Last week I filled out my first Census form ever. I admit, I was actually looking forward to receiving it and "being counted." lol. Most of my excitement was the ability to "check all that apply" under the race category. The 2000 Census was the first time respondents were allowed to do so. About 6.8 million Americans, 2.4 percent of the population, checked more than one racial box. I'm assuming my mom would have filled this out for me (and my other siblings) and marked the appropriate boxes, but it was nice to do it myself this time.
For multiple reasons, the Census is always a big strumu (that's a VI term basically meaning controversy in this instance, I have no idea the proper spelling lol) but particularly because it is a large determining factor for a lot of state and federal funding. In particular, advocates for minorities are especially concerned about their number being counted. It's actually quite a sticky subject. In fact, some black groups were against allowing multiracial individuals to choose more than one race, because of how this would affect the population counts. Kenneth Prewitt, who directed the 2000 census, said some civil-rights groups have resisted the concept of checking more than one race out of fear that it will dilute their influence. As someone whose job is all about data and statistics, I have to say that the more detail they collect the better. I did a huge project at work looking at racial/ethnic disparities in child health and believe me, these things make a difference.
Anyway, I did my duty and filled out my form the day I got it in the mail. And it made me quite happy to check two boxes :-) This made me think about times when I couldn't check more than one box. I don't remember every time, but I actually think I would sometimes choose "black", sometimes "other." I would never check white if I could only choose one. I guess I've fallen victim to the "one-drop rule" mentality lol.
The whole issue of racial (self)-identificaton is fascinating to me. The other day I read a tidbit about how bi-racial actress (and wife of Ribin Thicke) Paula Patton is actually offended by the term biracial. This was quite perplexing to me as a headline, but she explains it somewhat in an interview: “I find [the term biracial] offensive. It’s a way for people to separate themselves from African-Americans….a way of saying ‘I’m better than that...I’m black because that’s the way the world sees me. People aren’t calling Barack Obama biracial. Most people think there’s a black president….People judged me because I was light-skinned. [They'd assume] I didn’t want to be part of the black race.”
While I respect her opinion, I can't say that I agree with her. I identify as biracial not because I think I'm better than or want to separate myself from African Americans. I say that I am biracial because it is a more accurate description of who I am and how I identify. It would be even more accurate to reflect that I am West Indian or Caribbean black and white, but I suppose those specific categories are captured in other more detailed surveys by the Census Bureau and others.
In any case, I was happy to be able to choose more than one race on my form. I actually am happy whenever I fill out forms and am allowed to do so. The "check all" option actually occurs almost all the time now. I rarely am forced to choose. (By the way, there was a great study done looking at task performance of multiracial individuals allowed to identify all their racial components compared to those who were instructed to choose only one. Those who were allowed to choose more than one performed better on tasks than those who were forced to choose one!)
Of course, there are issues for other demographic groups as well. If you find this stuff interesting, check out this article.
So, did you fill out your Census form? Did you think about this stuff at all?? Any other issues come up for you filling out the form? What do you think about Paula Patton's comments?
Of course you know today's *big chune* had to come from a mixie right?? Remember the group Groove Theory, most known for their big chune Tell Me? Well, the lead singer is Amel Larrieux (black mom, white dad), who went on to release her own albums. I couldn't pick between two of my favorite songs of hers so today is a 2-for-1 ;-) She has some other great ones too though, so check her out.
"For Real"
"Weary"
:-D
Showing posts with label musings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label musings. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
beauty of the butterfly
Yesterday i had a conversation with an acquaintance that really drained me...actually most of the conversations i have with this person drain me...this is probably why i refer to them as an acquaintance rather than a friend (lol). In any case, we were discussing several things - including my relationship status (willingly and happily single, whereas when we first met 2 years ago i was interested in being in a relationship - not with them, just generally), career status (in flux - waiting for school decisions), and religious views (don't really have any, whereas before i identified as a Christian)...and they were noting how these things have changed over the time I have known them (and to some degree, over the few years before this - as i have told them a bit about my college experiences). This person proceeded to ask me (somewhat rudely IMO, but that's their M.O.) whether there is anything in my life and/or about me that has remained constant over the past few years.
