Stereotypes Responses from the US to Belize

Alyssa B

“Customer is always right”

In all honesty, the customer is not always right but you want them to think that they are. The reason why we stand by this saying whether the customer is truly right or not is because it is professional. I work at a gym where I deal with members who are wrong all the time, and if I wanted to (and have definitely wanted to many times), I’d call the person out and let them know they don’t know what they are talking about but that would be considered “unprofessional”. These customers are paying customers and therefore driving income towards a business and if we didn’t go by this policy it can potentially drive customers away. From a professional standpoint, it is not okay to argue or get attitude with a customer; it is best you be the bigger person and tell them what they want to hear. If you need to cool off for a few minutes after dealing with an angry customer then by all means do it, but not near them. There are special circumstances where the customer is not always right, but I think that would be if it got to the point where a customer was harassing you or putting you in an uncomfortable situation. I read an article that stated that instead of arguing with the customer you want to think of yourself in their shoes and why they are feeling the way they do and make them “feel good” about their feelings. Because in the end they are YOUR customer, aka your source of income! http://www.forbes.com/sites/micahsolomon/2013/12/27/is-the-customer-always-right/

Fit Fat yum! Sender：Hugo Date：2014/03/21 08:11

Food is something that is unavoidable in life. So when companies decide to come out with a new and delicious snack, food or drink they are going to do whatever marketing and advertising they need to do to get their product out their and gain new/existing customers. In actuality, not everybody goes for the delicious tasting processed food. There are tons of people in the US that appreciate their body enough and have the willpower to say no to quick and easy processed foods and enjoy working out everyday. It really is a lifestyle choice, but companies spend so much money on advertising the unhealthy foods that it takes over the media leaving people to assume that is all we eat. A lot of people also think it’s more expensive to eat healthier when in reality a report stated that within a year, a person would average spending only $1.50 more each day buying healthy foods. When it comes down to it, if you want to be fit and looking good it is your own choices and lifestyle that will get you there. It’s okay to eat those unhealthy snacks and foods every once in a while, but everything is about portion control. The media can have a dangerous effect on the choices people make for themselves these days. http://healthland.time.com/2013/12/05/eating-healthy-is-cheaper-than-you-think/ 2

Kristy Joseph Date：2014/03/21 13:06

Do u think its still normal to introduce your parents to every boy or girl u hook up with before getting to know them that much? Or is it just normal the way we’re doing? What is view on that?

Hi Kristy, this is a good question because it’s something I think about often! I think it’s more so based on that person’s preference and if both the people in the relationship are willing and ready to meet that person’s parents/family. I’m not sure if there is a “normal” way of getting to the parental introductory stage of a relationship. I’d think for most people, including myself, we think just like you. It’s a big deal to meet parents, unless you and the person you “like” are hanging out as friends first and meet the family in a group/social setting. There are just some couples that rush into things now days because they like the title of a relationship. The beginning stages of a relationship are the most fun and exciting for each person so I think some people jump the gun on things before they truly know if they want to be with that person for a significant amount of time. It really isn't the “American” thing to do because there are plenty of people that do wait until they know they've got someone good but there are people who want to rush into that step. (If I had a daughter) I’d find it more honoring and exciting as a parent if my child brought home a significant other after they have been dating for a while rather than meeting every potential guy that she is unsure about.

Elsa Guemez Date：2014/03/19 13:02

Do you think such lifestyle is practiced in your community? Do you observe such matters and what are your views? 3

Hey Elsa, the media has such a huge effect on the American culture it’s ridiculous! Our technology is so good these days that too surgeons can literally fix anything on your body you do not like, with enough money. And there are people out there that are willing to spend whatever amount of money it takes to have the “perfect” image. We see beautiful people on TV (most of which are photoshopped) and want to look like them. Because wealth and beauty is portrayed as ideal so often in the media and television, the average American wants to look the same way. Especially with “Toddlers & Tiaras”, little girls see these gorgeous girls/women on TV and think that is the way they should look. And though when all dolled up most of them look adorable, it isn’t a realistic look for the average person. There ‘s a documentary called “America the Beautiful” that you should watch! “Filmmaker Darryl Roberts goes on a two year journey to examine America’s new obsession; physical perfection. In America the Beautiful, we learn secrets, confessions, and strikingly harsh realities as Roberts unearths the origins and deadly risks of our nation’s quest for physical perfection.

In America the Beautiful we see how these increasingly unattainable images contribute greatly to the rise in low self-esteem, body dismorphia, and eating disorders for young women and girls who also happen to be the beauty industry’s largest consumers.”

http://healthyhelperblog.com/2012/10/11/americas-obsession/

Chelsea T

 Question:

According to the The Global Divide on Homosexuality post which is posted on June 4, 2013, the acceptance of homosexuality in U.S. shows a dramatic increase from 49% to 60% since 2007. One of my friends who is currently studying in U.S. now accepts legalizing marriage between homosexuals. She said, “We should not discriminate homosexuality, because everyone should be respected, everyone has the right to love.”

In Belize, although some support these views are majority of the persons are against it.

According to Section 53 of the Belize Criminal Code, "Every person who has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any person ... shall be liable to imprisonment for 10 years. 4

Additionally, under Section 5(1) of the Immigration Act,The following persons are prohibited immigrants: any prostitute or homosexual or any person who may be living on or receiving or may have been living on or receiving the proceeds of prostitution or homosexual behavior.

In December 2011, United States President Barack Obama criticized nations that persecute homosexual. In response, Belizean Prime Minister Dean Barrow reiterated that Belize would not change its anti-homosexuality stance.

I think that homosexuality is wrong and unacceptable, how are two persons with the same sex be living together to reproduce our offspring? Thus, if young children saw them together, they will influence their thinking and their way to view opposite sex. I believe it is necessary to believe in God in order to be moral. What is your view about this?

My Answer:

This question is a very good one because both increased support and continued criticism for gay rights and homosexuality is very prevalent in the news in the US right now. I have personally written several research papers on the subject of whether or not gay marriage should be legalized in America. After all my hours of research, I have come to the same conclusion as your friend; I believe that all men were created equal in the eyes of God, and should therefore be granted equal rights to love. I believe that a person is born gay, but sometimes that identity is stifled by cultural norms and the values of the family a person was born into so they feel they cannot “come out” until way after their reputation for being straight has been established, this is why many find it so hard to come out about their homosexual preferences to family, friends, or society. I believe that having to hide your true, authentic self is sad and oppressive, which is something I would never want or want to wish upon another human being. Gay people need love too, and I think everyone can agree that love is not the cause of most problems, for the cause of most problems is its opposite, which is hate.

As for your question about two same sex partners living together and raising children, I don’t see this as harmful for children because I have read an article supporting the claim that children raised by same sex parents are pre-disposed to be more tolerant. Like any country, America has many children who are in need of loving homes. According to my research from Procon.org, the U.S alone, there are over 100,000 children ready to be adopted. Legalizing gay marriage will make it easier for gays to adopt children into loving homes, not only support family life, but create more of it in the process.

You can look up more facts about gay marriage in the U.S here: http://gaymarriage.procon.org/

 Question:

When I think about American Colleges immediately what comes into mind are college parties. Students living it up and having the time of their life; partying, drinking alcohol, doing drugs, getting laid and doing all the fun things that an adult would like to experience. This is the message that is given off by the entertainment industry in movies that portray college students as a bunch of wild party animals. When I see movies like American Pie, Animal House, College, 21 5

& Over and many others which show college partying at its wildest; it gives the impression that college life is a big party. Additionally, what comes into mind when I think about American colleges are fraternity houses, frat guys and sorority girls. I think about students trying to complete outrageous pledges in order to gain admission into a fraternity house, e.g. streak naked through the quad as shown in the movie American Pie Presents Beta House. Are these movies indicative of what really transpires in college or a mere exaggeration of events? Is college really an atmosphere for partying and having a good time?

My answer:

These are both very good and interesting questions! So to answer the first one, I would say that college fraternity parties definitely get pretty wild from time to time, but looking at the bigger picture, movies like American Pie and Animal House are mostly mere exaggerations. I can assure you I’ve never seen a naked man running through the quad in my day! In America, the youth culture and ideal picture of college depicts partying, drinking, and doing wild and crazy things simply for the fact that we feel the pressure of knowing that one day, this all will end and we’ll need to grow up, be responsible adults in the real world, and hang up our party hats for good. So with that being said, yes we like to party on the weekends, but we also know how to study and get through our classes during the week, because we know our degrees and even our future careers depends on it.

Here’s an interesting website discussing how college parties aren’t what their movies are cracked up to be: http://www.myusearchblog.com/the-college-party-scene-the-truth

 Question:

Americans have a strong belief in “the customer is always right” policy. The following was a personal experience working as a customer service representative on my past job here in Belize.

It happened to me over and over that I even knew what was coming next. My next caller said very nicely, “my phone doesn’t turn on, can you help me?” I responded promptly, “I’m here to help you ma’am, can you follow these steps? Please press and hold down the red end power key for about 5 seconds.” My words were a trigger for her exploding bomb, “ma’am I know how to turn on my phone! I have tried several times and it just won’t turn on so I won’t do it again! I need a replacement phone! The customer is always right!” courteously, I said, “I am willing to replace your phone but first, we just need to confirm that it’s not working. Would you please press and hold down the red power key for about 5 seconds?” With a sigh she said, “ok this is the last time I will do it.” Magically, the phone turned on. Just before that caller hung up, her voice solemnly said, “oh I’m sorry, when I connected it to the charger, it just didn’t turn on.” That’s how the story was repeated for the rest of the day with American customers always being right. What is your point of view in that phrase “the customer is always right”?

My answer: 6

Most people say that the customer is always right; well I have found this to only be true some of the time. Americans have this ideal because with capitalism, there is much competition. For example, there are so many different phone companies, that if a customer feels that the one they are with is not providing for them correctly, one threat to the customer service line and the representatives want to do whatever they can to keep that customers business. So in this way, the customer has the feeling that they are always right because they know their patronage is valued. However, having worked as a manager in customer service, I have personally dealt with situations where the customer was absolutely not right, in which case I was justified in asking the particular customer to leave and never return. Because as this Forbes article explains and your personal story with customer service supports, not all interactions with customers are rational.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tykiisel/2012/09/25/3-reasons-why-the-customer-isnt-always-right/

 Question

One stereotype I have is that, in the United States, American girls seem to attach a great importance of their outer beauty. They, as well as males, appear to have to keep up with their physical appearance and to always look perfect. Some people go to drastic and extreme measures to enhance their beauty with plastic surgery procedures such as breast augmentation, botox, tummy tuck or facelift. These are very costly and have a lot of risk factors that come along with the recovery period. It is also seen that the younger generation has taken this lifestyle, as seen in the television "Toddlers & Tiaras." Little children are judged by their outer beauty and their physical appearance. Why do you think such lifestyle is practiced in your community? Do you observe such matters and what are your views?

