This Blog is a resource tool for the students taking the "FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES" elective at Westborough High School, Westborough, Massachusetts.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
PERIOD 4 - LITTLE BOXES
Today you read the story "Little Boxes" in class. Please share your thoughts about the story and the class discussion that followed in a reflective post. Make at least one comment about another student's post.
32 comments:
Abby Stadig
said...
i thought that the author of little boxes was being overly sensitive about the whole thing. Nothing is ever completely black and white there are some gray areas, no one will ever fit perfectly into one category but these generalizations are helpful when applying to college and other things. so you have to have some generalizations along the way.
I completely agree with Abby that this person was being overly sensitive. Most people have diverse backgrounds and don't perfectly fit into a single category; however, most people don't react in this way. For certain purposes, generalizations can be a good thing; they are easy and to the point even if they are not the exact representation of someone. However, generalizations categorize people which causes them to give up their individuality.
I would honestly say that I disagree with the "overly sensitive" thoughts on "Little Boxes". That is to say that I would not go to the extremes of defending the author's point of view. My perspective is that to a degree there is a grey area and a definition, yet there is still a better way to go around dealing with things. I am not so sure of whether or not the current system is effective, but I do think that there are still some issues.
I would, however, agree with Abby and Marissa in saying that generalizations are inevitable and can sometimes be effective in certain situations, such as applying to college. Yet I can still see how it can be offending to other people's views.
I think that most people feel certain generalizations at various times in their lives and it's just something that people have to deal with in life. I agree with Abby and Marissa in the fact that Wright was definitely being a little over sensitive. He could have turned some of the things around in his life, and made them positives rather than such bad things.
I understand where the author was coming from. I can also understand where it can get to be a little offensive; no one wants to be classified as something that you’re not. However, at the same time I agree with Abby; I felt he was being over dramatic about it. It’s like Marissa said; most people have diverse backgrounds and don't exactly fit into a single category. The little boxes make it easier for the other person to get a general idea of your background. I feel like people should understand it’s not there to offend anyone; but only to get a general idea like I said before.
I disagree with Abby; I don't think Wright was being oversensitive. I, personally, don't think I can empathize with Wright in his reaction to being generalized, because he is a minority and has faced the downside of being a minority in the US. He has faced the stereotypes, the generalizations, the categorization, and seems to be a bit fed up with it. This article is his way of saying to the world that he's his own person...no check in a box can describe who he is. While ethnic background and skin color can be general characteristics about a person, in my opinion they aren't defining characteristics. Wright, throughout the story, is faced with trying to find his defining characteristics amidst all of the generalizations.
I agree with Kevin and Nick that Wright wasn't being over sensitive. I can connect with Wright's experience as being "boxed" into certain categories. A person shouldn't have to check off a box to represent who they are. Individuals like Wright have obviously struggled with their identity due to always being forced into one category. Wright is expressing that he's fed up of people identifying him through his boxed category. He wants to be part of a bigger picture.
Generalizations such as the one in the "little boxes" can be taken "overly sensitive" or not depending on how you determine to view the authors point, I would say these generalizations are helpful for college statistics, it would also be beneficial for those whom are applying to colleges who look for cultural diversity then again it may offend someone who feels that they are labelled as something there not
I definitely agree with Kevin Neil..It was well said and on point... Thats his way of expressing the trials and temptations he's faced because of society judgement and i dont think us as individuals can actually say whether or not how he should emphasize his pain and feelings especially based on the fact that majority of the class hasn't been labelled based on there culture or race
I find myself in the middle of the spectrum. While I agree on some levels with Kevin, I do think that Mr. Wright overreacted in making a huge deal about the "little boxes". As a member of a minority myself, I am not able to relate to the problems that Mr. Wright addressed in his article. I agree with Abby and Marissa when they say that some generalizations can be beneficial.
I agree with what Abby said about how the author was being overly sensitive because he was being generalized. It's very rare that people have to fill out boxes like that in real life and even if they do it is just a way to gather some information about someone. I feel like generalizations can be helpful at times and as long as a person knows their true identity, then they don't need to always let every single person know every detail about themselves. Nobody wants to be categorized as something that they are not, but there is no category that can fit to everybody's backgrounds. I can see how Wright may think that it could be offensive but i personally don't share the same feelings as him.