Of course this caught me off-guard and actually kind of rubbed me the wrong way. After a second to think, I sort of brushed aside their comment by saying that as a 23-year old I don't feel I'm much different (in that regard) from most other people in my age group/life stage category. I'm not the same person I was in high school, my freshman year of college, or even last year. The experiences I've had have shaped me into the person I am right now at this moment...but I don't expect that the person I am right now is necessarily who I will be in the future. I still have a lot to learn and a lot of growing left. Actually, I think that's part of life...continually adjusting to where you are in your life, and (while certain personality traits may stay constant) shifting the way you see yourself and interact with your environment.
All of this got me thinking about one of my favorite psychology subjects -- Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development -- which is one of the best-known theories of personality in psychology. Much like Freud, Erikson believed that personality develops in a series of stages; however, unlike Freud’s theory of psychosexual stages, Erikson's theory describes the impact of social experience across the whole lifespan. This concept seems much more applicable to me than the concept that (for example) issues with potty training can spill over into later life.
One of the main elements of Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory is the development of ego identity - the conscious sense of self that we develop through social interaction. According to Erikson, our ego identity is constantly changing due to new experience and information we acquire in our daily interactions with others. In addition to ego identity, Erikson believed that a sense of competence also motivates behaviors and actions. Each stage in Erikson’s theory is concerned with becoming competent in an area of life. In each stage, Erikson believed people experience a "conflict" that serves as a turning point in development. These conflicts are centered on either developing, or failing to develop, a psychological quality.
Each of the stages are very interesting, but I'm just going to highlight the three that I think are most applicable to me/people my age.
Psychosocial Stage 5 - Identity vs. Confusion (or Diffusion)
At the same time, I do think that it's important to have a firm grasp on one stage before venturing to the next one. Having said that, I don't at all think I suffer from emotional isolation, loneliness, or depression (as listed above as a negative consequence of identity confusion/diffusion)...nope, not at all! But it is interesting to think about how this may influence my moving on to Stage 6 - intimacy versus isolation...dun dun dun!! (quite a dramatic stage title, no?) I'll probably write about that at some point...don't feel like it at the moment.
Now for my initial comment about how I see lots of interconnection in my life. This morning Nix forwarded me the Real Simple Quote of the day (which I also subscribe to, but she wanted to bring it to my attention):
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
When I read this quote, I had sort of already been thinking about today's blog post, but after reading it I was further inspired. It really helps to think of the stages of metamorphosis that the caterpillar goes through to become the butterfly...just like we all go through transitions and transformations over the course of our lives to become the people we are (or will be). Unlike the butterfly, however, I don't think we ever get to an ultimate end result (unless you consider that to be whoever you are right before you die). Instead, I'd like to think of it more like we become butterflies and then perhaps our wing patterns change depending on our surroundings. (That's obviously not biologically/scientifically sound but just roll with me, mmk?)
Lots to ponder!!
Today's *big chune* is from British singer Adele...I love her voice and her music...of course, I had a hard time choosing which song to highlight today, but I went with Right as Rain because it's a fun song, after such a reflective and personal post. She'll definitely show up again
Of course this caught me off-guard and actually kind of rubbed me the wrong way. After a second to think, I sort of brushed aside their comment by saying that as a 23-year old I don't feel I'm much different (in that regard) from most other people in my age group/life stage category. I'm not the same person I was in high school, my freshman year of college, or even last year. The experiences I've had have shaped me into the person I am right now at this moment...but I don't expect that the person I am right now is necessarily who I will be in the future. I still have a lot to learn and a lot of growing left. Actually, I think that's part of life...continually adjusting to where you are in your life, and (while certain personality traits may stay constant) shifting the way you see yourself and interact with your environment.
All of this got me thinking about one of my favorite psychology subjects -- Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development -- which is one of the best-known theories of personality in psychology. Much like Freud, Erikson believed that personality develops in a series of stages; however, unlike Freud’s theory of psychosexual stages, Erikson's theory describes the impact of social experience across the whole lifespan. This concept seems much more applicable to me than the concept that (for example) issues with potty training can spill over into later life.