Answer:

This is a very interesting question. In America, outer beauty is so important because the media produces such unrealistic expectations for the standard of physical beauty. Here in San Diego for example, there are plastic surgery centers on every corner, and there are attractive people everywhere you look, which could make one feel like they are in constant competition with everyone around them. I observe this on a constant basis, especially when I go out for a night on the town. In short, many people are superficial, and therefore use their looks as a way to compete for potential mates against other potential suitors. According to an article in Marie Claire, women feel the most pressure to be perfect because men are so superficial. There are more breast implants and lip injections than my eyes can process. I know these procedures make women, and even some men feel more confident, and that is why these procedures are so prevalent in our society.

Check out the article on pressure to be beautiful here: http://www.marieclaire.com/sex- love/men/beauty-pressure

=Sabrina M

1. · Alexander Yuen Date：2014/03/21 12:18 Recreational Drugs 7

Do Americans love to do drugs? (Whether it be for medical purposes or recreational purposes as portrayed in the media) My initial response to your explanation behind the question of whether Americans love to do drugs would be yes. It is portrayed through several different medias that drugs are widely used. A report of crimes almost always involves drugs in some way or another. To give you some background on my particular perspective, I grew up with a mother who smoked pot several times a day and an alcoholic father and I have seen several instances in which drugs are used recreationally as well as for medical purposes. Unfortunately I cannot completely say yes because in research I have found that drug users are the minority. In the few generations before us drug use was on the incline and it exploded in the 70’s. “Since the 19th century when Americans first discovered new wonder drugs like morphine, heroin, and cocaine, our society has confronted the problem of drug abuse and addiction.” (Drug Enforcement Agency Museum) By the end of the 70’s one in ten Americans used drugs on a regular basis after the re-emergence of cocaine. Since then, many policies and regulations have been formed against drug use that is statistically having a reducing impact. Beginning in the 90’s anti drug strategies such as demand reduction programs, workplace drug testing, and other laws cracking down on money laundering and conspiracy cases have effected the society. As you mentioned, several states have already legalized marijuana and several more are headed in that direction, but there are also states that now drug test citizens who are applying for public assistance and financial aide. The best answer to you question would be that Americans love to make money and because of that simple fact many Americans would say they love to do drugs because it is another market to make money, and there are plenty of consumers to make a seller rich. I would also go as far as to say that you can see that America loves drugs because of how easily drugs can be prescribed to solve simple ailments and just as well patients defend their drug use with a justification of medical reasons. http://www.deamuseum.org/museum_ida.html

2. · Alexander Yuen Date：2014/03/21 12:20

Why is it that Americans just love to press the “sue” button at every single mishap? The stereotype that American’s are ‘sue-happy’ is true. We have a very well defined set of laws that give the citizens many rights on a federal level and each state also has it’s additional set of laws to be followed. Many of our laws have been set to protect each and every citizen and ensure freedoms. I looked through several forums to get a general idea of what other fellow Americans thought of this stereotype and everyone agrees. There were many reasons or justifications that were discussed as to why we sue other people a lot. Americans are greedy, suing someone for wrong doing or negligence can be a quick way to get money, but most of the time there are only monetary settlements for cases where there was a true loss, which could include a loss of life, loss of ability to live life normally, and loss of mental stability to continue life. Another reason why would be that we are an individualistic society in that we all think of ourselves as the best, most important, and that we are right. It may be that so many Americans want to be right and the only way to get other people to recognize that they are right is to get a judge to decide on it. Additionally, another reason Americans like to sue each other is to get public attention or to simply make a point. For example, recently a soon to be graduation high school student 8 attempted to sue her parents for college tuition and living expenses and our news picked up the story and made it headlines. Shortly after the student dropped the case and now claims to have a better and more understanding relationship with her parents. My personal experience with this stereotype has to do with the fact that my Father is a lawyer. I have heard several absurd reasons someone is suing another similarly to what your sister has shared with you. It appears to me that Americans have a strong sense of entitlement as well as a strong desire to get rich fast and suing someone over something one sees as a valid reason is just one way to fulfillment. The way our judicial system works also perpetuates this suing frenzy in America. Cases can be appealed all the way up to the Supreme Court, and once a decision is made at the Supreme Court level it can be also referred to as the law; for example the Miranda versus Arizona case that resulted in the Miranda Rights that are still used today. There are countless suits that get appealed but decided at the state level that are controversial and needed to be decided by our lawmakers to settle issues amongst the people. Therefore greed, arrogance, and controversy is why Americans love to press the ‘sue’ button. http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/21/us/top-u-s-supreme-court-decisions-fast-facts/ http://www.city-data.com/forum/world/1180847-compared-other-countries-do- americans-really-3.html http://www.frihost.com/forums/vt-32675.html http://www.webanswers.com/social-sciences/sociology/americans-are-often-sterotyped- as-being-sue-happy-why-5e8c73 http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/marketresearch/PublicDocument s/lawyer_demographics_2012_revised.authcheckdam.pdf

3. Marijuana Legalization Sender：Keting Date：2014/03/19 14:27

I think that Marijuana Legalization is wrong in our culture, because it lets the youths to become additive thus affect their academics and it disrupt the health and family of an individual. What is your view about this? Keting, good question. My personal view on marijuana legalization is similar to yours. I personally grew up with a mother who smoked marijuana on a daily basis and I have seen its long term affects. Just as well I have had previous friends start smoking and I have removed myself from their lives as I could see it ruining their futures. Marijuana, if used improperly and excessively, can prevent or stump someone’s brain development, lead to paranoia, dry mouth, and several other negative effects on one’s health. I think it is wrong and it can disrupt academics, health, and can endanger the surrounding lives of the user. There are some states in the U.S. that have legalized marijuana, of course with restrictions, and I think it occurred at least for one reason; to make money by taxing it. The majorities of our states have not legalized marijuana, yet, and have strict regulations in regards to how much in possession similar to the system you have described in Belize. My own state, California, has voted on legalizing it several times and the outcome has never been to fully legalize marijuana. Many others and I do believe that marijuana can be used for great things in medicine and would not want to see marijuana completely banned. The benefits include stopping HIV from spreading throughout the body, slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s, and can treating epilepsy. I would wish for a better way to regulate marijuana but understand that it would be hard to change things that greatly 9 with how far things have already come. A lot of activists for legalizing marijuana claim that it will happen eventually, it’s just a matter of time. Maybe there is something you and I can do to slow down this movement? Join a campaign or group that is working against the legalization of it?

http://www.policymic.com/articles/84675/10-surprising-health-benefits-of-medical- marijuana

4. Homosexuality view Sender：Keting Chen Date：2014/03/19 14:24 I think that homosexuality is wrong and unacceptable, how are two persons with the same sex be living together to reproduce our offspring? Thus, if young children saw them together, they will influence their thinking and their way to view opposite sex. I believe it is necessary to believe in God in order to be moral. What is your view about this? Keting, Thank You Since you are asking my view on the controversy of Homosexuality, I will not be using opinions from sources just facts. My perspective on this topic comes from the fact that I am 1 of 7 kids who are all straight but one; my sister. My perspective will be unique because my sister, Sheila, claims that she is not homosexual but that she only loves this one female. I question this, but she says that if her fiancé (female) were to die or they somehow were not together she would never date another female. I think this makes her to be what I consider bisexual. She is getting married this May and it will be the first Gay marriage I will attend. I question the same things as you do, how will you reproduce? They have a very good answer to this, they will adopt. In 2012 there was an estimated 399,546 children in the U.S. foster system. My sister chooses to take care of children who do not have parents. We were once at risk to be in foster care in our childhood, and it would be better to take care of a child that is already here than to worry about how she would produce a child. You may think that if a child is raised in a two mom household or two father household that it will influence them, and you may be true, but children are resilient as well and in America we have the freedom to be who we want to be, love who we want to love, and live how we want to live. I don’t think having homosexual parents will automatically result in having a homosexual child but it could show them true love no matter who is involved. There are several religions out there, so many different versions of how this world began, how it will end, and who is God. So I ask which God is needed to be believed in to satisfy your idea that “it is necessary to believe in God in order to be moral”. Also, why must that be the stigma to be moral? Someone who does not believe or think of God can still be moral. My other sister is the complete opposite of Sheila; she is extremely religious and has announced that she will not be attending the wedding. I think it is very sad that my sister won’t have her entire family there when she gets married supporting her and welcoming her new wife. My view is that people can love whomever they want to love and should be allowed to be in love and not have anyone else weigh in on that aspect of their life. It is a personal 10 matter and it shouldn’t change the mind of others who are around them. I hope I have answered you question =) https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster.pdf

1.Angelica Vasquez Date：2014/03/26 15:05 Stereotype in the U.S.A- Obesity Obesity is a condition of being extremely overweight. It is one of America’s serious health problems. It is clear that the eating lifestyle of people living in America has changed for the worst. Adult obesity rate have doubled since 1980 from 15% to 30%; whereas children obesity rate have tripled. Why it is that obesity rate have increased so much over the past years? Is it because fast foods are the easiest to obtain? Women in America are purposefully trying to become obese. In my research I found an article about a 23 year old girl name Tammy Jung, who force feeds herself everyday with a funnel in order to win money by becoming fat. Tammy went from being a beautiful, slim, and charismatic girl to staying home stuffing her face with unhealthy food. What makes it acceptable to offer someone money for being the biggest person? Another example is Mayra Rosales, the fattest woman in the world weighing half a ton. Even though these women knows the effects of being obese they still chose to continue their everyday lives by eating unhealthy and lacking exercise. What is it that makes it acceptable for people to think it is ok for them to purposefully gain an unhealthy amount of weight? Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKrwTgWEFv4 http://healthyamericans.org/obesity/ http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05/09/fat-fetish-woman-force-fed-by-feeder-bbw_n_3246349.html

Response:

Over nutritional, laziness and lack of exercise is to blame. Fructose simulates weight gain, as shown in link below, high fructose stimulates fat production and insulin resistance. High fructose, no matter the caloric intake, can cause a fatty liver. Sugar intake is highest in minority population, why do you ask? Because a double cheeseburger and fries at McDonalds is $1.29 and the average salad runs around $6.00.

