SA21 Fieldworks: March 2014

Friday, March 14, 2014

SA 21 CULTURE MEMES

The most recently launched iPhone is marketed as Apple's first "mid-priced" phone. It is essentially the last iPhone model repackaged in a colorful plastic case. Released along with the 5S, which features premium features such as fingerprint scanning, a faster operating system, and a sleeker body, the iPhone 5c cannot help but look like its ugly cousin. It has been regarded as the Apple phone to purchase if you cannot afford the 5s. Many people who use 5C's attempt to disguise it by outfitting it with cases that make it appear to be one of the more expensive models. Nonetheless, it is still an Apple product, and in spite of its being "mid-priced,"is still much pricier than the average phone.

#culture #conspicuousconsumption #representationofself #statussymbol #firstworldproblems #iPhone #Apple #everydaysociology #SA21

Many people (girls in particular) apparently think that it is cool to represent themselves as "geeky"-- thus the popularity of such t-shirts that say "geek," "nerd," and "dork." Star Wars is perceived by many to be an important movie in pop culture. Many of its characters are plastered on various merchandise that inevitably gets in the hands of someone who does not know a thing about the Star Wars saga. This meme is inspired by a real conversation with a girl who had a nice Star Wars notebook. I told her I found it nice and, hoping to start a conversation, asked if she liked Star Wars. This is what she replied.

#culture #representationofself #dramaturgy #popculture #lookingglassself #annoyingfacebookgirl #everydaysociology #SA21

*caption: "Ma'am, nandito na po ako."

This meme illustrates the judging another culture based on own culture by ordering Facundo to have the yaya enrolled in Harvard. This implies that belonging to the "jejemon" subculture is perceived as unacceptable and cheap, and that there is an obvious disparity in mindset between "señoritas" and their househelps.

#culture #ethnocentrism #language #jejespeak #ajejeje #socialcontrol #everydaysociology #SA21

The Boromir meme is from Lord of the Rings. It is a meme widely used to point out the difficulty of a certain task. In all types of societies people are taught to respect their parents. This is shown through various ways. Especially among Filipinos, it has been culturally ingrained that calling someone on a first name basis would imply that he/she is one's equal, that is why "one does not simply" call his/ her parents by their first names. This action would be considered as disrespect because respecting parents is a value instilled in us throughout our lives.

#culture #norms #cultureasconstraint #language #agentsofsocialization #family #socialcontrol #everydaysociology #SA21

Apparent in this meme is the attempt to integrate oneself with a subculture one is not familiar with. Here, we see the assumption that one is part of the (gaming) culture by riding along with what they do, but without assessing first properly what said culture is really into.

#culture #subculture #repersentationofself #dramaturgy #everydaysociology #SA21

Neil deGrasse Tyson Reaction is a rage comic character and reaction face of astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson making a defensive gesture. It is used to mock someone boeasting of something that isn't really a big deal. Eating breakfast for dinner is not normal. However, this example of breaking a folkway doesn't really have a serious consequence and is not morally significant. It can easily be done by anyone.

#culture #folkway #cultureasconstraint #everydaysociology #SA21

Common courtesy dictates that you should not hog seats, tables, or places. While it is perfectly alright to leave your things to go to the bathroom or to save a seat before standing up to buy food, it is not okay to leave your stuff and disappear for extended periods of time. It’s a terrible inconvenience for the people who could be using that place while you are gone. In Ateneo, however, this folkway is commonly broken – especially at JSEC. Bad Luck Brian is just one of the many people who have difficulty finding a seat because people’s bags are in the way, but cannot reprimand violators of an unspoken law.

#culture #folkways #JSECetiquette #socialcontrol #everydaysociology #SA21

In theatre culture, actors are forbidden to stay and watch from the wing curtains (located in the side of the stage) during the show. This is because staying by the wings allows you to be visible to the audience. To any other person, this may not be a big of a deal, but among people who do theater, it is a crucial rule that everyone must know. A bona fide actor who does this will surely get a scolding.

