now, though they are coming soon....

Synthesis and Response to Indigenous Resistance and Racist Schooling on the Borders of Empires: Coast Salish Cultural Survival

            Michael Marker’s Indigenous Resistance and Racist Schooling on the Borders of Empires: Coast Salish Cultural Survival discusses the causes for the split and assimilation of the Coast Salish people. The Coast Salish people were Native Americans that lived in the same area for thousands of years, until the United States and Canada were created, which caused a split within the population. This split resulted in the Native Americans having difficulties maintaining their different rituals and therefore maintaining their culture as a whole. 

            However, the most detrimental aspect of the two nation’s expansion was the attempts of the United States and Canadian governments to assimilate the Coast Salish people. The two governments created schools that aimed to alter the children’s views on their culture and to change the traditions and values that were upheld by their ancestors. In the schools, the children were treated very harshly and were punished for exhibiting any behaviors that corresponded to their culture.

            Personally, I am outraged that this was ever a problem. The United States was founded as a means to escape religious tyranny, and it seems so hypocritical that the people of this country could not accept the Coast Salish and embrace the differences that they had. 

Food and Sustainability in the Outer Banks

In a majority of restaurants and grocery stores, the food is imported. Despite the open source of seafood, there is a desire for fish that is not native to the Outer Banks, causing a need for importing. Fortunately, there are now efforts being made to eat more locally and create a sustainable environment within the Outer Banks. The local commercial fishing industry formed a partnership called Outer Banks Catch, which provides local seafood to consumers. To help improve sustainability, eighty percent of the Outer Banks belongs to state parks, preserve or wildlife refuge. It is also the only East Coast destination banning the use of plastic bags.


http://www.outerbanks.org/

Environmental Ethics

The "artifact" I selected is a video lecture on environmental ethics. It defines the term as, "The moral relationship of human beings to the environment and its nonhuman contents."This video discusses the question of whether or not it is acceptable for humans to control nature and wipeout entire species. The speaker mentions the point of view that humans were created in God's image, and because we were created as the dominant species, we have the right to control nature. He also discusses the thought that by doing so, we are doing God's work, and that allowing nature to live on its own would be a sin. The speaker, however, does not agree with those thoughts. He feels that a tree should have the "same legal standing as a house." He says that deforestation is like an "environmental genocide." The speaker discusses two philosophers who fought for nature's rights. The first is Aldo Leopald, who said that, "Humans are part of the world and not conquerors of it." The second he mentions is John Muir, who said, "The World does not exist for man's use, but it exists apart from humans as its own community." He contradicted the thoughts mentioned at the beginning of the video by stating that God created all of the other organisms in the world as well, so what makes humans more valuable? The speaker states that he doesn't believe nature will ever have equal rights due to its importance in human life. He feels that human control cannot be eliminated, but he does state that it needs to be limited in order to preserve the world for future generations. 



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dguYC_qlF48

McKibben Synthesis

McKibben has a very unique style of writing, which he uses in an attempt to spread environmentalism throughout the world. In many of McKibben’s works, he references to Ralph Waldo Emerson. Both McKibben and Emerson viewed the world as something for humans to live in conjunction with, rather than as a platform for the human civilization. Through his writing, McKibben hopes to raise awareness of detrimental social and behavioral patterns of mankind, and the effects that these patterns are having on the planet. His writings also seek to make a connection between practicality and individualism that will improve environmental issues in the country. McKibben believes that the economy is no longer just a supplier of basic needs, but has now become a supplier of unnecessary human luxuries as well, and is causing many environmental issues because of that. He seeks to make the population aware of how their whimsical purchases are needlessly using resources and harming the planet.

Works Cited:

White, Richard. "Bill McKibben's Emersonian Vision." Raritan 31.2 (2011): 110-125. Web. 29 Sept. 

         2012.

Synthesis on EPA: Natural Gas Fracking Linked to Water Contamination

The Environmental Protection Agency released a report stating that the contamination near the town of Pavillion, Wyoming had probably seeped upwards from gas wells and contained over ten compounds that are commonly used in frack fluids. Fracking is a highly controversial form of oil extraction. It is when a deep shale layer is fractured in order to release natural gas (Mooney par 1). The EPA’s report is especially important because there has been a national debate about whether or not fracking is causing contamination (Lustgarten and Kusnetz par 5). This report could determine how the country is going to regulate and develop natural gas resources (5). This report is also important because it contradicts many arguments that claim fracking is safe (6). According to the report, “Pollution from 33 abandoned oil and gas waste pits 2013 which are the subject of a separate cleanup program 2013 are indeed responsible for some degree of shallow groundwater pollution in the area” (16).  These pits, however, could not explain the contamination in the monitoring wells 1,000 feet underground, so the EPA concluded that fracking was responsible (16 and 17).

This report still needs to undergo review, but it is likely going to lead to a major revision in government fracking policies. If traces of the carcinogenic chemicals commonly used for the process are being found in water supply, then this is going to seriously impact human health. People need to protest the practice of fracking to obtain natural gas and insist that a safer method be used.

Works Cited:

Lustgarten, Abraham, and Nicholas Kusnetz. "EPA: Natural Gas Fracking Linked to

Water Contamination." Scientific American. N.p., 9 Dec. 2011. Web. 27 Sept. 2012. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fracking-linked-water-contamination-federal-agency>.

Mooney, Chris. "The Truth about Fracking." Scientific American. N.p., 19 Oct. 2011.

Web. 27 Sept. 2012. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-truth-about-fracking>.