FINAL: Fossil Fuel Dependency and Americans

Fossil Fuel Dependency and Americans

Tiffany Nicole Cooper

SOC/120

April 29, 2011

Mariam Rana

Fossil Fuels dependency and Americans

When the first Industrial Revolution came about in the late18^th century, it started in the

United Kingdom, and then spread through Europe, North America, and eventually everywhere.

Nobody could have known the unseen consequences that the new found technology would cause.

The Industrial Revolution allowed us to change the way manufacturing, agriculture, mining,

transportation and technology were all handled. When the replacement of organic fuels (that

were based on wood), changed to the use of fossil fuels (based on coal) during the second

Industrial Revolution, no one could have known the devastating effects it would have later. What

they did not know was that with the continual use of fossil fuels we would endanger nature, the

wildlife that lives in it, and our environment that we live in as well. They also failed to think that

we would ever run out and now that our society is built around the use of fossil fuels, we need to

come together to devise a plan that will keep our engines running, and the lights on for our

children and our grandchildren. Fossil fuels are a non-renewable resource that can take millions

of years to form, and the reserves are being used faster than new ones are having time to

formulate. Fossil fuels that we mainly rely on would include; coal, natural gas, and most

importantly, petroleum. With that said, this paper is going to talk about how our society would

be able to transfer from fossil fuels to cleaner resource energies which are beneficial to our earth,

and our existence.

“Our food industry is a major factor into the usage of fossil fuels. We use a tremendous

amount of fossil fuels each year contributing to 10% of the energy used.”  (Donner & Rodriquez,

2011)  For the amount of energy used, we do not get very much back. Transporting foods,

fueling machinery, and chemicals are the main causes for the used energy. Pesticides and

artificial fertilizers are synthesized from atmospheric natural gas, and nitrogen, which use a large

amount of energy to complete the process. Other energies that are used up are due to the

production system allocated to processing and packaging food, as well as home refrigeration and

cooking. Food transportation is another top contributor to the amount of energy used in the food

business. The way the United States is set up, we get our wheat from the western Plains,

Midwest contributes corn, and “90% of all the fresh vegetables consumed here in the United

States originate from San Joaquin Valley, in California.”  (NCCP, 2011) With the transportation

of food, it is estimated that food can travel 1,500 miles before being consumed! There is another

alternative to this issue, and it includes purchasing at local food markets. It is more of a

“seasonal based” eating which means that you can only find the type of food that is “in season”.

This cuts down on the amount of fossil fuels used to transport the food, and produce the food in

mass quantities. Since pesticides and fertilizers account for 40% of all the fossil fuels used, we

could cut down the costs by using local farmers, who fight to preserve their land because of all

the hard work they have put into it. This also would cut out the food processing centers which

paper and plastic packaging is used in order to keep the food fresh. This contributes largely to the

amount of water and air pollution.

Even though coal and petroleum are biologically based, they use condensed, stored

energy that has been building up for millions of years. Because of the time it takes for the energy

to build up, this is not considered to be a renewable resource. Once this condensed energy is

gone it will take millions of years for the energy to rebuild its’ supply. So, what are we going to

do while we are waiting for the energy to rebuild itself? To begin, we could start looking into

renewable sources of energy like; solar energy. Solar energy uses a process similar to the

photosynthesis that powers plant based renewable power. This active photosynthetic energy is

renewable (otherwise endless), so we need to start finding ways to incorporate this technology

into our energy resources. With all the demands of energy the three that are most important are;

industry, heating, and transportation. They have found a suitable way to change from the current

transportation we drive to newer, more energy efficient vehicle. They replaced the use of a

gasoline engine with an electric motor, which gets its power from a controller. The controller

gets its power from an array of rechargeable batteries. The most interesting thing I have found

about the use of an electric motor is the ability to take advantage of the motor’s momentum when

you use the brakes. The process is called “regenerative breaking” and instead of converting all

the energy in the motor into heat like a gasoline power car, it recharges the batteries while

applying the break!

Transportation in a vehicle may be taken care of, but I still see issues with air planes and

making them more energy efficient. What would happen if the world ran out of fossil fuels

today? What would happen to our economy? Would we be able to find ways to generate enough

energy to keep the planet afloat? I think we would because there would be an exposure to the

other alternative power sources that have already been developed. Unfortunately, they remain

suppressed because they are a threat to the existing power structure. Oil companies not want to

lose their control in our transportation industry, but if we were to run out of fossil fuels today, we

would have to find more energy efficient ways of living our lives.