#culture #law #socialcontrol #angentsofsocialization #peergroup #backstageetiquette #performancearts #forbidden #everydaysociology #SA21

A common opinion of Filipino "music lovers" is that OPM is not classified as good music. Although, most of these people have preconceived notions of the subgenre even before actually listening to the music. By theory, this can be the effect of westernization of popular culture, which implies that people think western/foreign music is superior. These people are quick to criticize Pinoy music because they do not judge it based on the Pinoy culture's own standards and cultural paradigms.

#culture #popculture #culturalrelativism #presentationofself #OPM #Philippines #everydaysociology #SA21

image source: http://www.pcog.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Thinking-listen-to-music_IO.jpg

The culture of the Philippines is said to be encapsulated by the modern jeepney. However, the jeepney that we know today is a product of American military jeeps converted for public use. With this in mind, it seems like a good analogy that our cultural symbol is a product of Western ideas since our society today is also being invaded and dominated by the West.

#culture #popculture #globalculture #globalization #Philippines #jeepney #symbol #everydaysociology #SA21

image source: http://www.jeepneygang.com

First eight memes, source: http://www.memegenerator.net

Social Stratification/Inequality memes by Baylon, Chan, Cudo, de la Cruz, Querubin, Tabong

Despite the constant accusations of capitalism in this world, society never fully saw a revolution of the proletariat class. Due to several factors, a revolution never happened. These factors include the fragmentation of the capitalist class, greater legal protection, more worker organizations and a generally higher standard of living. Until this day, however, there are still criticisms against the capitalist class.

#socialstratification #marxism #revolution #fail

Karl Marx emphasizes that human beings should be able to realize their potential for creative and purposeful activity through work. By adopting a capitalist system, Marx argues that this realization is not achieved. Workers are alienated from what they produce. A common example would be factory workers who form the assembly line. Their work is repetitive and a mere part of an elaborate process which they do not fully get to witness and claim ownership over.

#socialstratification #capitalism #alienation #work

In comparison to a Marxist perspective, Weber argues that social inequality is brought about by the rationalization of society/”disenchantment of the world”. This means to say that bureaucracy, the distinctive social institutions and large-scale organizations, operate under specialized tasks and brings about impersonality with its attempts at implementing efficient processes. Weber terms bureaucracy as the iron cage that traps humans through efficiency, calculation and control.

#socialstratification #weber #bureaucracy

Marx’ Theory portrays a society wherein there exists a capitalist class, the bourgeoisie, and the working class, the proletariat. In this theory the bourgeoisie owns and controls the means of production and apart from this, they are also the dominant political and ideological force in society. They shape and legitimize the base to maintain their position and continuously exploit the proletariat. These two memes emphasize the exploitation of the proletariat.

#socialstratification #marxism #work #richpoorgap

Again, this meme talks about the Marxist perspective on social inequality. It tackles the concept of workers not only being alienated from their work and not being able to claim ownership over their work but also the exploitation of the proletariat by the bourgeoisie. Consumers and employers alike might not be able to see the oppressive and alienating behavior imposed upon laborers.

#socialstratification #marxism #work

Karl Marx had proposed that society was divided in two classes namely the proletariat, the working class, and the bourgeoisie, the dominant political and ideological force who controls the means of production. Although this division may exist, class divisions are not limited to this. As Weber states in his theory, there were upper class, white collar workers, petit bourgeoisie, working class etc. This kind of class stratification can also be seen in the Philippines. The Philippine Private Business research showed four classes.

#socialstratification #marx

Structural Functionalists believe that social stratification actually makes society operate. Davis-Moore's thesis states that social stratification is universal and necessary to make society highly productive. In a society where class divisions are present, there are unequal rewards to attract the ablest people to the most important jobs. Complete equality is undesirable because it would make society inefficient.

#socialstratification #davis-Moore

Using the symbolic interaction approach, social stratification may be seen as a factor that guides people's interactions in everyday life. Most people interact with people who have the same social standing. People are therefore said to have a tendency to buy and use products because of the statement they make about their social position rather than their function. Sociologists call this conspicuous consumption.