One of the main elements of Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory is the development of ego identity - the conscious sense of self that we develop through social interaction. According to Erikson, our ego identity is constantly changing due to new experience and information we acquire in our daily interactions with others. In addition to ego identity, Erikson believed that a sense of competence also motivates behaviors and actions. Each stage in Erikson’s theory is concerned with becoming competent in an area of life. In each stage, Erikson believed people experience a "conflict" that serves as a turning point in development. These conflicts are centered on either developing, or failing to develop, a psychological quality.
Each of the stages are very interesting, but I'm just going to highlight the three that I think are most applicable to me/people my age.
Psychosocial Stage 5 - Identity vs. Confusion (or Diffusion)
- During adolescence, children are exploring their independence and developing a sense of self.
- Those who receive proper encouragement and reinforcement through personal exploration will emerge from this stage with a strong sense of self and a feeling of independence and control.
- Those who remain unsure of their beliefs and desires will insecure and confused about themselves and the future.
- This stage covers the period of early adulthood when people are exploring personal relationships.
- Erikson believed it was vital that people develop close, committed relationships with other people. Those who are successful at this step will develop relationships that are committed and secure.
- Because each step builds on skills learned in previous steps, Erikson believed that a strong sense of personal identity was important to developing intimate relationships. Studies have demonstrated that those with a poor sense of self tend to have less committed relationships and are more likely to suffer emotional isolation, loneliness, and depression.
- During adulthood, we continue to build our lives, focusing on our career and family.
- Those who are successful during this phase will feel that they are contributing to the world by being active in their home and community. Those who fail to attain this skill will feel unproductive and uninvolved in the world.
At the same time, I do think that it's important to have a firm grasp on one stage before venturing to the next one. Having said that, I don't at all think I suffer from emotional isolation, loneliness, or depression (as listed above as a negative consequence of identity confusion/diffusion)...nope, not at all! But it is interesting to think about how this may influence my moving on to Stage 6 - intimacy versus isolation...dun dun dun!! (quite a dramatic stage title, no?) I'll probably write about that at some point...don't feel like it at the moment.
Now for my initial comment about how I see lots of interconnection in my life. This morning Nix forwarded me the Real Simple Quote of the day (which I also subscribe to, but she wanted to bring it to my attention):
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
When I read this quote, I had sort of already been thinking about today's blog post, but after reading it I was further inspired. It really helps to think of the stages of metamorphosis that the caterpillar goes through to become the butterfly...just like we all go through transitions and transformations over the course of our lives to become the people we are (or will be). Unlike the butterfly, however, I don't think we ever get to an ultimate end result (unless you consider that to be whoever you are right before you die). Instead, I'd like to think of it more like we become butterflies and then perhaps our wing patterns change depending on our surroundings. (That's obviously not biologically/scientifically sound but just roll with me, mmk?)
Lots to ponder!!
Today's *big chune* is from British singer Adele...I love her voice and her music...of course, I had a hard time choosing which song to highlight today, but I went with Right as Rain because it's a fun song, after such a reflective and personal post. She'll definitely show up again
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
thoughts about faith, religion, spirituality
The other night I went to see the movie The Book of Eli. It was pretty good and of course thought-provoking. Without giving anything away, the movie is set sometime in the future (something like 30 or so yrs from now I guess) after maybe a nuclear war or something (the audience was left to fill in a lot of the details lol)...anyway, the planet (or is it just the US?) is basically destroyed and the population that is alive is largely composed of (what we would consider) uncivilized illiterates. There is no law, order, government...essentially no society of which to speak.