We all know the damage of what oil can do if anything happens to one of their “oil

wells”. On April 20^th of 2010, a massive explosion on the Gulf of Mexico that was

uncontrollable for three months! It has been a devastating year later; with the impacts continuing

even after it was fixed. Contaminated water caused the Gulf’s food industry, tourism industries,

and the fishing industries to plummet. The number of dead wildlife is uncountable. The numbers

of dead dolphins washing up on the beaches of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana has

spiked since February 2011.  With the amount of oil spilt here, I think that we are going to be

seeing the effects from this one for a long time. Not only will it take years to re-populate the Gulf

Ocean with the lost wildlife, but our economy costs have sky-rocketed, and there does not seem

to be any relief in sight.  The dependence on foreign oil has been an issue for the last thirty years

now.  In a rough estimate close to 1 trillion dollars a year comes from the United States. It has

been proven that America has plenty of oil here in the United States, and yet we spend $1 trillion

a year getting it from another country? I am sure that we could come up with a new plan to

reduce America’s national debt by digging in our own backyard. “A common theme in the

region's renewable energy projects is that they bring together countries that don't otherwise get

along in pursuit of a constructive common agenda, giving them additional value.”  (Braude,

2005) The oil trade symbolizes the largest transfer of wealth from the rich societies to the poor

societies in history. The social ramifications of the oil trade make it difficult to see anything ideal

about the situation. It seems that all the parties involved with the transactions are damaged in

some way.

Solar energy is something we all need to learn how to use. One day it will be the

technology that lights our house, and keeps us warm or cool (according to the weather). It is now

a possibility that you can have a solar paneled home. The solar panels are specifically designed

to absorb the sun’s radiation, and convert it to energy that can then be converted to batteries

ranging from DC to 120 volts. The government gives taxes relief to those who participate in self-

producing activities such as concerting your house to solar energy. I think the most important

thing we need to do when we create a new alternative to fossil fuels is to make sure that we

weigh the consequences and make sure that whatever the resource is; that it is endlessly

renewable.

“[Current technologies make it possible to provide first generation biodiesel, ethanol or

biogas to the transport sector to be blended with fossil fuels. Still under-development 2nd

generation biofuels from lignocelluloses should be available on the market by 2020. Research is

active on the improvement of their conversion efficiency. A ten-fold increase compared with

current cost-effective capacities would make them highly competitive.]”  (Bessou, Ferchaud,

Gabrielle, & Mary, 2011)  One of the more popular biofuels is called “ethanol” and is basically

fermented plant parts. This is a good because it uses something that used to be thrown away. We

have learned to recycle and reuse, but it does have its drawbacks. One of those would be that

creating a plant-based biofuels would require the use of too much farmland and does not seem to

be practical or sustainable. We could use that land for growing food instead of crops only to be

used for waste.

Energy is something that we have all learned to depend on. The increased use of energy

correlates with the gross domestic product; though the principle sources of energy are fossil

fuels. This causes us to face the dilemma of the greenhouse effect. When we burn fossil fuels, we

enhance radiative forcing, and contribute to global warming, and cause the temperatures of the

earth to rise. “Here in the United States, over 90% of the greenhouse gas emissions are directly

linked to the combustion of fossil fuels.”  (Envirolink, 2011) The combustions produce carbonic,

nitric, and sulfuric acids which in return, fall to the Earth in the form of acid rain. This impacts

both natural environments, and built in areas. Any type of sculptures or monuments that may be

made from limestone or marble would be exceptionally vulnerable because of how the acids

dissolve calcium carbonate. Nitrous oxide is another one of the greenhouse gasses which is a

major contributor to global warming. In addition to acrid rain, hydrocarbons can react with

nitrogen oxides to create smog. Smog does not destroy like acrid rain by dissolving limestone

and marble, but it is harmful for humans. For example; nitrogen oxides can irritate a person’s

lungs. Soot and dust are two types of particle matters that can contribute to respiratory illness

and cardiac problems, including heart attacks and arrhythmias.

           

            In conclusion, the use of fossil fuels seems to have become America’s addiction. Both of

the Industrial had unforeseen consequences that we are just now finding out. Society has gone

from the use of burning wood for energy to the use of fossil fuels in order to create energy. We

need them in order function in society better, but what are we going to do when we run out? If all

the countries could just come together on this one subject, and find alternative means to these

issues, then we could stop the irreparable damage we are causing the Earth. We can ensure the

safety of generations to come. The only thing stopping us is actually being able to “come

together”.

References

Bessou, C., Ferchaud, F., Gabrielle, B., & Mary, B. (2011). Biofuels, greenhouse gases and climate change. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 1(31), 1-79. doi:10.1051/agro/2009039

Braude, J. (2005). Oil for Fued. New Republican, 1, 14-17. doi:17466473

Donner, W., & Rodriquez, H. (2011). Disaster Risk and Vulnerablity. Retrieved from http://www.prb.org/Articles/2011/disaster-risk.aspx

Envirolink. (2011). The Envirolink Network. Retrieved from http://www.envirolink.org/topics.html?topicsku

NCCP. (2011). Making work Support Work. Retrieved from http://www.nccp.org/projects/mwsw.html

CheckPoint: Urbanization Trends

CheckPoint: Urbanization Trends

Tiffany Nicole Cooper

SOC/120

April 14, 2011

Mariam Rana

CheckPoint Urbanization Trends

Urbanization is defined as the growth of a population in a given concentrated area.

