This Blog is a resource tool for the students taking the "FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES" elective at Westborough High School, Westborough, Massachusetts.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
PERIOD 6: 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.
27 comments:
Megan Whittles
said...
After reading the story "Little Boxes" today in class, it gave me a little reality check. I feel as though I always judge a book by its cover, as in when i walk past a stranger i tend to catorgorize them into groups in which i feel they might belong too. One time i was with my cousins friend for two weeks while we are on vacation and by the end of the vacation she came up to me and told me that she honestly thought i was a popular, stuck up, bitch by first sight, but when she got to know me she realized that i was the opposite. This just shows that no one can be defined by how they look or what race they are, instead everyone is their own unique individual and groups are just a fake thing that society has made up.
I think this story reveals how racially based profiling no longer has a place in American society. Anthony Wright, who seems like a very reasonable person based on his writing, had trouble identifying with anyone because of his mixed background. He didn’t let that stop him from being successful in school because he accepted and understood who he was, even if others did not. In the United States, where people come from practically every combination of race and background, we like to think that we are breaking down racial barriers in government, education, and the workforce. How can we do that when we are always forced to identify ourselves with a particular group? If we really want to be a nation based on equality, we should stop looking at people based on where they come and instead give them a chance to show who they really are. We should only ever get one box to check off. Human.
After reading the short story,"Little Boxes", I quite honestly feel unaffected by the message it was trying to get across. I do believe that categorizing people into vague categories doesn't have a place in current society but I don't think it brings about any ideas that haven't already been touched upon. It seems to me that these boxes are just a general question that is asked to people to place them into very large groups for purposes that do not include identifying individuals for their unique personality. I do not believe that these little boxes matter and that if you want people to know who you are, they will know who you are. You don't need to spell it out for people. These boxes are purely for statistical purposes and serve no larger meaning than to classify someone into a broad group for organizational purposes. I think that the author thought too deeply about the questions being asked and too the idea too far. I do agree that people shouldn't categorize themselves with the masses but in order to be an individual you must make an impression not fill out the "other" column and hope that people will understand your life.
After reading this story I felt a little embarrassed. I had never even thought about this problem before. I had never had trouble categorizing myself because I always just mark myself “white”. I never actually thought that those little boxes could be doing so much harm. I felt embarrassed because I know so little about my heritage and culture that I never even think about the fact that I am not categorized as “white”, there are so many other pieces that come together in the formation of a person. While in class discussion, a girl sitting next to me told me that she was Kenyan and that she had always just checked black; although she never thought of herself as black. It made me start thinking that there are so many different ethnicities and it’s as if all the people in the world get categorized into a country when really they are from such a smaller place, with such a unique background. She shouldn’t have to check off a box that says black when there should be a box that says Kenyan. Reading this piece of writing really made me think about how our culture groups people just so it is easier for us, even when that isn’t what the person would consider themselves. We almost make up another person with our labels rather then actually figuring out who this person is.
After reading this article, I realized that I could kind of relate. I don't really know my actual heritage, so when people ask me, I don't know what to tell them. This article also opened my eyes to realize that a lot of people do put stereotypes on people based on religion and/ or race. Not everyone means to, I don't think, it's just how we think sometimes. Some of the article I disagreed with, when it mentioned how it's hard to fit in based on the fact he didn't know what background and religion he was. Race doesn't always have to do with who you make friends with. Just because I'm Jewish doesn't mean I don't fit in or hang out with people who are Christian or other religions, and only hang out with Jewish people.
After reading the story "Little Boxes", I began to think about how our society groups people together based on appearance. Looking around WHS you can see a few cases where a certain race of people only hangout with each other. To me this is sad because it shows that people still to this day feel that in order to fit in with society they must stick with their own race. Anthony Wright is a perfect example of someone who is stereotyped by society just because of the way he looks. Anthony feels that because of these stereotypes that part of his identity has been taken away from him and rightly so.