I can’t speak on behalf of “Tammy Jung” but I have NEVER heard of a Cali girl or any American trying to gain weight like that. I can tell you that we do have a “freshman 15” saying. Once a high school student starts college, there are said to gain at least 15 lbs. the college student diet isn’t really a healthy one, cheap and a lot of late night eating. There are a lot of fast food restaurants that offer dollar menus. Cheap and unhealthy! But when you are living on a low budget it is quite an appealing menu. 11

Another factor we can consider is Soda. It is one of the easiest disguised consumptions of sugar any American can come across. To answer your question, yes fast foods are essentially “fast” and the easiest to get your hands on when wanting to eat. There are so many restaurants and fast food chains, with overly large portions. Each meal is usually served with a sugary drink of some kind, which adds onto the sugar intake.

In conclusion I do not believe that the average American doesn’t gain weight on purpose or loves an obese lifestyle I believe they may be a victim to their surroundings. When you are low on cash, need food, have a sweet tooth, and don’t have time to make anything on your own; fast food is where the majority of America turns . http://www.fizz.org.nz/sites/fizz.org.nz/files/fizz-presentations/Richard%20Johnson%20-%20The %20Origins%20of%20Obesity%20and%20the%20Fattening%20of%20Man.pdf http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/shocking-fast-food-1673.html

Candice Nunez Date：2014/03/25 12:43

#2. “Americans have no moral values,” a stereotype that’s becoming truer each day. I read an article online that aids in understanding why Americans are view as this way. Habitually many American moms and or both parents leave their children to be taken care of by teenage babysitters as they go out and live their lives. These teenagers, are kids themselves how can they properly care for a child? Also, these parents are handing over their responsibilities to other people, what’s moral about that? Many of them even places their elderly parents in nursing homes, where’s the love that? Where are their morals? The elderly should be cared for by the people who love them not those been paid to do so. Another reason why Americans are seen as though they have no moral values, the type of clothing they wear (similar to Belizeans I might say) is totally revolting. They live in high societies, other parts of the world look up to Americans but they aren’t even presenting themselves decently. I believe it’s the type of shows that’s allowed on American-sponsored programs that’s triggering these lacks of morality. Had the proper shows be more of a hit, teenagers today would be behaving much better even when their parents aren’t around? Don’t you agree that Americans don’t have moral values anymore? Link: https://abagond.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/stereotypes-about-americans/ Response: 12

Response:

I have to agree with you in many ways. Americans have become a little loose with the way children are raised, TV has become a big part of the American lifestyle causing kids o imitate characters on TV as if they were real live people. I also agree I TV gave better examples kids would follow that lead as apposed to the way people portray life on TV. The family values need to be resorted to the household. The American society pushes toward kids leaving the home by age 18, making it hard for them to pay bills and go to school at the same time, this may cause kids to lose the value of education or it may help make them more responsible. At 18 you are considered adults, that’s why it isn’t that big of a deal to have a teenager babysit a toddler, many babysitters are actually teenagers in America, or family members.

You may think that it is strange for Americans children to put their parents in nursing homes but you can never know what that family is dealing with. Many of the elderly that are place in homes need medical attention due to dieses like Alzheimer’s. Or some may need 24hr nursing assistance. Many American adult children, as much as they would like too, cannot give up their day job to take care of their parent. Putting a parent or loved one in a nursing home isn’t an easy discussion. It is for many, vary hard. http://www.aplaceformom.com/senior-care-resources/articles/moving-elderly-parents http://www.debate.org/opinions/does-television-have-a-negative-influence-on-society

Lauren L

3. Angelica Vasquez Date：2014/03/26 14:51 Stereotype in the U.S.A- Blonde Hair Women

Blonde hair women are mostly stereotyped in America and are considered to be “dumb.” They are perceived to be very attractive women, but have very little intelligence. They are constantly compared to brunette hair women, who are considered to be very bright individuals. This stereotype of blonde hair women is more conveyed through the media. For example the television show name Clueless, is about a blonde hair teenager who is beautiful, but could care less about school and getting good grades. Another example is seen when Miss South Carolina could not give an intelligent response to the question given to her about her thoughts in reasons why fifth of Americans can’t locate the U.S on a world map in Miss Teen USA 2007. This leads me to wonder if all blonde hair women are dumb and what makes brunette hair women more 13 intelligent than blonde hair women. Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clueless_(film) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blonde_stereotype

Response:

The saying “blonde moment” is highly popular in the states. Whenever someone has an “airhead” moment they usually say it was a blonde moment. Many women have to use peroxide and bleach to dye their hair blonde, many say that the peroxide and bleach have negative effects on the mental state making blonds not the brightest in the bunch. As I have done my research on to where this “ blonde’s being dumb” comes from I see a lot of sights referring to the time of Marilyn Monroe, blonde being so blindly attractive that they do not need to focus on intelligence.

Media does play a big role; there are many movies and TV shows that portray the blonde friend as the dumb one. Many blondes what portray this dye of airhead behavior are depicted in TV shows or anything of humor. The miss teen USA 2007 was a pretty funny moment to watch on TV for Americans, but it was excused and called a “blonde moment”. I am sure that anybody could have gotten choked up on camera in front of millions; it wasn’t just because she was blonde. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blonde_stereotype http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/blonde+moment

4. Nirisy Ramirez Date：2014/03/25 12:21 Americans are always in the haste of making money or how they can rich. It doesn't matter whatever it takes for them to get there, if it killing there insured husband, suing for any minor thing or even faking their own death so as to become debt free. Why are Americans all about the money and living ‘the life’?

Response:

America is the land of opportunity. A world of entrepreneurs, many people from all over immigrated over to New York City to become rich, or to the golden coast to be apart of the gold rush. People naturally chase money, and there is one thing that is known in American and it that money makes money, and little money makes little money. I don’t think that it is about “living the life” I believe that it is more of not having so many responsibilities, such as bills or stress. Many people think that money is a solution to all their problems and forget about the more important things in life. There are a lot of people 14 willing to do a lot of cheap things to get rich fast like suing and faking deaths to collect insurance money and many of those people are just selfish and lazy. They don’t want to put in the work of a workingman to get rich so they find the easy way out by abusing the legal system or insurance fraud.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/earl-pomeroy/america-land-of-opportuni_b_4690917.html

-- Yahya

Q)Americans have friends based on how much money that friend has. A common stereotype against Americans would be that they are materialistic. They revolve around branded clothing, jewelry, phones, and even friends! Americans are known to not care about anything but money. IS it true? Do Americans base their friendships over materialistic objects? So if you are poor, are you automatically judged by society and only hang out with people with similar status? Do people have to work hard to fit in with the materialistic objects to be considered normal? Is being materialistic considered being normal? Why is it that Americans are known to be materialistic? Is it because of the economic standards, and the high minimum wages?

Response: America has always been know by "The American dream" where people from all backgrounds come to build their dream and its in human nature to always have the best for themselves, so one cant say a group is particularly materialistic. Materialistic exists among all people of the world, but yes America has a big market for the materialistic world. Well if a poor or rich person commits crime they both face the same law in society, no one carries an ID that labels them rich or poor; everyone is seen equal by the law.

Q) Most people in America are known to be obese. 59.2% of the obese Americans exercised at least one day per week. I would like to know why most people think Americans are obese. Is it because of the millions of fast food franchise that are readily available? Is it because it is cheaper to have fast food? Can it be the chemicals that they use to produce different types of food? Does this stereotype exist in the United States because in a large population it’s easier to spot someone bigger in size than to notice the small-framed people? Or is it the million-dollar advertisement and offers that drive people towards the unhealthy food?

Response: Depending on what state you go in America. States like New York, NJ and California you will find they are at the top of healthiest in America and they also one of the most expensive places to live. Areas like the Mid- South in which states like Louisiana and Mississippi are the lowest ranking states with poor health due to high rates of sedentary living, obesity, and diabetes. In America there no shortage of food, but many people choose to eat in cheap fast food joints, maybe cause they to lazy to cook, find it cheap then cooking a house meal or lack the knowledge of how to keep clean diet. Fast Food Joints don't even use really fresh meats, everything is processed and is know to be bad for the health. In America if you see a overly Obese person, you stereotype them as always eating junk food and watching TV all day long. http://healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/the-25-healthiest-states-in-america-in-2013-1#27

Q)Do Americans love to do drugs? 15

Response: According to some reports America is the biggest market of drugs. Drug traffickers such as the cartels of Mexico make big profit from such market. I cant say if they love it or not, many people use drug for whatever reason they have, but the government is trying is so called best to stop drug trafficking and has funded millions of dollars, because of the addiction and drug overdose of people.

Connor D

Belize Answers

1. Connor David Date：2014/04/08 13:19 This is in response to Yona Coc questions about America being rich and well educated.

In America we do like to stereotype ourselves, and think of all Americans as being rich and well educated. Even when I think of the average American, I picture a person with a decent sized home, average car, and living a very comfortable life. This is actually not the case for most Americans though. According to NPC.edu, "In 2010, 15.1 percent of all persons lived in poverty." This just shows that many Americans are not wealthy, and that the stereotype just exists, but is not in fact true. As for the well educated aspect, Americas like to think that all Americans are very well educated, but in fact, according to NBC News.com, "American teens scored below the international average in math and roughly average in science and reading, compared against dozens of other countries that participated in the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which was administered last fall." Americans just like to believe that we are a very strong nation with very few problems, but in reality, that is not actually the case.

http://www.npc.umich.edu/poverty/ http://www.nbcnews.com/news/other/us-teens-lag-global-education-rankings-asian- countries-rise-top-f2D11686930 2. Connor David Date：2014/04/08 13:41 This is in Response to Gisellie Question on obesity.