Growth trends that we should look at are; fertility, morality, and migration. Since the poorer

countries cannot afford to support the population in their rural areas, so the people tend to

migrate to the cities or urban areas because there are more job opportunities.

Urbanization is usually caused by high concentration of jobs for professionals and skilled

workers in urban centers, and the lack of employment opportunities in the more rural areas. In

addition, developing countries move away from economies based mainly on agriculture, causing

the farmers and their children to become industrial workers instead. Also with the improvement

of agricultural technology (breeds, chemicals, and machines) means that there is less need for

farmers. Most of the heavy industries are located in, and around major cities. This can be the

cause of many people moving away from rural areas, so they can be closer to their jobs.

           

            The major city that I chose to talk about is; Comoros, Africa. “One of the major impacts

of urbanization in Africa is due to the increased generation of solid waste, which contributes land

conversion for landfills.”  (Saundry, 2008) It has become a common practice to dump solid waste

on beaches, in rivers, and in the sea, especially in places like Comoros and Madagascar. This

practice has been discontinued in places like Mauritius and Seychelles, where they have adopted

a natural solid waste management plan.

The statistical data shows that urbanization population has doubled since 1970. If this

trend continues it will continue to devastate the incomes of those living in the rural areas.

“During the 1990s, urban livelihoods in Africa began to suffer a series of economic stresses,

which accelerated in 1997 and then accelerated again, with the inception of fast-track land

reform, from 2000.” (Potts, 2006)  “[Africa continues to urbanize but the so called

'urbanization-development-nexus' debate remains unsettled. Is urbanization correlated with

economic development in Africa? Some argue that, although urbanization is positively correlated

with economic development in Europe and elsewhere, Africa's urbanization is parasitic and not

conducive to economic development. Others contend that there is nothing abnormal about

urbanization in Africa.]”  (Obeng-Odoom, 2010).

            There are many things that the people of Africa can do to start changing the urbanization

trends that are now occurring. It has been an over populated and under-educated country for far

too long. I believe that if they were to find better ways to manage the trends in agricultural and

industrial areas, that this country would be doing a lot better off. With-out any solutions or if the

people of Africa do not act quickly, then their problems are sooner or later going to become

America’s problem.

References

Obeng-Odoom, F. (2010). "Abnormal" Urbanization in Africa: A Dissenting View. African Geological Review, 29(2), p13-48. doi:57270801

Potts, D. (2006). "All my hopes and dreams are shattered": Urbanization and migrancy in an imploding African economy. Geoforum(37), 536-551. doi:10.1016/j.geoforum.2005.11.003

Saundry, P. (2008). Urbanization in Africa. Retrieved from http://www.eoearth.org/article/Urbanization_in_Africa

CheckPoint: Sociological Research Methods

There are four main research methods that are currently used; experiment, survey, participation observation, and existing sources. Each of these four research methods has their own advantages and disadvantages, and even some limitations. The experimental methods’ purpose is for explanatory research that specifies the relationships between variables. The survey method’s purpose it to gather information about issues that someone cannot directly observe, such as attitudes and values. The survey’s purpose is to study people in their more natural settings. The existing sources methods’ purpose is used whenever there is suitable data that is available.

Now that we have discussed the different types of research methods, I am going to discuss the research methods that are used in an article that I researched on suicide. I will then identify the methodological orientation that best reflects the methods that were used in the article. The article I researched, discussed suicide by jumping, and explains how certain researched helped to find the data that implies that “[suicide by this method tends to be higher in cities, city states, or countries that have extensive high-rise housing. Most suicides by jumping occur from high-rise residential housing units. However, our knowledge about suicide by jumping tends to be limited to a small number of reports from sites, often bridges, which become well-known as places from which to take one's life. Media reports of newsworthy suicides from these sites appear to encourage imitative behavior.]” (Suicide by jumping: A review of research and prevention strategies. 2007).

The research method that is mainly used in this article is the existing sources method. Liked discussed before, this method takes previous data that can be suitable data for this research. A good example of how they would have used existing data would be they looked up all the existing suicide patterns, and found the information pertaining to “jumping” to add the reference to the article. The methodological orientation that best reflects the methods that were used in the article is the scientific orientation. It is pointed out that this is a structural-functional approach.

Suicide by jumping: A review of research and prevention strategies.. (2007). Crisis: The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention., Vol 28(Suppl 1)(), 58-63. doi:PsycARTICLES. 10.1027/0227-5910.28.S1.58.

