E. Cherilen
April 16, 2012
Reflection Paper
Sociology the science or study of the origin, development, organization, and functioning of human society, the science of the fundamental laws of social relations. A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same physical or effective territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Human societies are characterized by patterns of relationships between individuals who share a distinctive culture and institutions; a given society may be described as the sum total of such relationships.
Over the years society has made many different images, not only for our society but us as human beings. Especially women the cultural ideal of women today is much more complex than years past. An ideal woman in the fifties was expected to be the ultimate homemaker. She should support her husband and children, cook delicious meals, keep a spotless home and embody an attractive, immaculately dressed wife and mother. Despite the evolution of the female ideal, women are still pressured to demonstrate their femininity. Feminine dress remains the symbol of femininity to which women retreat.
Now this is where society looks at young woman like myself and already has expectations on how my life should be or the way I should act. Society has this image where it’s all about the “American Dream”. The “American Dream” in my eyes is the typical family with wife, husband, and children. The husband of course is the bread winner who brings home the money, while the wife sits at home take care of the kids makes sure the house is clean, dinner is cooked and everyone is happy. But in my eyes I will not be living the “American dream”, because I have my own dreams and goals that I shall conquer. I was not brought up to depend on a man to take care of me, I will provide for myself. I will go to school and get my degree and get a good paying job, which will not only support me but my family as well. I look at myself as independent a woman who doesn’t need this so called “American Dream” that the society plays images for. I’ve seen my mother take care of me and my sister without this American dream and we are just doing fine, so I know if she can do it I sure can. My mother wasn’t a sit at home wife who waited for their husband to come home with all the money; instead she went out there and did it herself. A lot of women believe that they can’t do a job that a man can do, because women aren’t taken seriously, so that pushes them back from going out there and showing society, that women can do it just as well. Women are beyond just some housewife’s who sit at home clean and cook; they are our future and can do anything they please as long as they put their heart and soul into it.
As a society, we love the media. Sometimes it seems like entertainment is the only reason to live. However, sometimes we have to question certain myths and stereotypes that arises that predictability affect our society. In entertainment, there are beauties galore. From the fashion world, to movies, TV, book covers. It’s a huge stereotype that has