After reading the story little boxes it made me think. I have never had a problem with figuring out what box to check off I always just look for "white". I never realized that this can be such a big problem for people that come from many different backgrounds. I felt disappointed in society for letting us label everyone in the world with only 5 options to define ourselves. In the future I think it would be good if they just had a section for you to write about your ethnicity for people who have a variety of backgrounds.
After reading Anthony E. Wright's story about individuality and society, I could really say I agree. When it comes to taking big tests like: the MCAS, I usually stubble on what to bubble in the "little boxes" that defines your ethnicity.This is because I was born in Kenya and it doesn't have a spot for just African or Kenyan-American. People may see me as black or African American because of my skin color, but I view myself as a person with African roots rather than a "black" person.I definitely agree when Wright talked about how living a certain place can affect one's identity. A person may go to a school in a "ghetto" neighborhood and one might go to a nice private school and still have the same education, but the only difference is where the person came from. This stereotypical issues can change how a person feel about themselves. Next time you stereotype someone, think is someone doing the same.
Before reading the story "Little Boxes" I had know idea that people were getting so offended over the little boxes with the nationalities. Every time I have checked off these box I have done so mindlessly, not giving it much thought. This story has really shown me how bad categorizing and stereotyping are. People are so much more than their ethnicities and their physical image. It's who they are on the inside and what they my of themselves that matters.
"Little Boxes" came close to home in that many of my friends who are transgender have difficulties choosing between the male and female boxes. I feel like making someone define themselves through specific common categories is demeaning. Lately though, I've noticed that the list is getting longer and longer when it comes to categorizing yourself. There is half a page of ethnicities on the list yet it still excludes others. If someone is mixed-raced, like the boy in the reading, and don't know where they fit into they can have difficulty choosing just one box to check off. Like it stated, there are there ways to categorize yourself into ethnicities, which one should you choose? Other? No one wants to be stuck in the “other” box. You don’t feel like you belong anyway, or that your ways of life are unimportant. I feel like things have become better in a categorizing sense in that there is more than black white and Hispanic boxes, but no one wants to be left out and in little boxes someone almost always is.
After reading the story "Little Boxes" I started thinking about how many times I have checked off a box that would place me in a certain category. It made me realize that in the world today it is hard to be your own individual self because it is so common to group people. I think that categorizing people, sadly, happens all the time. It's something that is hard for people to control. I think what is much more important than not categorizing people, is judging them.It makes sense that when you walk by someone you categorize them but it is not fair to judge them based on that.
The story "Little Boxes" tried to convey the message about how the United States's system of classifying people into groups based on ethnicity or race or religion or other factors is problematic for some people. The author describes how he feels that the options that are given on the to classify yourself include broad categories such as White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, etc. makes him unsure of what he should select because in reality he is a mixture of many races. I personally can't sympathize with him because I can easily call myself an Asian-American but in addition I understand that these options to classify people can't list every possibility and that is why the option 'Other' has been added. I feel that these "little boxes" shouldn't be taken so seriously or offensively because there isn't a much better way to classify people. While some may want to do away with this classification of people, I don't know enough about what this data is mainly used for in the U.S to say that this classification is an issue.
the story does a good showing just how biased we are as a society. We grow learning stereotypes and using them like its okay i becomes a second language to ourselves i cant even deny that i haven't used some stereotypes through out my life. Since we all know stereotypes that why they show up often like it was for Anthony Wright who when filling out these little boxes and saw noticed that there was only boxes for certain people and races because its much easier to group people together as a whole and by the stereotypes that are associated with that. the story helps to show you that each an every person in the world is different and teaches you that its not the best to judge someone by their physical appearance but by how they present themselves, such as how they speak, and how they act. This story will help to remind to really think about people more and to take the time to understand them and to give them their own characteristics because everyone is different in their own way, were not just some robots in a group.