#socialstratification #conspicuousconsumption

One does not simply achieve social mobility. Social stratification is a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy. Stratification is a trait of society that can be carried over from generation to generation and social mobility refers to the change in position within this social hierarchy. It may be difficult for someone to change from one class to another as there are varying degrees of social, human, economic and cultural capital from one society to another.

#socialstratification

In Marx’ theory of capitalism, the superstructure shapes and legitimizes the base. The bourgeoisie own and control the means of production. They also have the dominant political and ideological force in society which allows them to rule over the base or the working class.

#socialstratification #marxism #inequality #firstworldproblems

While a lot of people think that the PDAF just causes inequality because all of the money that goes to politicians, another perspective could also be visited. Politicians still need voters to get re-elected, and voters more often than not, choose those that they can approach. Politicians may be seen as a source of social capital for others. However, this system may still be seen as a cause for social stratification in the long run.

#socialstratification #politics

Capitalism which is market driven prioritizes efficiency above all else. In its pursuit to maximize profits and minimize costs, capitalism may not take into account negative externalities that may occur. This meme refers to the two mining companies, Oceana Gold and FCF minerals, that Nueva Vizcaya Representative and House Deputy Speaker Carlos Padilla considers as a threat to the communities in nueva vizcaya bringing more harm than good. Again this emphasizes the control of the capitalist class over the means of production.

#socialstratification #capitalism

Sources/notes:

Memes by: Baylon, Chan, Cudo, de la Cruz, Querubin, Tabong

Macionis, John J. Sociology, 14th Ed. US: Pearson Education, 2012. Print.

"PHL Needs Alternative Law to Address Flaws in Mining Act, Says Lawmaker." GMA Network. N.p., 11 Mar. 2014. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.

imgflip.com

http://www.quickmeme.com/

Social Institution Memes

Bernardo | Casimiro | Espedido | Guya

Manza | Montenegro | Server

SA21 K – Chichateam

Social Institutions

When anything goes wrong in the economy, the blame is usually pinned on the government. More specifically, it is pinned on the president. Even though the government has only little control over the price that businesses decide upon, people still believe that the government should step in to stop whatever price hike is happening. This is prevalent in the Philippines.

#socialinstitution #economy #socialchange #socialconflict #pandesal #pointingfingers #akonalanglagi #lifeisunfair

Sources/ Notes:

- news.easybranches.com

- www.bazics.net

- cutepinayz.com

This meme is clear as day. Although a large fraction of the Philippines is suffering poverty, people still tend to waste their money on superficial things and vices. It has escalated to the point that even though a lot of people don't even earn money, they're still game for inuman.

#socialinstitution #economy #inequality #what #poverty #tambaylife #medyobadboy #medyopoorboy #walangpera #peroinomparin

Sources / Notes:

- news.easybranches.com

- www.bazics.net

- cutepinayz.com

The irony here is that these politicians make use of huge amounts of money for their election campaigns when ideally, they could have used these to fund other more important undertaking. In Manny Villar's case, there have been claims that he really was not poor as argued in a PDI article. This shows how politics shape up notion of reaching out to the population's low economic strata as an effective tool for an election campaign, regardless of the validity of a politician's contentions.

#socialinstitution #politics #presentationofself #socialstratification #throwback #richkid #oneofthepoorkids #paawaeffect

Sources/ Notes:

- http://2010presidentiables.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/villar-with-kids.jpg

- http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/letterstotheeditor/view/20100313-258329/Villar-was-never-a-Tondo-poor-boy

The reality suggested here is that these politicians are guilty of huge crimes but they get a house arrest instead of prison arrest. In comparison to ordinary citizens who commit relatively minor crimes, they have no where else to go but prison unless they have money to bail out. Timely with the Vhong Navarro rape case, this meme imitates the trending expression of "Punta ka sa condo, dala ka foods." In Erap's case, he was guilty of plunder and was subjected to a house arrest while in GMA's case, she was charged for electoral sabotage and plunder but was subjected to a hospital arrest due to medical reasons.