Connor David Date：2014/04/08 13:06 I believe Americans are so obese because most Americans are always constantly on the move. I dont believe that the stereotype exists because it is easier to spot someone who is bigger size in a large population, I just think it exist from what you said about the millions of fast food places we have available to us. Like you said, there are millions of fast food chains in almost every normally populated city in America, so after a long hard day at work, it is much easier to go and grab fast food rather then cooking a healthy homemade meal. I think a lot of people in American are obese because healthier foods are much more expensive then fast food, and people dont have the money to spend on the healthier option. According to Us News on health, "Mississippi, the poorest state in America, has the nation's highest obesity rate, at 34.9 percent. States in the South and Midwest, which, in some cases, represent the poorest parts of the country, showed the highest incidences of obesity." I believe that if there were cheaper, healthier options, 16

many americans would slim down, and we would not be so obese.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2012/08/16/why-were-so-fat-whats- behind-the-latest-obesity-rates

3. Connor David Date：2014/04/08 13:58 This is in response to Esla Guemez other question about bullying.#15

Like you, the United States government believes bullying is a huge problem in America. The actually set up a government run website www.stopbullying.gov/ that is run through the US department of Health. This website gives Americans all the information they need to know about bullying, the different types of it, and how to prevent it. I never really got bullied at any time in my life, but I have seen it happening to multiple kids. The bully pushed some kid on the ground and tossed his books everywhere. My friends and I walked over helped the kid up, grabbed his stuff, and had him come out to lunch with all of us that day. After having lunch with the kid, we realized how cool he was, and we actually became great friends with him, and still remain good friends to this day. So there are many ways to stop bullying, but the best way I believe to stop bullying, is to just help the kids who are being bullied, and just give them a friend and someone to talk to.

http://www.stopbullying.gov/

4. Connor David Date：2014/04/08 13:49 This is in response to Elsa Guemez questions. #15

I believe this stereotype exists in America, and that Americans are so worried about how they look because of the way the media portrays how people should look. Everywhere in America there are gorgeous, super skinny models in every add. In 2012, there were 14.6 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures done in America. Us Americans believe that we need to change our look to look like these models who we believe are the definition of beautiful, and that we must try to look exactly like them, if we want to look good, and fit in.

http://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/press-release-archives/2013/14-million-cosmetic- plastic-surgery-procedures-performed-in-2012.html

Bianca A

1. Nirza Date：2014/03/21 13:13Americans have a strong belief in “the customer is always right” policy. The following was a personal experience working as a customer service representative on my past job here in Belize. It happened to me over and over that I even knew what was coming next. My next caller said very nicely, “my phone doesn’t 17

turn on, can you help me?” I responded promptly, “I’m here to help you ma’am, can you follow these steps? Please press and hold down the red end power key for about 5 seconds.” My words were a trigger for her exploding bomb, “ma’am I know how to turn on my phone! I have tried several times and it just won’t turn on so I won’t do it again! I need a replacement phone! The customer is always right!” courteously, I said, “I am willing to replace your phone but first, we just need to confirm that it’s not working. Would you please press and hold down the red power key for about 5 seconds?” With a sigh she said, “ok this is the last time I will do it.” Magically, the phone turned on. Just before that caller hung up, her voice solemnly said, “oh I’m sorry, when I connected it to the charger, it just didn’t turn on.” That’s how the story was repeated for the rest of the day with American customers always being right. What is your point of view in that phrase “the customer is always right”?

RESPONSE:

Americans believe that philosophy because we intend to profit from our businesses and to do that we must keep customers happy and satisfied. However, there are some instances in which that slogan may be wrong. Customers don’t always know what they want, so we have to try to figure out what they actually need to keep them content (Kiisel 2012). Also, research has shown that if customers don’t know the answer, they tend to make it up; so it is better to give them options and observe their choice (Kiisel). Lastly, customers’ demands can sometimes be unreasonable, so there’s no sense in worrying about how to please them (Kiisel).

Kiisel, Ty. “3 Reasons Why the Customer Isn’t Always Right.” Forbes. 25 September 2012. http://www.forbes.com/sites/tykiisel/2012/09/25/3-reasons-why-the-customer-isnt-always-right/

2. 2. Nirza Ramirez Date：2014/03/21 13:14Americans prefer processed food rather than fresh food. My sister and I cook our lunch before going to work which includes up to the seasoning (preparing before cooking). While having my meal, I enjoy the deliciousness of every spoon because I know exactly how it’s been prepared. Americans on the other hand, eat more processed food than fresh food. This would include frozen pizzas, prepared meals such as burgers, fried chicken, etc… following that, I was reading an online article that The New York Times reports that the American diet consists of 31% more processed foods than fresh food. In fact, Americans eat more packaged food than the people of Spain, France, Mexico, Japan, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, China, and India. Is there any specific reason or if you may share your view on this information? , http://grist.org/article/americans-eat-more-processed-food-than-well-anyone/ http://www.examiner.com/article/americans-eat-too-many-processed-foods-how-to-eat-more- fresh-food

RESPONSE:

As Americans, we are always on the go, going to work or running errands; so we often don’t take the time to cook our meals and prefer convenience foods such as those processed foods that do not interfere with our timeframes. These processed foods are not only convenient and tasty, but they are very affordable. This adds to those foods’ appeal and we buy them even when we are not hungry. The problem is that the majority of people often are not educated on 18

the detriment these foods have on our health or they ignore the warnings and prefer to turn to pharmaceuticals if/when they become ill (Burne, Brighthope and Day).

Another problem with these empty foods are that the companies that create them tend to add chemicals that makes us addicted to them (Burne, Brighthope and Day). Lastly, whole organic foods can be pretty pricey, so Americans will instead pay for other more important things such as rent and do not have the funds left to pay for these pure foods (Burne, Brighthope and Day).

Food Matters. Dirs. James Colquhoun and Carlo Ledesma. Perf. Jerome Burne, et al. 2008.

Ronnie Canto Date：2014/03/21 12:48

There is a perception that Americans love their pets too much that it is seen as an over exaggeration of love. Animals have become of such social importance in the U.S. that more and more families are starting to own animals. The Humane Society of the United States (2012) found that pet ownership in the U.S. has more than tripled from the 1970s, when approximately 67 million households had pets, to 2012, when there were 164 million owned pets. This is to say that 62% of American households owned at least one pet. There are hospitals for animals, special animal cops, animal whisperers and even stores that specialize in animal products. According to American Pet Products Association (2012), “In 2012, Americans spent more than $50 billion on their beloved cats, dogs and other animal companions”. Those are some crazy figures, more than the yearly GDP of some economies. There are even some TV shows such as Pit Bulls and Parolees, Too Cute and My Cat from Hell which outline people’s experiences and love for animals. On the media, we see Paris Hilton carrying her dog in a handbag, Americans dressing up their pets for Halloween, subscribing the help of an animal whisperer, animal modelling and people allowing dogs to lick their face. Most people would find it disgusting if another person licked their face but there is nothing wrong with a dog doing it. In Belize, people have pets but we only do enough in order to ensure the survival of our pets like feeding them properly, providing them with a yard to live and sometimes bathing them. The licking of the face, allowing pets inside the homes or cars, animal modelling and the dressing up of pets are not part of the norm. In fact, to us the affection displayed by Americans towards their pets is seen as an obsession or as taboo. Therefore my question is Do you think that Americans over exaggerate their love for their pets or is it just normal? Are Americans obsessed with their pets?

RESPONSE:

In America, we view our pets as part of the family and genuinely love them. Yes, American pets owners may take their love for their pets a little too far and spoil their pets, but that is because they love their animals. If they have the money and desire to spoil their animals then why not treat them? I do not think that the majority of Americans are obsessed with their animals, although in some cases it does seem that way. For example, as you say pet modeling or animal intuitivists. Then again this could just be chalked up to admiration and respect for animals. In 19

America, owning pets have been shown to lower blood pressure, defuse stress, and lead longer lives (Kade 2012). This probably explains why we give so much to our pets because they bring us happiness and peace. After a bad day, we come home and see our pets always delighted to greet us with affection.

Kade, Allison. “Americans Owning Fewer Pets … But Spoiling Them More Than Ever.” Learn Vest. 12 August 2012.http://www.learnvest.com/2012/08/americans-own-fewer-pets-but- spoiling-them-more-than-ever/

Miller, Jerri.”Spoiled Rotten Pets: Owners Go to Extremes for Their Animals.”Mother Nature Network. 18 April 2013. http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/stories/spoiled-rotten-pets- owners-go-to-extremes-for-their-animals

Recreational Drugs Sender：Alexander Yuen Date：2014/03/21 06:23

It seems like Americans do a lot of drugs! That is how the media has portrayed it to be today; with American reality television shows like “Celebrity Rehab” with Dr. Drew Pinsky, Locked Up Abroad on National Geography, Intervention, COPS and Dog The Bounty Hunter. The majority of the episodes in these shows depict Americans that are dealing with drugs in some form or the other and get caught up in the act and suffer the consequences.

Even when you look at American news you hear about a Bill to Senate requesting the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes, such as the case for Rhode Island. I was quite taken aback when I found out that 20 states have already legalized marijuana for “medical purposes.”

Drugs do not only appear in the news and on television, but it also appears in night clubs, bars, airports, traffic accidents, the list can go on and on. Who knows, maybe your next door neighbour has been high all his life! And of course, lest we forget, the abuse of prescription pills and overdoses. Many American celebrities have died from these instances. Even under some dating websites, you will find an option for Yes or No under a “Recreational Drug” tab when you are completing your profile.

Here in Belize, it has always been illegal to be in possession of marijuana. In fact, you don’t hear about a drug bust as often as you would in America. So my question is this….

Do Americans love to do drugs? (Whether it be for medical purposes or recreational purposes as portrayed in the media)

RESPONSE:

All those shows just display a fraction of U.S. inhabitants that just happen to do drugs or have a problem with drugs. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime World Drug Report of 2012, the U.S. is never the highest user of recreational drugs. The top countries that 20 use cannabis are Palau, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Italy, and New Zealand (UNODC, World Drugs Report 2012). Next, the greatest users of cocaine are Scotland, Spain, England, Italy, and Wales (UNODC, World Drugs Report 2012). As for Ecstasy, the highest users in world are Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia (UNODC, World Drugs Report 2012). Amphetamine usage is most prevalent in El Salvador, Marshall Islands, Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand (UNODC, World Drugs Report 2012). Lastly, the countries with the most usage of opiates are Afghanistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Puerto Rico (UNODC, World Drugs Report 2012).

Rogers, Simon. “United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime World Drug Report of 2012.” United Nations.2012. http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/interactive/2012/jul/02/drug-use-map-world

Andrea V

LewisBelizeQ14

Yona Coc Date：2014/03/20 17:56 Often times i heard many people say that Americans are wealthy and well-educated. When i hear about living in America these are what comes to my mind, better opportunities, better careers and better life. I would sometimes see on TV shows that Americans have very nice homes, nice cars and great careers and their children attending the best universities to obtain their education. Some Americans even go for vacation touring the world. I would say that America is a rich country and has a high standard. They can even assist other countries financially especially in case of disasters that occurs. While developing countries may not have that kind of advantages it can often be a challenge. Being a citizen would you agree that Americans are rich and well- educated?