Personally, I am not offended when I have to check off boxes specifying my nationality or other facts about me. I can understand how people would be offended if they are forced to place themselves in a category that they don't feel represents them. Since I have never had an experience similar to Anthony Wright, I don’t see a huge problem checking off a box of your nationality because it doesn't define who you are as a person. However, reading “Little Boxes” did make me realize how often society categorizes people. Whether it’s in a survey or in school, people are constantly placed in different categories based on race, religion, and other aspects of their character. I believe it’s wrong that people are categorized so quickly and easily because often quick judgments are misleading.
After reading this story, it opened my eyes about how this could possibly be demeaning to most people. This made me realize that I was frustrated by this system too and made me realize something much more important. It made me realize the recurring problem in society where we judge a person based on their skin and even though we don’t have a clue about what they are really like, we treat them the way we see them. But the problem with the boxes is that it shows that you are just an other label being recognized as and it should have a much more open system. It should have a large space that you can put whatever you want and shouldn’t treat you like a label both in society and public
After reading this story, it made me realize that no one should ever be offended by their color or race. People should not be offended when they show and check off a box for their ethnicity or nationality. They Should be proud of who they are. The "little boxes" made me realize how people are put into categories and judged. It shouldn't matter what color skin they have or what ethnicity they are but it should matter who they really are. It's wrong how people are judged and categorized off of this and should not be judged by how they look but they should be by how they are as an individual in life.
"Little Boxes" really was just about not judging a book by it's cover. At first I looked at this short story too denotatively, and thought to myself "I don't relate to this situation at all". But then I thought a bit deeper about it. Yes, I don't relate to being stereotyped by my race, and I am more than fine with checking off as being white on any identification sheet, but I am certainly stereotyped in other ways. This includes my social life. I am a basketball player, so therefor I am thought of as a partier, and not really a hard worker by people who first meet me. And obviously, if you get to know me at all, you would realize that I try very hard in everything I do, and I do not take any drugs or drink. so at first I didn't think this story related to me at all, but upon more analysis, I found that it perfectly connected with me.
Before reading "Little Boxes" I never saw a problem with the boxes asking for your race. I had always been able to choose quickly and never thought much of the question or the choices offered. Now that I've been exposed to this article and way of thinking I see that many people must have the same struggle that Anthony Wright had, trying to find their own identity while having society put them in the little boxes. It also made me realize how often things are assumed about people by the boxes they check off. Society judges people based on their looks and background when these assumptions could be very far from the reality.
After reading "Little Boxes" today in class I felt that I didn't really connect with the message that it was trying to portray to the reader. I could see how Anthony could be affected by constantly feeling like he doesn't know who he is but I feel as if that is more of a personal issue than one caused by checking off the boxes that say white, black, asian, hispanic, or other. Maybe it's just because I've always known who I am- typical, all american, white girl from the suburbs- or maybe it's that I've never encountered the need to be categorized. Anthony said he grew up in New York City where everything is so culturally diverse that I really can't blame him for feeling like he has no where to belong. I just feel that it shouldn't be the little boxes you click that define you or who you want to be or your friends so why does it even matter what you check off? I got the feeling that Anthony seemed offended that he had to choose between all of his different nationalities on a paper, but the fact is a check mark on a piece of paper realistically doesn't define who you are.
After reading "Little Boxes", I could see the connection that could be made, but didn't quite make it. He talks about how he comes from many different backgrounds and felt as though just checking a box as broad as 'Hispanic' or 'Asian' could not live up to the definition of who he actually was. I know what its like coming from different backgrounds. Everything from Italian to Scottish, but I don't feel as though all of those represent me. What I see myself as is the most recent of my family's history and in the environment in which i was raised. I see myself as Hispanic, however broad it may be, it still is a characteristic i define myself with.
The broader message of Little Boxes seems to extend further than the example used in the title and beginning about checking off a “little box” of ethnicity or some other quality. The more meaningful idea to be taken from this is that people cannot and should not be defined by one or several overarching “categories” of race, gender, what have you. Often times in society today, when we learn of a certain quality of someone’s, that quality comes with a whole set of assumptions of how someone with that quality should look or act. This prejudice can severely limit our interactions because when we believe that we already know everything there is to know about someone, what else can there be to discover? If we are always categorizing ourselves into neat boxes, on a personal level, we won’t see the unique backgrounds and characters of each individual, and on a societal level, it will be harder to break down the barriers between these groups.