#socialinstitution #politics #socialstratification #authority #inequality #walatayongmagagawa #connections #excusemepo #saanmogusto

Sources / Notes:

- http://kickerdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/jmoi.jpg

It has been a trend among politicians to put their faces and names in highlighted colors, enormous fonts, and eye-catching positions for the people to notice and give recognition/"attention" to their "work." Most of the time, these politicians take advantage of the government projects to advertise themselves. Perhaps it could have been a culture among government officials to do this or Filipinos could have been used to seeing these kinds of scheme. The society should take a step back and revisit this kind of trend to know whether it's really valid or not.

#socialinstitution #politics #commodification #authority #coercion #anobatalaga #huwagnapongipamukha #authorityorpower #medyohalata

Sources / Notes:

-http://philbasiceducation.blogspot.com/2013/11/parallels-between-disasters-and-basic.html...

Generational Property; Filipino dads are very overprotective of their daughters and usually hope they don't get boyfriends until they have graduated. The culture that the Filipinos have been used to is very conservative and they rather not have children who are sexually active already thinking that they are still young and not ready for things like that. Also, because of strong family ties, parents want their kids to put them first rather than romantic relationships.

#socialinstitution #papadear #love #guns #and #roses #plsdad #legalnakami #dedzsiboyfie #eroticproperty #tagutaguan #huhubells #teenagelove

Sources / Notes:

- http://assets.nydailynews.com/

Close family ties with extended family can even go up to 4 generations. Celebrations are usually very big events. They take their relatives with them during events and excursions. Asking help from institutions that take care of old people is mostly alien in the Filipino culture as it is a social norm for families to take care of their seniors.

#socialinstitution #family #generationsandgenerations #generationalproperty #loveskofamilyko #dami #namin

Sources / Notes:

- http://globalnation.inquirer.net/

Erotic property; lack of family planning. The Filipino nuclear family averages to three; according to a census done in the Philippines one in three births is unplanned. It is good to note, however, that the poorer families are usually the ones with more than five children while the higher a family is in the social ladder, the smaller the nuclear family unit usually is.

#socialinstitution #familyplanning #hinditgang #plstamana #birthcontrol #eroticproperty

Sources / Notes:

- http://www.census.gov.ph/old/data/pressrelease/2010/pr1027tx.html

- http://blogs.reuters.com/

People think going to church makes them a better person, but as the quote goes "Going to church doesn't make you a better person, just like how standing in a garage doesn't make you a car." It is what you do that defines what kind of person you are not the number of times you sit in church especially if you're not even really paying attention in mass. In the social institution of religion, people are both taught, and preach how to live life correctly and morally. Unfortunately, extremists, or even ordinary religious people lack the realization that it is not observance of religion, and its traditions that define your goodness, but the morality you exemplify in your actions.

#socialinstitution #moral #realtalk #morpheus #actions

Sources / Notes:

- memegenerator.net

Many people say they are accepting of different religions until their own family member begins to veer away from the family's. A Catholic family will not be so approving if one of their family members suddenly does not want to go to church, or believe in Jesus Christ thus giving this person a hard time and not respecting their decision. This stems from the social pattern of religious social institutions believing that their standard for moral living is the only correct one. Because their influence is greater within their family's social circle, they exert it more there, as opposed to strangers practicing under different religion.

#socialinstitution #family #religion #openminded #beliefs #morality #open #closed #standards

Sources / Notes:

- memegenerator.net

Religion as a social institution is characterized by attributing things to paranormal events - specifically, from the works of a higher being. While it is reasonable to attribute paranormal activities, such as serendipitous moments that benefit us to God's benevolent will, there are limits to what we should attribute to our higher beings. In particular, people sometimes justify calamities or catastrophes that resulted in thousands of deaths as God's will, that it's all in God's plan. These religious people have a difficult time deviating from their social institution's beliefs.