Choosing traits with which to identify yourself is a part of life. People from Mexico, Spain, Puerto Rice, Etc. are all labeled as hispanic. Similarly, light-skinned people that hail from a variety of different ethnicities are still simply categorized as white. As Abby said, I think that the author was reading too much into how society labeled his race. We all have unique genetic make-ups, and we all have eclectic heritages, but in the interest of efficiency and functionality, there are times in which we must pick a race with which to align ourselves.
i believe that Wright was a person that though he didn't fit in with any one category but we all do even if it is a race, sex or anything like that. It is also how we look at life as well. I also agree with Shannon Williams.
I believe that the author may have seemed somewhat over sensitive. However, he was successful at getting his point across to the reader. Even though it seemed somewhat extreme we were able to see how he felt and how many people may feel about being categorized in "Little Boxes". Also, I feel like what the author said is true, many people probably do feel dissatisfied with being placed under a certain stereotype that they may not entirely be, granted it varies by individual.
I think that the author of little boxes was being somewhat overly sensitive to the topic. There are times when I can see how generalizations can offend people, but at the same time, generalizations are necessary sometimes for things like applying to college, etc. I agree Kevin on how since Wright is a minority, he can be judged by the boxes that he checks off, but at the same time, he shouldn't blow it out of proportion.
I also agree with Natielli, the author could be considered overdramatic. However, at the same time you can understand where the author is coming from and the point he is trying to make about how the "little boxes" make him feel about his identity as an individual.
Overall, I think that the author of the essay was just a little bit too sensitive and dramatic. To me, classifying yourself into a category based on skin color or religion says nothing about who you are. Honestly, I think that if you feel belittled over something like that than you are probably pretty insecure about who you are as a person. People are going to generalize, that is life. Also, I agree with Marissa that generalizing can be a good thing in certain situations. Today in class we discussed about how it can be helpful with applying to college or an online dating website.
I agree with Abby on that he was kinda being overly sensitive on the whole situation. I do not think it matters if you are white or black. It all matters on the personality.
I agree with Anna that classifying yourself into a category based on skin color and religion says nothing about who a person really is. Its kind of like the whole "don't judge a book by its cover" thing; a person's personality and character are more important than their looks. I think that the author of the essay made some good points but was too sensitive overall.
I agree with the author that by checking off one box, it does not really say what type of person that you are. It is rather general but it is to just get a very general sense. It is not to who a person is. Severally people fall under several different categories but essentially they are asked to pick one, which could be how one mostly classifies themselves.
I agree with Anna that the author was being a little too dramatic and sensitive about the situation itself. He was not essentially being judged for who he was by only checking off a box.
I can see where the author was coming from, but he seemed to take the little boxes very personally, and I agree with Julia about him over reacting or being too sensitive.
I agree with Scott, in that generalizations are something that people just have to learn to deal with, and not necessarily be so sensitive, as he was, and look less towards the negative aspects of generalization and more towards the benefits or neutral things.
I agree with Abby. I think that even though the author was conflicted about which category he fell into he was still able to categorize himself. It's also important for people to feel that they belong to some kind of group.The purpose of defining yourself and your race with these categories is to make it easier for colleges to create diverse campuses and expose you to certain benefits.
Checking off a little box does generalize you into a category but does notdefine the individual checking off the box. But the author was being a little oversenstive towards this situation. He reacted this way because of his family tree and his diverse background. Instead of getting angry, a simple solution is to check the "other" box and move on. I do agree with Abby with generalizations being a good thing because they are easy and to the point. Yet I disagree because a good amount of people do not give up who they actually are.
I do agree with Kevin that i don't think that Wright was not being overly sensitive. He just notice this "title" he was giving by a society.He was different. He didn't know where he belonged because he had so many different ethnicity, this made him uneasy. The problem that i see with Anthony Wright is that he feels that he has to belong to some "group" which i think is far from the truth. You dont have to belong anywhere, you just have to be you and that is all. Who cares what anybody thinks.
I disagree with everyone who has been saying Wright is oversensitive. His feelings, in my opinion, are perfectly valid for someone who has been continually disrespected by society's generality. The problem is that there is no way to find a group that fits everyone; the problem lies in our heads. Trying to create groups into which we should conform is fruitless. Instead, labels should ideally be abolished. Yet again, this is far too idealistic and pretty much impossible to accomplish because of human nature. Also, Shannon is my hero.
I think Mr. Wright was to the extreme of this situation, however, I think that the issue of not having enough room on a survey or what not to fill in who you really are is a disappointment. I do however not find it that big of a deal since you yourself should never lose your own identity because of something you have to fill in for other people to see. I agree with Nick Lanciani's post for the most part.