Research priorities in suicide prevention in Australia. (2008). Crisis: The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention, 29 (4), 180-190. doi:PsycARTICLES 10.1027/0227-5910.29.4.180.

CheckPoint: Social Construction of Reality

If I were to start out, it would be with my social status set which makes me not only a daughter, but a wife, a mother, a sister, an aunt, and a student. I am not employed, so this social status differs from my peers who are employed. I see that my ascribed status is that I am a daughter, a niece, an aunt, and a sister. By contrast, my achieved status used to be (but I have voluntarily change is a criminal. I am a felon, and even though it was an addiction to drugs that lead me there, I have still been there, and am now on my way to changing this status to be a productive member of society. At the moment, I have no Master status. I will have to wait for a couple of more months for this status to be something that I can claim. Then, I will be able to say that my master status is Social worker, or therapist (whichever one I decide to do). My status as a student allows me to play the role of completing assignments (on time if not early), devote student, and attending classes.

My status in school does differ from my status with my family. In school, I am a student. In my family, I hold a status set of names; daughter, mother, sister, aunt, and niece. The different ways that I interact with people at school compared to the people who I consider my friends and family would be very different. The people I interact with in school, I only work together with them when I have to, and that usually only means participation in class. I do not usually go above and beyond for my classmates (unless I see them not doing what I think is a good job, then I will try and help). For the people that are my friends or family, I go above and beyond for.

I have shaped my own reality in many ways. Five years ago, I was sitting in prison due to being a criminal. When I got out, I decided to change my life to be a more productive member of society, which has helped me to choose to be a student. I not only changed my status, but the outcome of how my life will end up. If I would have stayed on the criminal path, there would have only been one outcome for me and that would be jail. Now that I have changed that, I have opened up the chances of sitting in many other categories of statuses. Social interactions with the “wrong crowd” lead me down a path that I did not want to continue to head down. The social interactions that I have now, lead me down a better path that I feel will be most beneficial to me. 

CheckPoint: Social Change and Modernization

The definition of social change is when culture and social institutions convert over time. It’s how we change the way of life we live. The key features of social change can be triggered by scientific or technical forces, religious or even economical forces. There are a few features about social change that include unplanned events, and this complex process has four major characteristics:

1.      “Social change happens all the time.” (Macionis, J. J. 2006). As the old saying goes “Nothing is certain in life except death and taxes.” This is one thing I have believed in all my life. I cannot even believe that people paid little to no taxes back in the early 1900’s and look at the taxes now. I will say that they are extremely high compared to back then. Even the death rate has changed. In the early 1900’s a male’s life expectancy was about age 46 and women’s life expectancy was till 48. Now, the average male lives to see 74 and the woman lives to see 80. Everything in life is subject to change, and our society is no different. With the rise of technology in our society, we are bound to keep changing. Back when I was a child, VHS, cassettes, and Nintendo were the “hip” things. Now it more like IPod’s, IPhones, and Playstation 3 are the things that are “in”.

2.      “Social change is sometimes intentional but often unplanned.” (Macionis, J. J. 2006). Since changes in society are never-ending, to know the consequences of what will happen due to these changes are nearly impossible. One example of this is the creation of the automobile. It used to be a horse or horse and buggy, but it was a longer journey. The unknown consequences that were not predicted were; the reshaping of suburbs and cities, pollution, and more civilization.

3.      “Social change is controversial.” (Macionis, J. J. 2006). Controversy is always going to be because there will always be opinions over what is right and wrong. The creation of the Industrial Revolution increased productivity and swelled profits, but the workers feared that the machines would make them obsolete, and kick them out of a job.

4.      “Some changes matter more than others.” (Macionis, J. J. 2006). Some changes are more important than others. Like the way we style our clothes has changed dramatically since the 1900’s, but it is only a “passing fad”. Now, something like computers; that is a new revolution that is called the Information Revolution. With the Information Revolution it has its’ negative and positive effects on society. It not only helps pass along information much more quickly and allows students like me to do “online schooling” from the comforts of my home, but its’ negative effects can include making it easier for pedophiles to gain access to young, vulnerable children.

Modernization:

The definition of modernization is the process of social change begun by industrialization.

Four types of modernization are; alternative, reformative, redemptive, and revolutionary.

Alternative movement seeks limited societal change. There is a small group targeted for a specific purpose. A good example of alternative movement would be MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). It specifically targets on behavior and that is drunk driving. MADD has caused stricter drunk driving laws, and this causes change in people’s behavior. This is the least threatening to the status quo because they are not interested in changing the system.

Reformative social movement seeks a major change in certain aspects of society. A good example would be pro-choice or pro-life movements. This group can also include any civil rights movements, or any gay/ lesbian movements.