Yona Coc, Thank you for your question about the generalities of american stereotypes, how i would answer your question is by explaining to you that indeed the U.S. is a first world country however just like in every country there is a wide variety of social classes, i think it would be a mistake to state that all americans are wealthy and well-educated. The “rich americans” are generally the working class people which compared to third world countries may have a better chance at being successful. Even though i was not born here i have become acculturated with the american culture, one of the differences i have seen between the U.S. and other countries is that they are very goal oriented, when parents have children they make sure to start them off in a good school, so they can get into the right elementary, high school, college etc. Why parents think that education is one of the most important factors is because they want to see their kids prosper and succeed. I think that America does offer a lot of good opportunities for people, and generally people try to better themselves. To say that all americans are well-educated and rich would be a lie. 21

http://www.aei-ideas.org/2014/02/rich-america-is-not-the-idle-rich-but-rather-a-working- america-an-educated-america-and-a-married-america/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/georgeleef/2013/11/01/america-is-the-worlds-wealthiest-country- heres-why-thats-a-problem/

Prof Stefani Date：2014/03/21 03:51 Dancing Sender：nayeli leiva Date：2014/03/20 13:00

There has always been this saying that white American people can’t dance. You see on television shows, Facebook and Youtube many video that show American girls trying to dance. The new trend is “twerking” as they say. They say girls of color can do this famous dance and many white girls try to interpret it. Many videos show American girls trying to make different moves but many of them don’t have the rhythm in them. Other videos just show Americans just jumping around dancing to the beat of the music. Why is it that they portray Americans in this manner? Is it really true that all white American girls can’t dance? I believe that everyone has their way of dancing. They are some people that have really great dance moves but the are not seen or the attention isn't on them.

Nayeli Leiva Response: Americans tend to be trend setters and are always under the microscope by the mass media. With that said, It is false to generalize citizens of the United States of America into a category by stating that "all white American girls can't dance". I would agree with your statement however that everyone has their own way of dancing. This fad of "twerking" is simply a trend set by popular culture and became a phase that will eventually pass through our society. Other kinds of dances similar to this that one could see as an example the "bernie", "pop-lock-and-drop-it", "the dougie", and event older dance moves like the "moonwalk". People create these dance moves to express themselves and show uniqueness. http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/563

Stefani UdzBelizeQ14

Angela Asevedo Date：2014/03/19 13:33 The American society is diverse in many ways: 1) Racially -Blacks, Indians, Oriental; 2) Religiously -Protestants, Catholics, Jews; and 3) Culturally -English, Mexicans, Belizeans either by birth or descent. (Enculturation or Acculturation) These various groups have differing outlooks and traditions/beliefs that sometimes clash resulting in tension and hostility. Minority groups are considered subordinate which causes friction while other groups have dominant statuses. Generally speaking, the minority group has been hampered with by prejudice and discrimination. Many times, or I can say most of the time, predominantly White Americans prejudice and discriminate Blacks, Latin Americans, Indians, Catholics and Jews. Although 22 prominent Black Americans such as Martin Luther King fought to eliminate discrimination, the problem still remains. An example of this would be the Rodney King beating**. With all this said, can a Black, Indian, Catholic or Jew be satisfied that he/she would not be discriminated or prejudiced in the United States today?

** http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/18/us/rodney-king-whose-beating-led-to-la-riots-dead-at- 47.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Response to Angela Asevedo: Hello Angela, your question is very interesting, evidently the U.S. is a very diverse country and with all these different cultures, religions, traditions and practices it is sometimes difficult to all come to an understanding and for people to comply with one another when it comes to discrimination. Speaking from a personal standpoint i moved to America from Mexico when i was 13 at first it was difficult to get accustomed to all the different cultures, at first i saw America as a big melting pot and i found all the different people to contribute to the diversity. I think that little by little people are starting to accept the fact that people are different and even though everybody is more accepting i think that racism will always exist. Minorities in the U.S. tend to patronize themselves and that will always cause problems since they may have a negative attitude towards everybody else. Overall i think that because of the huge diversity it is very likely that a person that was a member of a minority group, could potentially live a fulfilling and satisfied life in the U.S. http://www.nationaljournal.com/thenextamerica/economy/hopes-to-achieve-american-dream- minorities-and-the-data-20120928

LeKeisha M. Smith Date：2014/03/20 15:01

I am not a person to have a stereotype about other cultures because I have always been opened minded about others’ views and perspectives. However, I have noticed on television, especial on BET, VH1 and MTV, it has been depicted that Americans are all about material things. Materialism is depicted in most if not all of the music videos I have seen and in the commercials. Famous rappers and singers such as Jay-z, T.I. and Lil Wayne, just to name a few, lyrics are about money, cars, houses and jewellery and gold they can afford and purchase. In every other commercial, a vehicle, a new phone, or some sort of technology is advertised. Also, in my Sociology and Communication class discussions it has been mentioned several time that in America ‘time is money’ and some individuals work two or three jobs just to be able to maintain a lavish life style and have material things. Or they borrow loans from banks or mortgage their houses so they can receive to money to purchase these big houses, fancy cars and latest electronics. It seems to me that Americans are easily influenced by the music and commercials. Why do material things hold such importance to Americans? Why do Americans go out of their way to live in debts for things they cannot really afford?

LeKeisha M. Smith Response: Material things do hold a high level of importance to many Americans. In my opinion this is because if one owns or has possession of many or certain items then society correlates success and status with those items. In other words, If you own big house, have tons of 23 jewelry, and all the materialistic items you can portray yourself as someone you want to be or become. Thus, creating your own self image and identity in american culture. There are many reasons however why some might place such a high importance on material things, that is just my thought. As far as going out of their way to live in debts for things they cannot really afford I would respond with the fact that many people live in the present and don't look at the future. They simply would rather satisfy their wants in the short time even though it will be hurting them severely in the long term. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shanzeh-khurram/is-the-american-dream-bec_b_2702164.html =

Travis R

Question 1:

Yona Coc Date：2014/03/20 17:56 Often times i heard many people say that Americans are wealthy and well-educated. When i hear about living in America these are what comes to my mind, better opportunities, better careers and better life. I would sometimes see on TV shows that Americans have very nice homes, nice cars and great careers and their children attending the best universities to obtain their education. Some Americans even go for vacation touring the world. I would say that America is a rich country and has a high standard. They can even assist other countries financially especially in case of disasters that occurs. While developing countries may not have that kind of advantages it can often be a challenge. Being a citizen would you agree that Americans are rich and well- educated?

Hello Yona, Thank you for your curiosity. It can be subjective, many people believe they are rich and many people believe they are poor. In the United States I believe that one’s success has all and only to do with the amount of work you put in. If you want to become a doctor, it is difficult, but yes it is possible. Say you wanted to be a lawyer, you could do this as well by applying for loans and scoring high on tests. The amount of work you put in will generally be what you will get back in the long run. To be honest, in my eyes I believe yes Americans tend to be “rich”. Comparable to other countries in the world many people earn a decent living regardless of the amount of income received. So when you hear someone say that it could mean many things, but yes I believe American’s are rich with happiness or money and that our access to education allows Americans to achieve a higher standard of living. https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=1

Question 2

Fat and Lazy Sender：Robin Quilter Date：2014/03/20 13:43 24

According to CBS Radio, the top stereotypical impression about Americans is that they are “fat and lazy”. In fact, they further mention that over 35 percent of American adults are overweight. I visit the United States of America annually.

During my visits, I have noticed that my American family uses disposable plates, disposable cups, disposable eating utensils and even disposable baking pans. At first I could not understand why they would use these, it seemed very wasteful to me and it also seemed like a major pollutant to the environment, if this was a common practice among many families; but it became clear to me after a while - “They disliked cleaning the dishes after meals.” In Belize, it is a norm to clean your kitchen and wash the dishes and pots after eating a meal; it is seldom a hassle. Is this where the stereotype of Americans being Lazy came from?

I am also amazed at the heavy reliance Americans have on cars, the subway, and buses. Walking is rarely a part of their daily routines, which results in inadequate exercise. Instead of engaging in healthy exercise as a part of their daily routines, T.V ads and American made movies show them spending large amounts of money on gyms, gym equipment or running around in parks and along trails to lose the weight.

Finally, instead of cooking a healthy and balanced meal, which is a common practice of most Belizean families, Americans turn to McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Popeye’s, and KFC. These fast food restaurants dominate the American landscape and seem to be quite addicting. However, from TV programs and news items on American stations that I have seen, Americans seem to be aware of the fat content of these meals. Why don’t they reduce their food intake or increase their daily exercise? Is this where the stereotype of being fat comes from?

Do you believe that Americans are fat because they are lazy? Or, Are they lazy because they are fat? Or is this stereotype of them being fat and lazy a completely ignorant perception made by people in foreign countries who know nothing about Americans?

Hello, your observation of our country is very accurate. I’m an American, but my mother is Brazilian and my father is African American. Growing up my family has always made home meals cooked in the kitchen and rarely go out. My families are also very energy sufficient and green. We recycle all materials paper or plastic and avoid wasting water when we do clean our dishes, but like you, I notice that we Americans do tend to take the “easy” way out. It may or may not be directly correlated with the lifestyle we must live around our jobs; however, this is entirely true of us. I cringe when I see people using disposable silverware, Styrofoam cups or paper plates, but people would rather pay the extra money to throw something away and be done with it rather than have extra work. We can be perceived as fat and lazy for a number of reasons. I believe it mostly has to do with the access of fast food. Fast food is a dominant market staple in the United States. There is at least one place to order a quick meal every other block. With this accessible and cheap way of eating, this may somehow encourage lazier habits for individuals. Also, one of the modern reason could be due to the fact that most jobs are not considered “physical”. In other words most jobs in the United States are office or desk jobs in front of the 25 computer which strongly affects our weight. In the movie “Wall-e” if you ever have the chance to watch this Disney movie, you may see many stereo types summed up for the United States. http://healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/obesity-in-america-whats-driving-the-epidemic-1

Question 3

As a young child growing up, I was taught the basics of driving: how to reverse, overtake, parallel parking etc. Upon receiving my license and becoming a driver, I realized that not all drivers are the same. Presently, the traffic situation in my country, Belize, isn’t as severely congested as in the U.S. However, it is becoming increasingly important for drivers to regularly exercise good driving practices. On numerous occasions, I have heard people noting that females are scared drivers, and are more cautious and drive more slowly when compared with males. Even statistics, such as the one conducted by the Institute of Highway Safety (2012) have proven that most accidents/ traffic violations are cause by males. I believe that this is a natural thing; many males are more risk takers than females. In relation to this, what is your position or view on females being awful drivers? Reference Institute of Highway Safety Male and Female Driving Statistics (2012) retrieved from http://www.statisticbrain.com/male-and-female-driving-statistics/

In my experience I have not found a real correlation between sex and driving skill; however, judging from the statistics you have given me, it may be true. It’s a stereo type that women do everything bad in the United States so people tend to call them bad drivers or cautious drivers, but that is entirely untrue. It may also depend on the statistics because the sample may not always represent the country as a whole. In my experience I find that if anything women get in more car accidents than males, but like I mentioned before my sample is entirely limited to San Diego where I live. From what I read most car accidents have more to do with what the driver is doing whilst operating a vehicle. In the link below you will find that most car accidents are not due to risky intuitions, but more to do while texting and/or drinking, multitasking, etc. http://www.drivers.com/article/1173/ http://seriousaccidents.com/legal-advice/top-causes-of-car-accidents/

Question 4

Jose Carlos Novelo Date：2014/03/21 12:56 Although sexual relationships in a casual manner are common in many countries, it is in the USA where transient promiscuity is viewed as something normal and part of everyone’s everyday life. This is especially highlighted in the life of adolescents, high school and college students. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the year 2007, 35% of US high school students were currently sexually active and 47.8% of US high school students reported having had sexual intercourse. (Wikipedia, 2014)Most of these sexual encounters occur 26 as what is commonly called a “hook up” rather than in the context of having a romantic relationship. Furthermore with the increase of technologies, romantic disillusions, liberalism, sexual TV Shows, absence of father figure etc., non-monogamous indulgence and premarital sex seems to be rapidly increasing. “During the past three decades, the level of sexual activity in adolescents in the United States has increased." (Committee of Adolesence, 1999)In the face of this, is promiscuity a serious problem in the American society?