32 comments:
i thought that the author of little boxes was being overly sensitive about the whole thing. Nothing is ever completely black and white there are some gray areas, no one will ever fit perfectly into one category but these generalizations are helpful when applying to college and other things. so you have to have some generalizations along the way.
I completely agree with Abby that this person was being overly sensitive. Most people have diverse backgrounds and don't perfectly fit into a single category; however, most people don't react in this way. For certain purposes, generalizations can be a good thing; they are easy and to the point even if they are not the exact representation of someone. However, generalizations categorize people which causes them to give up their individuality.
I would honestly say that I disagree with the "overly sensitive" thoughts on "Little Boxes". That is to say that I would not go to the extremes of defending the author's point of view. My perspective is that to a degree there is a grey area and a definition, yet there is still a better way to go around dealing with things. I am not so sure of whether or not the current system is effective, but I do think that there are still some issues.
I would, however, agree with Abby and Marissa in saying that generalizations are inevitable and can sometimes be effective in certain situations, such as applying to college. Yet I can still see how it can be offending to other people's views.
I think that most people feel certain generalizations at various times in their lives and it's just something that people have to deal with in life. I agree with Abby and Marissa in the fact that Wright was definitely being a little over sensitive. He could have turned some of the things around in his life, and made them positives rather than such bad things.
I understand where the author was coming from. I can also understand where it can get to be a little offensive; no one wants to be classified as something that you’re not. However, at the same time I agree with Abby; I felt he was being over dramatic about it. It’s like Marissa said; most people have diverse backgrounds and don't exactly fit into a single category. The little boxes make it easier for the other person to get a general idea of your background. I feel like people should understand it’s not there to offend anyone; but only to get a general idea like I said before.
I disagree with Abby; I don't think Wright was being oversensitive. I, personally, don't think I can empathize with Wright in his reaction to being generalized, because he is a minority and has faced the downside of being a minority in the US. He has faced the stereotypes, the generalizations, the categorization, and seems to be a bit fed up with it. This article is his way of saying to the world that he's his own person...no check in a box can describe who he is. While ethnic background and skin color can be general characteristics about a person, in my opinion they aren't defining characteristics. Wright, throughout the story, is faced with trying to find his defining characteristics amidst all of the generalizations.
I don't care about what Mr. Wright has to say.
I agree with Kevin and Nick that Wright wasn't being over sensitive. I can connect with Wright's experience as being "boxed" into certain categories. A person shouldn't have to check off a box to represent who they are. Individuals like Wright have obviously struggled with their identity due to always being forced into one category. Wright is expressing that he's fed up of people identifying him through his boxed category. He wants to be part of a bigger picture.
Generalizations such as the one in the "little boxes" can be taken "overly sensitive" or not depending on how you determine to view the authors point, I would say these generalizations are helpful for college statistics, it would also be beneficial for those whom are applying to colleges who look for cultural diversity then again it may offend someone who feels that they are labelled as something there not
I definitely agree with Kevin Neil..It was well said and on point... Thats his way of expressing the trials and temptations he's faced because of society judgement and i dont think us as individuals can actually say whether or not how he should emphasize his pain and feelings especially based on the fact that majority of the class hasn't been labelled based on there culture or race
I find myself in the middle of the spectrum. While I agree on some levels with Kevin, I do think that Mr. Wright overreacted in making a huge deal about the "little boxes". As a member of a minority myself, I am not able to relate to the problems that Mr. Wright addressed in his article. I agree with Abby and Marissa when they say that some generalizations can be beneficial.
I agree with what Abby said about how the author was being overly sensitive because he was being generalized. It's very rare that people have to fill out boxes like that in real life and even if they do it is just a way to gather some information about someone. I feel like generalizations can be helpful at times and as long as a person knows their true identity, then they don't need to always let every single person know every detail about themselves. Nobody wants to be categorized as something that they are not, but there is no category that can fit to everybody's backgrounds. I can see how Wright may think that it could be offensive but i personally don't share the same feelings as him.