Redemptive social movement radically changes an individual’s behavior. Cults and fundamentalist religious movements are examples of redemptive movement. The whole Waco, Texas scene is considered to be a redemptive social movement. David Koresh led 54 adults and 21 children to their deaths.

Revolutionary social movement is a specific type of social movement that is dedicated to carrying out a revolution. George Washington was the leader of the American Revolution. A more current revolution that more people are aware of is the Mexican Drug War that started in 2006 and continues today.

Macionis, J. J. (2006). Society: The basics (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.  

CheckPoint: Social and Formal Groups Comparison

If we were to talk about my current social and formal groups, I would say that the social group that I am currently a part of is my family and all the people that live here on the “family” property. I would not say that there is a “hierarchy” in my social group, but I can say that there are certain decisions that my family expects me to make that may be for the better for everyone involved. I can say that every person in my social group has a main focus of what others in the group (or family) need, and we all try to help each other when someone is in need. The interactions that occur in my social group consist of casual conversations and interaction on a very regular basis.

The formal group that I currently am a part of is The University of Phoenix. This is considered to be a formal group due to the hierarchy to its organization. In the University of Phoenix, there is a Division of Labor, Hierarchy of authority, written regulations and rules, impersonality, employment that is based on technical qualifications. Then, add the students, and this is a perfect example of a formal group that I belong to.

My social and formal groups differ in a few different ways. A social group tends to be more casual, while the formal group is more orderly and there is a chain of command to go through. There are not any strict rules in my social group, where my formal group has a whole handbook of them. 

CheckPoint: Deviant Behavior

An example of human behavior that is considered deviant in one society, but is not

considered deviant in another society is the number of marriages allowed. In the Northern part of

Nepal in Sherpa tribal groups, a woman first marries the eldest brother, and then later on, she

will also marry the youngest brother in order to prevent property fragmentation. In our society,

we only marry one person at a time (unless you are Mormon), and when you do not want to be

with that person anymore, you get a divorce. Divorce is also something that is considered deviant

behavior in some other countries. India is an example of a country that does not believe in

divorce. They only have a 1.1% of divorce rates per year while America is considered to have a

54.8% rate per year. Also Sweden has the highest rate of divorces at a whopping 54.9%. The

factors that contributed to this society’s perspective of the deviant behavior of the Sherpa tribal

groups is they have seen too much of their land broken up, and over the years, they have found

this to be the most effective way to carry on their legacy. We see it as a social norm here in the

United States. It is something that has worked its way to a social norm through time. Back in the

late 1800’s divorce was a lot less common. Through the years society has responded to the

deviant behavior and brought more people together through moral ties. This deviant behavior had

also encouraged a social change, pushing society’s moral boundaries.

If a crime is committed by someone who has a powerful status in this society, their

deviant behavior would be handled (in comparison to someone who has less power in society)

very publicly. We see famous people on and in the news all the time. Lindsey Lohan for example

went to court again for drugs. She has been in and out of rehab 3 times, some jail (not over 30

days), and she continues on with her deviant behavior. A person with far less power than her

would have gone to jail for a year the first time! 

CheckPoint: Culture Shock

 Well, knowing that these people have a different way of life then I do, first I would have done as much research I could have about them. I would have found out what they were like, what they eat, their hunting habits, and anything else I could have in order to find a common ground to make conversation. Since I know that the word “Yanomamo” in their culture literally means “human being”, we would have a conversation starter right there. I would have to prepare and be open minded about their ways of life since most of the Yanomamo people practice polygamy, and in the United States, we have more monogamous relationships.  I would have also discussed as much as I could have about these people with my guide.

To describe a personal experience with cultural shock, I had a bit of a hard time. I have never left the state of Texas where I was born. Since culture shock is “the impaired ability to function due to three things; the absence of familiar comforting characteristics of one’s culture, the presence of seemingly irrational, inscrutable, offensive, or even hostile aspects of the target culture, and the lack of ability, linguistic or otherwise, to gain cultural understanding rapidly enough to adapt to these changes.” (Category Culture, 2011). I had to find something in my past that I could discuss. I went to prison when I was 22, and I can honestly say that it was a shock to see what a real prison looked like from the inside. The people act differently there then they do out in the world. What shocked me the most is that most of the girls did not mind being there, and quite a few left, and came back while I was there. The components of culture that shocked me the most was these girls (even behind bars) wanted to act like they owned the place, and it was theirs to run. The guards shocked me because they are supposed to be upholding the law, and keeping prisoners straightened out, and a lot of them fraternized with them; brought some of the girls’ drugs inside, and even became intimate with inmates. It was nothing like what you see on television, I will say that!