In my years of high school Promiscuity was not really an issue, according to the New York Times, that 47.8% of students who were sexually active have decreased from 54.1% in the last decade. Mostly due to entertainment and television, there are many commercials and magazines that have sexual contexts. For example, in the link below there are articles about influencing the opposite sex and ways to be a better kisser. There are even articles about “Knowing if you’re ready to love again”. These influences are being revealed to kids entering their teens, so curiosity may cause high school students to participate in sexual activity. Other countries do have different standards such as Asian and Latin countries where they promote lengthy relationships that may even be arranged by families. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27well.html?_r=0 http://www.seventeen.com/

Walter

To Fatima Morris Re: racism. Fatima, you bring up some very valid, and thought provoking points on racism in America. As an African American I can identify with your feelings on being watched while shopping at stores. But then again check this out: as a teenager if the store owner didn't watch me, I would steal him blind so to speak. I was a strait up hoodlum/ gangster, and whatever stereotypical tag that was attached to black men. That was me, and then some! However Im totally different from that person that I was many years ago. Although it's bad to put labels on people, I can sometimes see why some are racially profiled. Sometimes the profile fits! On the other hand, the reason that the profile fit me so perfectly as a young man, was that I grew up in a poor, gang infested ghetto in Chicago, wich is a product of institutional racism. ( http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/there-are-no-children-here-alex-kotlowitz/1101332741? ean=9780385265560)

( https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110116180107AAzSFA2)

(http://www.brookings.edu/research/articles/1998/03/spring-poverty-loury) 27

To Fatima Morris Re: Unwarrented military intervention As an ex U.S. Marine, one may think that my response to this question is out rage. But my entire experience in the military made absolutely no sense to me. It was all during peace time, and I never since experienced so much access to drugs, and partying since. Those four years made college admospere of partyying seem like church! It seems to me that a large percent of military spending is not needed. I never understood why terrorism is applied a lot when people from other countries kill Americans, but not vice versa! There used to be a time in this country that the Republicans would be the ones pushing a big military. Nowdays the democrats are also advocating it, ( http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/terrorism)

BUSINESS White House seeks halt to military spending cuts

March 4, 2014 | By David S. Cloud and W.J. Hennigan WASHINGTON - The Obama administration called for a halt in reducing military spending, arguing that further cuts would result in a significantly smaller Army and Marine Corps, the mothballing of airplanes and an aircraft carrier, and the purchase of fewer ships and advanced fighter jets in coming years. Without Pentagon budget hikes averaging about 3% annually, it might be unable to carry out President Obama's military strategy, which calls for shifting forces to the Pacific, increasing cyber-operations and deterring terror attacks from Africa and the Middle East, senior Pentagon officials said Tuesday

The point is that our country won't go down the tubes without increaseing military spending or policing the world. Why then do we doit? Well, I guess because we can.

To Keting Chen Re: Homosexuality view Thank you for taking a stance for moraity. I totally agree with your prime minister's not backing down on these principles. We get into a touchy realm when we start discussing the bible as it relates to legal policies, but I'm down with it. Since the original concept of husband and wife being male and female, to go along the idea of marriage originated in the bible as the word of God, the bible has the exclusive right to discern the process. ( Genesis 2:21-24 / Mathew 19:4-6) The real problem that we have in this country is gay bashing. Interestingly, the bible doesn't condemn being gay, as it does commiting a homosexual act. (1st Corinthians 6:9 / Romans 1:27) If the U.S. President, who claims to be christian doesn't uphold christian principles, and what is worse, tries to coerce other countries to follow this hypocritical line of reasoning, then shame on him.

To Jose Novelo Re: U.S.A. Land of opportunities? 28

Nice question Jose. I'm glad you put a question mark after “land of opportunities”. The answer to this question would depend on who you spoke to. Say for instance if you talked to the middle class American, who make up the majority of this country, you get a revealing view. ( http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/01/is-america-still-the-land-of-opportunity/? _php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0) It seems that a lot of U.S. Citizens are disinfranchised. Personally though I can truthfully say that overall, I'm glad I live here. I came from a very humbling backround surrounded in poverty growing up. And I would have to say that I'm pretty satisfied with all of the opportunities I've had to make a decent living. My children live much more comfortably than I did. If I could give some advice to all immigrants coming to America, it would be to save your money and possibly work for a pension, ssi, and hopefully build a portfolio, after twenty years or so and move back to your country, ( I'm currently considering moving to Belize, or some other South American country). Some of my friends have retired and moved to other less economically well off country, and are living much better than they would here.

Alyssa B

“Customer is always right”

In all honesty, the customer is not always right but you want them to think that they are. The reason why we stand by this saying whether the customer is truly right or not is because it is professional. I work at a gym where I deal with members who are wrong all the time, and if I wanted to (and have definitely wanted to many times), I’d call the person out and let them know they don’t know what they are talking about but that would be considered “unprofessional”. These customers are paying customers and therefore driving income towards a business and if we didn’t go by this policy it can potentially drive customers away. From a professional standpoint, it is not okay to argue or get attitude with a customer; it is best you be the bigger person and tell them what they want to hear. If you need to cool off for a few minutes after dealing with an angry customer then by all means do it, but not near them. There are special circumstances where the customer is not always right, but I think that would be if it got to the point where a customer was harassing you or putting you in an uncomfortable situation. I read an article that stated that instead of arguing with the customer you want to think of yourself in their shoes and why they are feeling the way they do and make them “feel good” about their feelings. Because in the end they are YOUR customer, aka your source of income! http://www.forbes.com/sites/micahsolomon/2013/12/27/is-the-customer-always-right/

Fit Fat yum! Sender：Hugo Date：2014/03/21 08:11

Food is something that is unavoidable in life. So when companies decide to come out with a new and delicious snack, food or drink they are going to do whatever marketing and advertising they need to do to get their product out their and gain new/existing customers. In actuality, not everybody goes for the delicious tasting processed food. There are tons of people in the US that appreciate their body enough and have the willpower to say no to quick and easy processed foods and enjoy 29 working out everyday. It really is a lifestyle choice, but companies spend so much money on advertising the unhealthy foods that it takes over the media leaving people to assume that is all we eat. A lot of people also think it’s more expensive to eat healthier when in reality a report stated that within a year, a person would average spending only $1.50 more each day buying healthy foods. When it comes down to it, if you want to be fit and looking good it is your own choices and lifestyle that will get you there. It’s okay to eat those unhealthy snacks and foods every once in a while, but everything is about portion control. The media can have a dangerous effect on the choices people make for themselves these days. http://healthland.time.com/2013/12/05/eating-healthy-is-cheaper-than-you-think/

Kristy Joseph Date：2014/03/21 13:06

Do u think its still normal to introduce your parents to every boy or girl u hook up with before getting to know them that much? Or is it just normal the way we’re doing? What is view on that?

Hi Kristy, this is a good question because it’s something I think about often! I think it’s more so based on that person’s preference and if both the people in the relationship are willing and ready to meet that person’s parents/family. I’m not sure if there is a “normal” way of getting to the parental introductory stage of a relationship. I’d think for most people, including myself, we think just like you. It’s a big deal to meet parents, unless you and the person you “like” are hanging out as friends first and meet the family in a group/social setting. There are just some couples that rush into things now days because they like the title of a relationship. The beginning stages of a relationship are the most fun and exciting for each person so I think some people jump the gun on things before they truly know if they want to be with that person for a significant amount of time. It really isn't the “American” thing to do because there are plenty of people that do wait until they know they've got someone good but there are people who want to rush into that step. (If I had a daughter) I’d find it more honoring and exciting as a parent if my child brought home a significant other after they have 30 been dating for a while rather than meeting every potential guy that she is unsure about.

Do you think such lifestyle is practiced in your community? Do you observe such matters and what are your views?

Hey Elsa, the media has such a huge effect on the American culture it’s ridiculous! Our technology is so good these days that too surgeons can literally fix anything on your body you do not like, with enough money. And there are people out there that are willing to spend whatever amount of money it takes to have the “perfect” image. We see beautiful people on TV (most of which are photoshopped) and want to look like them. Because wealth and beauty is portrayed as ideal so often in the media and television, the average American wants to look the same way. Especially with “Toddlers & Tiaras”, little girls see these gorgeous girls/women on TV and think that is the way they should look. And though when all dolled up most of them look adorable, it isn’t a realistic look for the average person. There ‘s a documentary called “America the Beautiful” that you should watch! “Filmmaker Darryl Roberts goes on a two year journey to examine America’s new obsession; physical perfection. In America the Beautiful, we learn secrets, confessions, and strikingly harsh realities as Roberts unearths the origins and deadly risks of our nation’s quest for physical perfection.

In America the Beautiful we see how these increasingly unattainable images contribute greatly to the rise in low self-esteem, body dismorphia, and eating disorders for young women and girls who also happen to be the beauty industry’s largest consumers.” http://healthyhelperblog.com/2012/10/11/americas-obsession/

Sonia R 31

Americans have friends based on how much money that friend has. A common stereotype against Americans would be that they are materialistic. They revolve around branded clothing, jewelry, phones, and even friends! Americans are known to not care about anything but money. IS it true? Do Americans base their friendships over materialistic objects? So if you are poor, are you automatically judged by society and only hang out with people with similar status? Do people have to work hard to fit in with the materialistic objects to be considered normal? Is being materialistic considered being normal? Why is it that Americans are known to be materialistic? Is it because of the economic standards, and the high minimum wages?