Ok it's hard not to give too much away if I want to discuss it meaningfully...so if you haven't seen it and you plan to, just read this after you watch it ;-)
The movie follows Denzel Washington as he travels West on his mission to keep The Book (which we discover is The Bible) protected and deliver it to where it will be safe/appreciated. It's the last Bible left on the planet! The evil dude in the movie wants to use it in an "opiate of the masses" type way, while Denzel simply wants to keep it safe and let it's teachings live on...but by the end of the movie he realizes that by trying so hard to protect it, he hasn't actually been sharing the word with anyone....etc. etc. ...you get the point. There are some interesting parallels with the state of religion today. In particular, at one point a character asks Denzel why all the other Bibles were destroyed, and he responds that some people thought the Bible was the reason for the war in the first place....interesante no?
Another interesting point that my friend brought up is that when Denzel finally reaches his destination, The Bible (which actually ended up being transcribed based on Denzel's memorization of it, since the evil dude gets the real copy of the Bible) is added to a bookshelf along with other works of literature...and placed alongside The Qur'an, The Torah, and the other books of religious teachings. A strong point in such a seemingly insignificant few seconds of the movie.
After the movie, we ended up on the subject of our own faith...mine in particular, b/c I already knew where he stands on the subject. To sum up, I'm at a place right now where I simply don't know what i believe. That may sound crazy, but if you recall I'm a very grey-area kinda gal. It's honestly not a part of my life that I've given much thought recently. I grew up in a Christian household...going to church and Sunday School most weeks. I have a good knowledge of the Bible. In college, I was in the Gospel Choir and went to church almost weekly (by choice obviously). I stopped going to church right around the time I graduated from GTown and haven't gotten back into the practice since.
At this point in my life, I don't consider myself to be religious. Actually, to be honest, I am wary of people who are "religious." I've been so turned of my organized religion that I just don't know what to make of it all. Hypocritical Christians - those who don't quite seem to live up to the lives they "should" (based on teachings) - have sort of ruined Christianity for me. Now, I realize that we "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," so I'm not talking about those Christians who are striving for a good life and realize their failings...I'm talking more about those judgmental, holier-than-thou Christians who believe they are better than the next person, simply because they believe in God and attend church service on a regular basis.
I think what it boils down to is that I don't feel sufficiently convinced that Christianity is the "right" or "only" way to incorporate faith and spirituality into one's life. I also think spirituality is something deeply personal that should be the result of reflection and education, rather than one's upbringing. In other words, I don't want to be a Christian simply because my parents are. When I feel ready/inspired, I want to familiarize myself with the different faiths/religious teachings of the world. Should I be a Christian simply because I am and English-speaking American? I say no. I should be "fill-in-the-blank" because of a conscious decision on my part, not by default.
Having said all this, I don't yet feel that inspiration to figure all this out. It's interesting that I saw this movie recently and am writing this post because a friend of my sister just wrote a post on her site related to the subject. After reading The Happiness Project (due to Nix's recommendation), she is left wondering whether Gretchen Rubin is missing something --> a spiritual component to her quest. (Aside - It's funny how people can read the same thing and have different take-aways...I think this is why joining a book-club would be super interesting! Maybe I'll work on that...) Anywho, this got me thinking even more. Plus, a few weeks ago, a friend of mine saw a similar gap in the discussion of happiness, and suggested I read the book Have a Little Faith, by Mitch Albom. I read his book The Five People You Meet in Heaven and really liked it, so I definitely will check it out. Maybe even this weekend...seems like there are a lot of "signs" nudging me to explore the issue. (Btw, I'm always looking for book recommendations, so let me know if you have any - on this or any subject.) Thoughts??
On a random not-exactly--related note, check out this blog post on Freakonomics about parents who "fake" Christianity for the sake of their kids.
For today's *big chune* I'm going with the theme again. Up until I lost my ipod I still had some Gospel songs on it, because I think the music is beautiful and I appreciate the message. There are some amazing gospel songs that do give me a goose-bump feeling. (btw, it's really hard for me to pick these, because it's like I'm picking a favorite song, which I am terrible at.) Today's song is from the Kurt Carr Singers, called For Every Mountain...I wish I knew the woman's name cuz she kills this song!!