#socialinstitution #religion #calamity #really #catastrophe #God #will #destiny

Sources / Notes:

- memegenerator.net

Deviance Memes

Normally, change is given to homeless men because they need the money. Taking money from a homeless man is considered deviant because it defies that norm.

#AlphaEpsilon #deviance #sociology #sa21 #rich #NotAHobo #badass #cool

*Used imgflip.com/memegenerator for the meme

Pedophilia is considered by many to be very immoral and wrong. It is considered a crime to some and is extremely looked down upon by their society. In Greece, however, they see pedophilia as a disease that is curable. We can thus say that culture affects what is considered as a deviant act in societies.

#AlphaEpsilon #deviance #sociology #sa21 #pedobear #greece #pedophilia

Reference: Paphitis, Nicholas. "Greece Recognizes Pedophilia, Exhibitionism, Kleptomania As Disabilities." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 09 Jan. 2012. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.

When in the bathroom, men usually stay at least a urinal away from each other and only look at their own urinal. Talking to someone while peeing, a very private act, is an invasion of their personal space. Therefore it’s uncommon for people to have conversations with a stranger and especially when peeing. Looking at someone even makes it more awkward because one can see their penis.

#AlphaEpsilon #deviance #sociology #sa21 #WhatHappensInTheBathroomStaysInTheBathroom #awkward #strangerdanger #privacyplease

*Used memegenerator.net for the meme

This depicts an instance of Differential Association, wherein a person learns to be deviant because the people around him prefer to be deviant. In this case, since everyone around the person is cheating in the exam, he also chooses to cheat.

#AlphaEpsilon #deviance #sociology #sa21 #cheaters #bettertocheatthantorepeat #sureA

*Used memegenerator.net for the meme

According to Marx, “Law is a weapon used by the ruling class to maintain the status quo.” Even though it is said that the law treats everyone the same, we see in society that it’s the poor that get jailed, while the rich are given special treatment. In the Philippines, Arroyo and Napoles are given special treatments even though they are considered criminals.

#AlphaEpsilon #deviance #sociology #sa21 #Arroyo #Napoles #RichBitches

*Used memegenerator.net for the meme

Sex is an intimate act that only involves those in it and people even do it in private places to preserve the intimacy. Violating this privacy by watching people have sex is often awkward, creepy and weird. People commonly value the privacy of sex and run out the room when people are doing it. Watching an intimate act live as opposed to pornography creates an awkward situation and may even cause it to end or animosity between the couple and the person who wants to watch.

#AlphaEpsilon #deviance #sociology #sa21 #FreePorn #LivePorn #sex #TrueLove #scumbag #awkward #creepy #GOAWAY #turnoff

A stigma is an extremely negative label that society looks down upon, and also changes the self-concept of the person. We can consider getting an STD a stigma because this causes society to think negatively of that person, which also causes the person himself to look down on himself.

#AlphaEpsilon #deviance #sociology #sa21 #Ijusthadsex #oops #STD #IgotaD

*Used memegenerator.net for the meme

In society, masturbation is considered an act that should only be done in private. It would be considered deviant for someone to masturbate when another person is within distance of seeing it.

#AlphaEpsilon #deviance #sociology #sa21 #masturbation #privacyplease #lockthedoor

*Used memegenerator.net for the meme

It is common courtesy to say “Thank you!” after asking for a favor from someone. Not saying thank you is seen as rude since people usually help others for pro bono. The least one could do is show gratitude and not saying thank you goes against that.

#AlphaEpsilon #deviance #sociology #sa21 #rude #ThankYou #NoHelp #douchebag #NoGratitude

*Used memegenerator.net for the meme

The SI of deviance is the Labeling Theory, which states that labels, such as hipster, is associated to specific behavior and characteristics of people. In this case, the associations of hipsters are closely related to what hobos are, specifically their physical appearance.

Hashtags: #AlphaEpsilon #deviance #sociology #sa21 #hipster #hobo #hipstervshobo

*Used memegenerator.net for the meme