Response:

America is a very individualist country. With the freedom Americans have they enjoyed the idea of living in comfort. That does not necessarily mean we are all selfish and desire nothing but money. There was an experiment ran in Lexington, Massachusetts by a few psychologists who ran a few studies and came to the conclusion; being materialistic is bad for your well-being. I admit many Americans desire the finer things in life because they want to live in comfort. It is a country where you can be born in any social class and can find your way to what is known to be the highest class through hard work. Americans all have an equal opportunity to be at the top of social class, therefore majority of Americans try to be in that superior ranking by in a sense being materialistic. Because America consists of so much freedom there are people who are not very materialistic as well and simply enjoy the everyday activities of life itself. We portray the stereotype of materialism because we have the opportunity to change our social identities; however it is simply a stereotype. It shows a lot in our social media simply because companies want to sell products at a high rate and portray the idea of having to have whatever their production consists of in order to have a simplified life. This is where the consumers work to be able to afford that object. We are not materialistic due to what class we are in, we simply desire the idea of being able to live the American dream in comfort and simplicity. Americans are not all materialistic; they are mostly driven towards a dream. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/08/health/08iht-snmat.html?_r=0 http://www.charismamag.com/life/men/16655-materialism-comes-with-a-dark-side http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shanzeh-khurram/is-the-american-dream- bec_b_2702164.html

Most people in America are known to be obese. 59.2% of the obese Americans exercised at least one day per week. I would like to know why most people think Americans are obese. Is it because of the millions of fast food franchise that are readily available? Is it because it is cheaper to have fast food? Can it be the chemicals that they use to produce different types of food? Does this stereotype exist in the United States because in a large population it’s easier to spot someone bigger in size than to notice the small-framed people? Or is it the million- dollar advertisement and offers that drive people towards the unhealthy food? 32 http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20100210/percentage-of-overweight-obese-americans- swells

In 2012 Mississippi was the poorest state in America and held the highest obesity rate at 34.9 percent. It is cheaper to make processed foods. Many lower income people buy the cheaper food and it turns out a lot of the cheaper food is in fact some of the unhealthiest choices. Some of the main reasons are due to the prices of food for many people. Also it is very easy and convenient to “pick something up” on the way home from work or school. The fast food industries are everywhere in America. Also going back to the financial burden, it is cheaper for the fast food industries to produce unhealthier foods as appose to fresh foods. In America it is accustomed to do what is most convenient, not necessarily because of laziness but rather because of the time frame one has. America holds a high obesity rate due to the convenience of unhealthy foods and the price of them. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2012/08/16/why-were-so-fat-whats-behind- the-latest-obesity-rates

Do Americans love to do drugs? (Whether it be for medical purposes or recreational purposes as portrayed in the media)

It is not that Americans love to do drugs; Americans enjoy the idea of speed and having things taken care of in a quick manner. Many drugs are used to lessen a type of physical feeling or to enhance a positive feeling. When Americans get sick immediately the idea of taking some type of medication to get rid of the sickness comes to mind, rather than taking a natural substance and waiting until the sickness goes on its own. Many of the recreational drugs in the American society do not originate here. Therefore they can seem more of a want because it is not easily accessed. Many of them are in fact illegal because they are used in a negative way for a pleasant quick high. There is in fact a love hate relationship in America when it comes to illegal substances. They are loved by some because of the quick pleasant reactions they obtain by them, but there is equally enough hated by people who dislike the fact drugs are so popular and used in America. They are unhealthy and harm the American citizens that are why they are illegal. Drugs are not loved, they are simply tools to help our physical feelings, the society and media has abused the image of drugs and inspired many Americans to use them in a negative way. http://www.alternet.org/story/72391/america's_love-hate_relationship_with_drugs

Torey R.

UDZBelizeQ14: 33

1. Question: Elsa Guemez Date：2014/03/19 13:02

One stereotype I have is that, in the United States, American girls seem to attach a great importance of their outer beauty. They, as well as males, appear to have to keep up with their physical appearance and to always look perfect. Some people go to drastic and extreme measures to enhance their beauty with plastic surgery procedures such as breast augmentation, botox, tummy tuck or facelift. These are very costly and have a lot of risk factors that come along with the recovery period. It is also seen that the younger generation has taken this lifestyle, as seen in the television "Toddlers & Tiaras." Little children are judged by their outer beauty and their physical appearance. Why do you think such lifestyle is practiced in your community? Do you observe such matters and what are your views?

Answer: Hello Elsa. This is a very interesting question and I can definitely see why you would ask it. Though apparently America has a very large obesity problem, there is in fact a problem with putting a lot of pressure on young women to stay and be beautiful. I as well as probably all of my classmates live in California. The city we live in, San Diego is a big tourist and beach town, it is considered “paradise” by a lot of people and we do not typically have a lot of rainy or cloudy days. A lot of peoples lifestyles here are centered around the beach and outdoor activities since the weather permits. This leads to a big focus of fitness within our city. California is also home to Hollywood, the movie capitol of America, which is about a three hour drive North of

San Diego. I think the culture of Hollywood and beautiful celebrities has shaped California. I think there is more pressure to be “beautiful” here than a lot of other places in the country. When

I go out to run errands, I see more thin in shape people, and I think it is because of the pressure you were referring to. In our city and state there is pressure to be and stay beautiful because it is home to the Hollywood stars and so many people around us are in shape. 34

Here is a link about obesity rates: http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html

The rest of my answer is just what I have observed living in this San Diego, California.

2. Question: Shajida Date：2014/03/26 02:25

Why does everybody think only Asians are better at math?

It’s such a touchy subject but the more I looked into it the more I realized that it is something we should talk about. The general attitude is that Asians are good at math because they’re smarter, can learn math much faster, know “stuff” more deeply, and are much quicker at arriving at answers. Why do people always look at the Asians for a math answer? I believe it’s because people judge too easily. For example: quotes like these are always encountered, "Asians are like tiny walking calculators”. Ask any kid in grade school, and she/he will probably tell you that the smartest person in their class is an Asian. Why is this? Are Asians just naturally smart? For most people, they just believe the stereotype or have known smart Asians at school and therefore stay with that mentality. Stereotype threat is created, whereby it is the fear that one’s behavior will confirm an existing stereotype of a group with which one identifies; this fear may in turn be able to lead to an impairment of performance.

Answer: Hello Shajida. Good question! The stereotyping of Asians being better at math is very common and I must admit I am guilty of thinking it! But there are reasons behind my thinking that I would like to think are valid. First off, I want to clarify that I do not think every single

Asian person is good at math. I do however think a majority are and it is because of what I have studied about their culture. My research has indicated that education is highly valued in many

Asian cultures and a lot of parents encourage their children to strive in school and learning.

School is the number one priority and children may even be brought up in front of their and 35 shamed if they are not excelling. Therefore, I think that Asians being good at math has everything to do with culture, and nothing to do with genetics.

Here is a link addressing this issue: http://www.greatschools.org/parenting/teaching-values/481- parenting-students-to-the-top.gs

LewisBelizeQ14:

1. Question: Kenny Lopez Date：2014/03/26 13:37

It is said that the North Americans are known to be racist, so as part of my assignment I am intrigued to know more about this stereotype as to why people around the world consider the

‘Americans’ to be racist. As seen in most movies depicting the image of racism the setting is always in the US. Any form of social media also shows the contribution to racism the people of the United States have. The recent murder of Trayvon Martin the case ended as an acquittal, no conclusion has come to why. Is it because he is black and the murderer white? Another reason why the United States is targeted as a racist country is because of the slave trading industries and the murder of the great Martin Luther King, even though you have a black president the lynching still continues and why do you have the Ku Klux Klan still existing in your country does all of this contribute to the Americans being racist as just a stereotype? http://charlotte.cbslocal.com/2013/04/17/racism-in-america-white-americans-believe-they-are- victims-of-reverse-racism/ http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/13/justice/zimmerman-trial/

Answer: Hello Kenny. Good question, I was expecting to see a question addressing this issue.

Racism is still an issue in our country, but depending on whom you ask, it may or may not be an 36 everyday issue. I am half “white” and have Mexican, but I am usually perceived as white and do not speak Spanish. I have never been the victim of or witnessed racism, but if you were to ask an

African American, you may receive a different response. Seeing as the city we live in is right on the border of Mexico, we are a very integrated society and I do not think racism is as common here as it may be in the rest of the country. The South part of the country (The same part of the country that fought to keep slaves during the civil war) has the highest reputation of racism. I personally link racism to lack of education. I have yet to meet a racist person in college or in my life and I was raised to treat everybody equally. As far as the Treyvon Martin case, I think

George Zimmerman was actually Mexican, and I cant think of any reason other than race for

Zimmerman to be let go. The story does not add up and I for one do not agree. Racism does still exist in our country unfortunately but I like many others hope that time, perseverance, and kindness with fade it away.

Here is an article on racism still occurring today in the South: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/12/america-racism-subtle-dangerous-new- york

2. Question: Heber Sanchez Date：2014/03/25 09:32

Americans may be stereotyped as ignorant of all countries and cultures beyond their own. This stereotype shows them as lacking intellectual curiosity, thus making them ignorant of other cultures, places, or anything outside of their own lives or the United States. They believe that

America is the best place of the world. That America is the king or the ruler of all countries and there is no other place like America. They think people who have different customs are “weird” and assume everyone on the Internet is American. Is this true about Americans? 37 http://www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/why-americans-are-so-ignorant-its-not-only-fox- news-there-are-some

Answer: Hello Heber. Interesting question and I can definitely see why this would be perceived.

Americans do come off as hasty and selfish and I think this is largely due to our fast paced culture. To be fair, I hope you do not think all Americans do not care to learn about other cultures because that’s what those of us in this class are doing. We did not have to take this class but I’m sure most of us did because we have some interest in inter-cultural communications and global communications. I would relate this ignorance to a lack of education. At some point in ones college careers in America, they are going to have to learn about different cultures. I do not think America is better than every single country, but I do know that we are more well off than a lot of countries, not all of them though. I do not take this country being more well off than others as a right but rather a blessing and I try to utilize everything this country has to offer by getting an education and broadening my horizons.

Here is a link that discusses why people think they are above average: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/everyone-thinks-they-are-above-average/

Here is an interesting debate site where people discuss if the American way of life is preferred: http://www.debate.org/opinions/is-the-american-way-of-life-preferred-over-all-other-cultures

Veronica M.