Choosing traits with which to identify yourself is a part of life. People from Mexico, Spain, Puerto Rice, Etc. are all labeled as hispanic. Similarly, light-skinned people that hail from a variety of different ethnicities are still simply categorized as white. As Abby said, I think that the author was reading too much into how society labeled his race. We all have unique genetic make-ups, and we all have eclectic heritages, but in the interest of efficiency and functionality, there are times in which we must pick a race with which to align ourselves.
i believe that Wright was a person that though he didn't fit in with any one category but we all do even if it is a race, sex or anything like that. It is also how we look at life as well. I also agree with Shannon Williams.
I believe that the author may have seemed somewhat over sensitive. However, he was successful at getting his point across to the reader. Even though it seemed somewhat extreme we were able to see how he felt and how many people may feel about being categorized in "Little Boxes". Also, I feel like what the author said is true, many people probably do feel dissatisfied with being placed under a certain stereotype that they may not entirely be, granted it varies by individual.
I think that the author of little boxes was being somewhat overly sensitive to the topic. There are times when I can see how generalizations can offend people, but at the same time, generalizations are necessary sometimes for things like applying to college, etc. I agree Kevin on how since Wright is a minority, he can be judged by the boxes that he checks off, but at the same time, he shouldn't blow it out of proportion.
I also agree with Natielli, the author could be considered overdramatic. However, at the same time you can understand where the author is coming from and the point he is trying to make about how the "little boxes" make him feel about his identity as an individual.
Overall, I think that the author of the essay was just a little bit too sensitive and dramatic. To me, classifying yourself into a category based on skin color or religion says nothing about who you are. Honestly, I think that if you feel belittled over something like that than you are probably pretty insecure about who you are as a person. People are going to generalize, that is life. Also, I agree with Marissa that generalizing can be a good thing in certain situations. Today in class we discussed about how it can be helpful with applying to college or an online dating website.
I agree with Abby on that he was kinda being overly sensitive on the whole situation. I do not think it matters if you are white or black. It all matters on the personality.
I agree with Anna that classifying yourself into a category based on skin color and religion says nothing about who a person really is. Its kind of like the whole "don't judge a book by its cover" thing; a person's personality and character are more important than their looks. I think that the author of the essay made some good points but was too sensitive overall.
I agree with the author that by checking off one box, it does not really say what type of person that you are. It is rather general but it is to just get a very general sense. It is not to who a person is. Severally people fall under several different categories but essentially they are asked to pick one, which could be how one mostly classifies themselves.
I agree with Anna that the author was being a little too dramatic and sensitive about the situation itself. He was not essentially being judged for who he was by only checking off a box.
I can see where the author was coming from, but he seemed to take the little boxes very personally, and I agree with Julia about him over reacting or being too sensitive.
I agree with Scott, in that generalizations are something that people just have to learn to deal with, and not necessarily be so sensitive, as he was, and look less towards the negative aspects of generalization and more towards the benefits or neutral things.
I agree with Abby. I think that even though the author was conflicted about which category he fell into he was still able to categorize himself. It's also important for people to feel that they belong to some kind of group.The purpose of defining yourself and your race with these categories is to make it easier for colleges to create diverse campuses and expose you to certain benefits.
Checking off a little box does generalize you into a category but does notdefine the individual checking off the box. But the author was being a little oversenstive towards this situation. He reacted this way because of his family tree and his diverse background. Instead of getting angry, a simple solution is to check the "other" box and move on. I do agree with Abby with generalizations being a good thing because they are easy and to the point. Yet I disagree because a good amount of people do not give up who they actually are.
I do agree with Kevin that i don't think that Wright was not being overly sensitive. He just notice this "title" he was giving by a society.He was different. He didn't know where he belonged because he had so many different ethnicity, this made him uneasy. The problem that i see with Anthony Wright is that he feels that he has to belong to some "group" which i think is far from the truth. You dont have to belong anywhere, you just have to be you and that is all. Who cares what anybody thinks.
I was absent
I disagree with everyone who has been saying Wright is oversensitive. His feelings, in my opinion, are perfectly valid for someone who has been continually disrespected by society's generality. The problem is that there is no way to find a group that fits everyone; the problem lies in our heads. Trying to create groups into which we should conform is fruitless. Instead, labels should ideally be abolished. Yet again, this is far too idealistic and pretty much impossible to accomplish because of human nature. Also, Shannon is my hero.
I think Mr. Wright was to the extreme of this situation, however, I think that the issue of not having enough room on a survey or what not to fill in who you really are is a disappointment. I do however not find it that big of a deal since you yourself should never lose your own identity because of something you have to fill in for other people to see. I agree with Nick Lanciani's post for the most part.
I was absent this day.
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