Understanding the major components of culture is important in situations like the one Napoleon Chagnon or I experienced because if people do not realize that not all people act, dress, think, or even live the same as we do, then they will have a hard time adjusting to any cultural changes that may occur. Nothing can fully prepare you for any type of cultural shock, but I am sure that with time, a person could get used to the situation.

References:

Category Culture. (2011). Culture Shock. Retrieved from http://www.c2.com/cgi/wiki?CultureShock

Assignment: Punishment Research

Assignment: Punishment Research

Tiffany Nicole Cooper

SOC/120

April 08, 2011

Mariam Rana

Assignment: Punishment Research

I do not really think that any type of punishment out there effectively deters a person

from commiting crime. We have several ways that we try and prevent crime, but in this day in

age, I cannot tell that they are working. I see more and more crimes being committed, and people

being sent off to prisons with the thought that it may help them. Every crime is different, and

every criminal has their own motive as to why they are committing the crime. Should there be

one punishment per crime, or is there a way to handle the crime committed on an individual

basis? I think that deciding the punishment is the most important way to ensure that the person

does not commit the crime again. In the United States there are currently four different types of

punishment; retribution, deterrence, rehabilitation, and social protection. This paper is going to

discuss the four different types of punishment, and how they are related in today’s society. I am

also going to discuss which ones are more effective in deterring a crime, and which one is the

least effective.

Retribution is the oldest justification for punishment. It is society’s way of punishing

those who commit a moral wrong. In principle, a person’s punishment should be as equally

deviant as the crime committed. Like the saying goes “An eye for an eye,” and this form of

retribution has been commonly used as punishment since the Bible times. The death penalty is

the most common form of retribution when used to punish a murderer, and is the most severe

form of punishment. But there are a few states in the United States that find the death penalty to

be too harsh of a punishment and they will not allow it. Currently, there are 12 states that do not

allow the death penalty. Some people feel that the death penalty is too harsh of a punishment,

and they would rather allow these hard core criminals to live out the rest of their days in a prison

cell. Retribution is not an effective way to deter crime. It is more of a benefit to the victim or

their family.

The next form of punishment that we are going to discuss is deterrence. Deterrence is

“The attempt to discourage criminality through the use of punishment.”  (Macionis, 2006)

The use of deterrence is to give the public knowledge of what the specific punishment is for each

crime committed. It is not effective if the person does not think about the consequences of what

they are doing when they are committing the crime. To me this form of punishment is the least

effective. People are out there right now committing crimes. They know the consequences if they

get caught, yet they are still out there committing the crimes. Since most crimes are committed

so impulsively, and with little thought to the future, the criminal thinks that they will only be

punished if caught, and they believe they will not be caught.

The third form of punishment used in the United States is rehabilitation. “[Rehabilitation

as it is commonly understood in the offending arena contains some components that meet the

criteria for punishment, in the ethical sense of that term. It is also true that there are aspects of

rehabilitation that are focused directly on assisting offenders to live better lives (higher levels of

well-being) and therefore which do not meet the criteria for punishment.]” (Ward. T, 2011)

Rehabilitation can motivate the offender to conform, also like the punishment; deterrence. 

Retribution and deterrence are both constructed to make the offender pay, where rehabilitation is

constructed to give personal treatment to each offender. In rehabilitation, two similar crimes

could be committed, and treated in different ways.

The last form of punishment is social protection. Social protection is; “rendering an

offender incapable of further offenses temporarily through imprisonment or permanently by

execution.” (Macionis, J. J. 2006). Social protection is like deterrence and is intended to protect

society from crime. With the number of drug related arrests being made in the United States, the

prison population has tripled since the 1980’s. “Different offenders have different happiness

baselines, which leads to disparities in the degree of suffering among offenders sentenced to the

same punishment as measured by comparing their pre-punishment baselines to their hedonic

states during punishment.” (Grey, D. 2010). The answer as to whether this type of punishment

really works or not lies in the prison system. Because The Department of Corrections devotes so

much money into security concerns and the maintenance of the prisons, that they are unable to

offer any type of rehabilitation to the prisoners. Prisons are becoming so overcrowded that it is

impossible to try and spend the money to rehabilitate each one individually.

I think the consequences of punishment do provide benefits for criminals and society.

Some people do change, but they really have to want it, and change cannot be “pushed” on them.

Some people just do not want to change, and that’s that. I can speak from experience and say that

I thought prison would be a lot different, but to me, it was like a 15 month permanent housing

situation. It wasn’t anything like I had seen on television. Now, I think “Why did I spend all that

time on probation when I could have spent less time in jail?” Since I got out, I have changed my

perspectives on life to become a productive member of society, but most of the girls I kept in

touch with from my prison days have either returned to prison, or are now dead (unnatural

causes). A benefit that I did receive when I was custody of the state was my G.E.D, and that I am

very thankful for, but there were no other programs to help an addict understand their actions. It

was like a school on how to become better at what you did, because you think about all the

wrong things you done, and what you should have done instead. It wasn’t the prison system that

changed me into who I am today; it is the people I chose to have in my life, the places I choose

to hang out at, and the choice to choose right from wrong.