TWO QUESTIONS (AND MY ANSWERS) TO THE FOLLOWING LEWISBELIZEQ14 THREAD: Ronnie Canto Date：2014/03/21 12:40 # 1Q: When I think about American Colleges immediately what comes into mind are college parties. Students living it up and having the time of their life; partying, drinking alcohol, doing drugs, getting laid and doing all the fun things that an adult would like to experience. This is the message that is given off by the entertainment industry in movies that portray college students as a bunch of wild party animals. When I see movies like American Pie, Animal House, College, 21 & Over and many others which show college partying at its wildest; it gives the impression 38 that college life is a big party. Additionally, what comes into mind when I think about American colleges are fraternity houses, frat guys and sorority girls. I think about students trying to complete outrageous pledges in order to gain admission into a fraternity house, e.g. streak naked through the quad as shown in the movie American Pie Presents Beta House. Are these movies indicative of what really transpires in college or a mere exaggeration of events? Is college really an atmosphere for partying and having a good time? My Answer: Hi Ronnie, thank you for your questions regarding the college partying life. I actually was having a discussion about this same concern with my 19 year old daughter who is away at a college here in the U.S. I must be perfectly honest with you and tell you YES most colleges here in America are filled with parties and having a good time. However, my daughter does not fit well with this kind of atmosphere as she chooses not to drink nor smoke nor take any kind of illegal drug. In fact, she was recently made fun of by one of her peers for not doing any of it and asked, ‘why even go to college if you are not going to party?’ So, to answer your question about Hollywood and the movies depicting college parties, I will tell you that Hollywood is notorious for their melodramatic pictures; however, a lot of creativity tends to stem from everyday real life events. The explosion in the intensity of substance abuse among college students carries devastating consequences and consequently makes wave for some kind of Hollywood film to profit from. The sad part about all this partying is that according to http://www.casacolumbia.org/newsroom/op-eds/wasting-best-and-brightest-alcohol-and-drug- abuse-college-campuses they state that each year:

 more than 1,700 students die from alcohol poisoning and alcohol-related injuries  700,000 students are assaulted by classmates who were drinking  almost 100,000 students are victims of alcohol-related sexual assaults and rapes

Why do students engage in such outrages pledges, drink and do drugs in colleges? CASA surveyed a 2,000 student nationally who said they did these things to relieve stress, relax, have fun, forget their problems and be one of the gang. College women said they were under enormous pressure to have sex and they used alcohol to disinhibit themselves mostly at these college parties. Furthermore, regarding pledging to belong to a fraternity or sorority, according to http://organizations.uncfsu.edu/opp/QFAQS.htm, many colleges and universities require “bylaws” which must be adhered-too in order to join, and they require very strict code of moral behavior otherwise one will not be permitted to join. Again, this is when Hollywood may take a little bit of smoke of truth and make it into a fiery film of entertainment. Finally, besides all the wild partying perceptions out there about college-life, wouldn’t one think that somehow these young people must find time to study and focus and graduate in order to start an independent life of their own? Plastic surgery Sender：nayeli Leiva Date：2014/03/20 12:53 #2Q: I have been reading about plastic surgery made in the United States. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, in 1962 the first silicone breast implant was unveiled. In 1982 liposuction starts in the U.S. Breast augmentation has been the most frequently performed surgical procedure today, according to the Press Center. Cosmetic surgical procedures increased more than 3% in the past year, with almost 1.7 million procedures in 2012. Surgery accounted 39 for 17% of all procedures performed representing 61% of total patient expenditures. The top surgical procedures were breast augmentation, liposuction, abdominoplasty, eyelid surgery and rhinoplasty. That’s a lot of plastic surgery! Many individuals, who have plastic surgery once, are likely to have other things on their body “fixed” as well. Americans are viewed as rich people who constantly do plastic surgeries. Is this true? Do all individuals in America like t"fix"; as they say, themselves? Can you tell me why this is so? My Answer: Hi Nayeli, Thank you for such a great question regarding plastic surgery. Because our culture tends to idolize the youth more than the elderly, this mindset tends to pave the way for many Americans along with many other factors to get plastic surgery. For example, from finding the right job, to Hollywood/entertainment style, and even to finding love seems to place a huge priority on how one looks and more importantly, how "young" one looks. With that being said, you would be surprised at the many creative ways people will find to pay for such cosmetic enhancements. One does not necessarily have to be rich to have plastic surgery. Doctors and other aestheticians will never turn down people who will pay with credit cards or personal loans. Furthermore, according http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/, this website educates individuals on the psychological factors of having any kind of cosmetic enhancements. I found one research stating: "On average, the participants claimed to have achieved their desired goal, and to be satisfied with the results in the long-term. Compared to those who had chosen not to have plastic surgery, the patients felt healthier, were less anxious, had developed more self- esteem and found the operated body feature in particular, but also their body as a whole, more attractive."...This is one of many excellent websites to visit to learn about the many reasons why people in American get plastic surgery, and the in-depth study they have conducted on the psychological reasons as well. Finally, I do want to mention about the medical need to have plastic surgery. There have been many instances when people need to have such operations in order to save their lives or to just have a better quality of life. For example, many women here in America, unfortunately, are battling with breast cancer, therefore resulting in a mastectomy (removal of one or both breasts) to save their lives. So, can you imagine the psychological effects a woman who has lost one or both of her breasts after having those for nearly all of her life? Or how about eyelids that have sunk so low, a person is having a lot of difficulties with their vision being impaired, thus, requiring medical intervention? There are so many factors of why plastic surgery is being used here in America. I am grateful there are skilled medical professionals that could help people when in time of medical need; however, for the purposes of cosmetic desires, well, I say all in moderation and if one is confident without it then more power to them. I say smile and laugh a lot and real beauty will be found right there. TWO QUESTIONS (AND MY ANSWERS) TO THE FOLLOWING UDZBELIZEQ14 THREAD:

#1Q: Another stereotype that I have noticed is the bullying and sexual violence victimization that occurs at times in the United States. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, a survey conducted in 2009 and 2010 showed 23% of High school children were being bullied. In 2011 a follow up was conducted and statistic showed a total of 36% of high 40 school students were being bullied. Bullying can be stated for many reasons such as racial, homophobic, disability, or because they were new to the school. What is your government, as well as the community, doing about this? Can you relate to this, of being bullied at least once in your life or seen someone being bullied? What did you do? My Answer: Hi Elsa, Thank you for such a great question and this one really hits home for me. I have a high school daughter who is currently in 10th grade and let me begin by saying that unfortunately, bullying now takes place in your own child’s bedroom. Let me explain. With the rise of technology, many teens are now able to have their own computer in their rooms and the dialogue that takes place is not only unbelievable, but terribly heartbreaking when it comes to bullying one’s character. The other day someone had posted a picture of a young girl who was clearly disfigured, but she appeared to be well-adjusted with her friends and having fun from school. But, because it was posted publicly, someone made a joke of her and the problem grew rapidly and out-of-control. As of today, this young girl is not able to return to her high school for fear of further retaliation. My daughter tried to stop the harassment on-line, but to no avail as she was made fun of for trying to protect her. So, she decided to start a “No-Bully” campaign on-line via Facebook and I was moved at how many teenagers despise this kind of act and supported my daughter’s cause. Unfortunately, bullying is a major problem in many schools and communities. However, there are some skills that can protect kids from most bullying. According to http://www.kidpower.org/library/article/prevent-bullying/ this website informs parents and the community how to communicate and teach kids ways to increase their confidence and help them to develop skills that can protect them and others against most bullying. The Board of Education here in the State of California provides educators and the schools systems how to be aware and intervene when such incidents occur and are allocated resources to help diminish such cases. Our public schools here in America do strive to provide a safe environment for kids to learn along with our local police department who also has a cyber-space department that investigates such crimes. Bottom line, it is such a shame to see how around the world how many human beings lack empathy for one another. We are not born with this trait and it’s too bad that it is not taken more seriously at home to influence our children when they are small.

LeKeisha M. Smith Date：2014/03/20 15:01 #2Q: I am not a person to have a stereotype about other cultures because I have always been opened minded about others’ views and perspectives. However, I have noticed on television, especial on BET, VH1 and MTV, it has been depicted that Americans are all about material things. Materialism is depicted in most if not all of the music videos I have seen and in the commercials. Famous rappers and singers such as Jay-z, T.I. and Lil Wayne, just to name a few, lyrics are about money, cars, houses and jewellery and gold they can afford and purchase. In every other commercial, a vehicle, a new phone, or some sort of technology is advertised. Also, in my Sociology and Communication class discussions it has been mentioned several time that in America ‘time is money’ and some individuals work two or three jobs just to be able to maintain a lavish life style and have material things. Or they borrow loans from banks or mortgage their houses so they can receive to money to purchase these big houses, fancy cars 41 and latest electronics. It seems to me that Americans are easily influenced by the music and commercials. Why do material things hold such importance to Americans? Why do Americans go out of their way to live in debts for things they cannot really afford? My Answer: Hi LeKeisha, great questions! It all started back when the Europeans fled England back in the 1700’s and arrived here in America. Even though people (known as pilgrims) arrived here with meagerly means, it was the mindset to capture, conquer, and compete for the vast amount land here. Not only did the Europeans do this against the Native Americans who presided here first, but they do so amongst the Spanish and of course amongst themselves. It was this mindset that began the course of individualism which essentially drove competition. As America evolved so did this mindset and so did opportunities. You take this into the industrial revolution (invention of machinery) and watch-out!!! Materialism begins to grow like weeds, and again, so did more opportunities. From the invention of automobiles, to fashion, to homes, etc….everyone started to witness the luxuries and comfort that came from owning some kind of business and working hard to get it. You combine this capitalistic mindset (investing in your own business) along with a democratic government (government for the people) and you have even more explosive opportunities to acquire things. So, fast-forward to modern day advertising. You take potential opportunities of acquiring the good-life and splash it all over the TV’s, Radios, Internet, technological devices such as iPad, iPhone, etc…and people are bombarded with advertisement images. Advertising is a huge market here in America because it knows that images and slogans appeal to the human senses. It’s like seductive tool to lure one’s mind and of course the wallet. I would bet that if there was a law where any kind of advertisement was forbidden, not only would the decline in consumerism fall exponentially, but opportunity to own a business would be difficult and perhaps dreams and creativity would be squashed as well, etc….It appears to be a vicious cycle. If you go to this website: http://www.npr.org/2011/12/05/143149947/why- americans-spend-too-much this goes into more details of what happened in the more recent decades from the 80’s on out and where we seem to have greatly stepped up our use of credit cards and other kinds of debt. My question to you would be, would it be worth it to compromise your mental and emotional conditions just to live like wealth and borrow and go into debt just so you can have a fancy car and a fancy house? It’s all a matter of choice. Because let me tell you, there is nothing like grabbing an ice-chest (a container of ice and your favorite drinks and snacks) and heading to the beach with your favorite friend(s) or family and watching the sun go down and being grateful for the day – simple! 42