:-)
Ok it's hard not to give too much away if I want to discuss it meaningfully...so if you haven't seen it and you plan to, just read this after you watch it ;-)
The movie follows Denzel Washington as he travels West on his mission to keep The Book (which we discover is The Bible) protected and deliver it to where it will be safe/appreciated. It's the last Bible left on the planet! The evil dude in the movie wants to use it in an "opiate of the masses" type way, while Denzel simply wants to keep it safe and let it's teachings live on...but by the end of the movie he realizes that by trying so hard to protect it, he hasn't actually been sharing the word with anyone....etc. etc. ...you get the point. There are some interesting parallels with the state of religion today. In particular, at one point a character asks Denzel why all the other Bibles were destroyed, and he responds that some people thought the Bible was the reason for the war in the first place....interesante no?
Another interesting point that my friend brought up is that when Denzel finally reaches his destination, The Bible (which actually ended up being transcribed based on Denzel's memorization of it, since the evil dude gets the real copy of the Bible) is added to a bookshelf along with other works of literature...and placed alongside The Qur'an, The Torah, and the other books of religious teachings. A strong point in such a seemingly insignificant few seconds of the movie.
After the movie, we ended up on the subject of our own faith...mine in particular, b/c I already knew where he stands on the subject. To sum up, I'm at a place right now where I simply don't know what i believe. That may sound crazy, but if you recall I'm a very grey-area kinda gal. It's honestly not a part of my life that I've given much thought recently. I grew up in a Christian household...going to church and Sunday School most weeks. I have a good knowledge of the Bible. In college, I was in the Gospel Choir and went to church almost weekly (by choice obviously). I stopped going to church right around the time I graduated from GTown and haven't gotten back into the practice since.
At this point in my life, I don't consider myself to be religious. Actually, to be honest, I am wary of people who are "religious." I've been so turned of my organized religion that I just don't know what to make of it all. Hypocritical Christians - those who don't quite seem to live up to the lives they "should" (based on teachings) - have sort of ruined Christianity for me. Now, I realize that we "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," so I'm not talking about those Christians who are striving for a good life and realize their failings...I'm talking more about those judgmental, holier-than-thou Christians who believe they are better than the next person, simply because they believe in God and attend church service on a regular basis.
I think what it boils down to is that I don't feel sufficiently convinced that Christianity is the "right" or "only" way to incorporate faith and spirituality into one's life. I also think spirituality is something deeply personal that should be the result of reflection and education, rather than one's upbringing. In other words, I don't want to be a Christian simply because my parents are. When I feel ready/inspired, I want to familiarize myself with the different faiths/religious teachings of the world. Should I be a Christian simply because I am and English-speaking American? I say no. I should be "fill-in-the-blank" because of a conscious decision on my part, not by default.
Having said all this, I don't yet feel that inspiration to figure all this out. It's interesting that I saw this movie recently and am writing this post because a friend of my sister just wrote a post on her site related to the subject. After reading The Happiness Project (due to Nix's recommendation), she is left wondering whether Gretchen Rubin is missing something --> a spiritual component to her quest. (Aside - It's funny how people can read the same thing and have different take-aways...I think this is why joining a book-club would be super interesting! Maybe I'll work on that...) Anywho, this got me thinking even more. Plus, a few weeks ago, a friend of mine saw a similar gap in the discussion of happiness, and suggested I read the book Have a Little Faith, by Mitch Albom. I read his book The Five People You Meet in Heaven and really liked it, so I definitely will check it out. Maybe even this weekend...seems like there are a lot of "signs" nudging me to explore the issue. (Btw, I'm always looking for book recommendations, so let me know if you have any - on this or any subject.) Thoughts??
On a random not-exactly--related note, check out this blog post on Freakonomics about parents who "fake" Christianity for the sake of their kids.
For today's *big chune* I'm going with the theme again. Up until I lost my ipod I still had some Gospel songs on it, because I think the music is beautiful and I appreciate the message. There are some amazing gospel songs that do give me a goose-bump feeling. (btw, it's really hard for me to pick these, because it's like I'm picking a favorite song, which I am terrible at.) Today's song is from the Kurt Carr Singers, called For Every Mountain...I wish I knew the woman's name cuz she kills this song!!
:-)
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