Society may have a few benefits from a criminal being punished, but they spend a lot of

money in the process. America has more of its population in prison, then any other country. I

feel that if all 50 states were to crack down, and use the death penalty, we would be doing better

off. Show that the death penalty is there for a simple purpose. Quite housing the three time repeat

offenders rehabilitate the ones that we can, and kill the rest. It may seem harsh, but if you look at

Amsterdam’s crime rate; they legalized “drugs” and their crime rate reduced to mere petty

crimes. Instead, we spend millions of dollars to keep these offenders in prison for life sentences.

I believe that if they are going to die in prison, you might as well get it out of the way. Maybe we

could reduce the amount of sex offenders and child molesters by giving them an automatic death

sentence for these crimes being committed three times? I could be too extreme, but I can see that

the number of crimes committed is not going down. I believe that there are people out there that

will commit a crime no matter what the punishment, and these are the people that we should

make examples out of. If we can change our society for the better now, we would be helping the

next generation to see that people pay for the crimes they commit.

References

 Greg, D. 2010 Grey, D. 2010. Punishment as Suffering. Vanderbilt Law Review, 63(6), 1617-1693. 77p. doi:58487386

Macionis, J. J. (2006). Society: The Basics (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Ward, T. (2010, Nov). Is offender rehabilitation a form of punishment? British Journal of Forensic Practice, 12, 4-13 (32 ref). doi:2010854986

Assignment: Prejudice and Discrimination

Assignment: Prejudice and Discrimination

                                                       South Africa

Tiffany Nicole Cooper

SOC/120

March 11, 2011

Mariam Rana

Assignment: Prejudice and Discrimination

South Africa was colonized by English and Dutch traders in the seventeenth century, and is the only country that is named after its geographic location. Although the Portuguese had had little competition in the region up until the late 16^th century, the English and Dutch began to fight the Portuguese along their trade routes. The first settlers to settle this area were in a Dutch vessel that wrecked in Cape Town, so they built a fort and stayed for a year before they were rescued. Diamonds were found in the land in the 1900’s, causing the English invasion, and then leading to the Boer war. This country fought in a few wars over the next decade, and finding their nation torn apart by the apartheid law. In 1996, the Parliament enacted a new Constitution and Bill of rights, disbanding the apartheid (which will later be discussed.) Today we are going to discuss the many differences in South Africa’s cultures, and learn about the different races and ethnicities that reside in this country. We are also going to discuss the discrimination and hate that constituted legalized discrimination to keep the white people above. Lastly, we will discuss what parts of culture and race have been affected by the discrimination.

Cultures:

There are a variety of cultures that make up South Africa. It is hard to properly outline of general etiquette when there is such a great diversity of people that make up this nation. One thing that this entire nation seems to commonly show is their family is of the upmost importance. Even the extended family is considered to be as close as the blood family. There is a big difference in those who live in the city, and those who live in the country. Those who live in the city, live in a place that a fast paced world which is common to all the larger cities in this world. The people who live in the country on farms and in small communities are viewed as people who value human decency over material gain and economic wealth. There is a large understanding between these people that they need to be understanding and respectful to the customs and traditions of those they live amongst. The friendships and relationships of the cultures in South Africa depend on this understanding.

Some of the traditional black cultures are in much of the countryside and still strong in their cultural ways even with the suppression of the Apartheid (which we will go into more about later). One way to connect to the lost cultures of South Africa’s indigenous people is the art that can be found in rock or cave paintings by the San. Zulus are known to be one of the strongest surviving black cultures, and their traditional art consists of “coded” beadwork. The Xhosa people are known as red people because of their red-dyed clothing that the adults are known to wear. With the removal of the apartheid, “the new South Africa culture is being created on the streets of the townships and cities.”  (South Africa Tours, n.d.) 

Race:

This country has contracted a variety of races due to the great multiracial population. Some are people that are decedents from early settlers that had immigrated, some of this is due to the slave trade, and some due to South Africa providing refugee from the African and Asian countries. The majority cultures are composed of traditional African tribes collectively from the Bantu clan. Some of the many Bantu sub-tribes include; Lemba, Pondo, Swati, Zulu, and many, many more. Another amazing culture that exists here in South Africa is the indigenous culture known as Khoi-San. These people are believed to be the oldest surviving tribe in the world and even pre-dating early human civilizations. There are smaller cultures that include the general white, coloured, and the Malay. The white population is divided into two categories; English and the Afrikaner. The Malay and the coloured are closely analogous because of the inter-racial marriages. These two groups differ more with the Religious practices; Christianity and Muslims. The Christians and Muslims break down into two separate groups; the Muslim Malays and Coloureds, and the Christian Coloureds. Recent events have lead to prove that South Africa is a safe haven for people escaping the African and Asian countries. This includes a large populace of Egyptians, Pakistanis, Iraqis, Indians, Somalis, Nigerians, Nepalis, Ethiopians, and many more.

Race and Ethnicity:

There are not very many people that can accurately describe the difference between ethnicity and race. It is mainly due to the fact that most people tend to “lump” the together into the same definition. Even though the dictionary can show these words to be of very similar in nature, there are many differences as well. Ethnicity is not just about a person’s race; it’s about where they come from, their tradition, their learned customs, and behavior. You can say that a Caucasian is a white person, but that has nothing to do with their ethnicity!   “It is about learning where you come from, and celebrating the traditions and ideas that are part of that region.” (Difference Between, 2011). Race on the other hand is your genetic make-up. Your DNA coded to your biologically engineered features. This includes your skin tone, skin color, and even your hair and eye color. Your race can also have a higher rate of contracting certain diseases. For example; sickle cell anemia is higher in that of an African American than any other race.

Apartheid:

Strategists that resided in the National Party invented “apartheid” which is adaptation of racial segregation that involves economic, political and legal discrimination against any person that is not white. Even though 75 percentage of South Africa’s population is black the Act of Union denied them many things just because of their color. Some of these examples include; the denial of voting, oppressive legislation, and blacks could not strike. All the skilled jobs were reserved for the white people keeping blacks form any type of military service. Blacks even had to carry a passport with them in order to move from place to place.

 In 1948 the apartheid laws were created and with it; racial discrimination being legal. Not only did this affect every aspect of social life, but this barred any marriages between white and non-white, and it took away many jobs. In 1950 a law was passed called the Population Registration Act, and this law required all residents of South Africa to be racially classified. There were three categories; white, coloured (mixed decent), or black (African). The reasoning behind the discrimination that lives in this nation cannot truly be explained. “Initially, aim of the apartheid was to maintain white domination while extending racial separation.”  (Chokshi, Carter, Gupta, Martin, & Allen, 1995). Over the years, it just became a way of life, and the cultures that were long lost forgotten are now being rediscovered. Many people today are still governed by their hate and prejudice. Racism has become a tradition passed down. Some people remain over sensitive and over react to certain situations. Racism will continue on for many years as it has here in the United States 150 years after we freed our slaves.

Discrimination Affects:

Ways that discrimination has affected this culture are there has been “little racial integration in residential areas, although schools provide an important opportunity for inter-racial interaction for middle-class children. Experimental and survey research provide little evidence of racism, however. Few people complain about racial discrimination, although many report everyday experiences that might be understood as discriminatory.” (Seekings, 2008) The land that was once mainly owned by whites is now being taken over by blacks has caused the government to be wearier of things. ”Its chief concern has been to ensure that the burning land question does not lead to capital flight and dis-investment. The result could be an economic meltdown in a white system cultivated over centuries and tied to the economic powerhouses in Western countries.” (Commey, 2002) Because of the suppression of the people during the times of the apartheid, people have changed their cultures and ways of lives creating a new culture that is being changed for the better every day. It takes a lot for people to change their way of thinking, and Rome wasn’t built in a day, so we should all know this will take time to get used to.

Conclusion:

In this essay we have discussed many things about South Africa. The different races and cultures that make up South Africa, a clear differentiation between race and ethnicity, examples of discrimination against culture, and the discriminating affects. When things have remained the same for so many years it is hard for people to wake up one day and accept change. I believe discrimination existed and will continue to exist because of the lack of education these poverty stricken people get (or the lack of for that matter). A person discrimination against another because they lack the understanding of others and in which gives them conclusions about the other based on menial, or gossip form information. How can one racial group say that they are better than another racial group? We are all humans that bleed the same color red, and we should all be treated equally, and maybe one day that dream will come to light. Who knows?

References

Chokshi, M., Carter, C., Gupta, D., Martin, T., & Allen, R. (1995). The History of Apartheid. Retrieved from http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~cale/cs201/apartheid.hist.html

Commey, P. (2002, Nov). South Africa: Ticking Time Bomb. New African(412), 12. a.n.:8560141

Difference Between. (2011). Difference Between Ethnicity and Race. Retrieved from http://www.differencebetween.net/science/nature/difference-between-ethnicity-and-race/

Seekings, J. (2008, Jan). The continuing salience of race: Discrimination and Diversity in South Africa. Journal of Contemporary African Studies, 26(1), 25. doi:10.1080/02589000701782612

South Africa Tours. (n.d.). South Africa and its Culture. Retrieved from http://www.south-africa-tours.com/south-africa-culture.html