After reading this article, it revealed to me how much more is held behind the little boxes we check off during MCAS or even every day surveys. I am guilty of thinking that this box was merely an indication of ones appearance. However, i believe that this box completely limits and conflicts with ones given right to be who they want to be and represent themselves in anyway shape or form. Anthony is Asian but classifies himself as Hispanic because his passionate connection to the Hispanic culture overrides the simplicity of his appearance. I have always just assumed I am considered white and have always just subconsciously checked off that box and never felt that my identity was being limited or restricted in doing so. It reveals to me how much more I can identify myself with and how much possibility and diversity I am capable of containing regardless of where my family was from or what country I live in. My inability to recognize this shows just how influential society's desire to place people in groups really is.It makes me wonder if this is just one of human nature's many tendencies; to try and avoid complications or complexities and take the easy way out, rather than being different or considered an "other".
I could really relate to this story, "Little Boxes" in many ways. Every time I am filling out an application and I come across the little boxes, I always choose "other" also, or I do not answer. I am Egyptian by blood, and was born in the USA. I never know how to distinguish myself when it comes to checking those boxes. There is never a box for middle eastern, so I usually just choose white or other. I do not think that these boxes are for racial profiling, however, I believe they are to distinguish one individual from another by their unique identity.
The story of Little Boxes is something I feel we can all relate to; maybe not on a cultural or religious standpoint, but in everyday events. Every single person has felt, at least once in their life, as if they don't belong. As Wright conveyed, if you don't fit into the generalized "cookie cutter" option, you don't know where you belong or even if you should belong. Its easy to feel marginalized when and almost unimportant if you cant find a way to contour your own identity to that very vague box. The idea of "little boxes" that we must all fit into, is absolutely absurd. There are billions and billions of people on this planet with infinite combinations of backgrounds, religious views, political, etc. yet you are given no more than 7 options to define yourself. Why? As Tannen said, we all can recognize that each and every one of us are unique but on a split second decision of someones first impression we will always refer back to our instinctual stereotype habit, even tho we would not want that for ourselves. Now that I've turned my attention towards applying to college I see the say dilemma. I believe having to fill out those few boxes to "really let the admissions officers know who you are", doesn't give me a fair shot. I mark "white" but how will they know that my dads family are all strong catholic and Hispanic, and my mom is Swedish... When another teenage girl somewhere will mark "white" for her semi Irish and Russian background? On paper, there is no distinguishable factor. We all become what they have made us- a category, no longer a human being.
Reading the article "Little Boxes" woke me up today. In my life I've never had an issue filling out these "little boxes", but today I was made aware of the fact that many people struggle with this issue often. I mistakenly thought that this box was simply an survey to show every one's outer layer, but it means so much more. Having to squeeze one's identity into a tiny little checking box is a serious problem for humans because a person's character is extremely complicated and only a few choices just doesn’t cut it! I agree with what the article is saying about how people should not have to be limited to representing themselves in such an inadequate way. they need to find a new system to survey people about their identities and soon!
27 comments:
After reading the story "Little Boxes" today in class, it gave me a little reality check. I feel as though I always judge a book by its cover, as in when i walk past a stranger i tend to catorgorize them into groups in which i feel they might belong too. One time i was with my cousins friend for two weeks while we are on vacation and by the end of the vacation she came up to me and told me that she honestly thought i was a popular, stuck up, bitch by first sight, but when she got to know me she realized that i was the opposite. This just shows that no one can be defined by how they look or what race they are, instead everyone is their own unique individual and groups are just a fake thing that society has made up.
I think this story reveals how racially based profiling no longer has a place in American society. Anthony Wright, who seems like a very reasonable person based on his writing, had trouble identifying with anyone because of his mixed background. He didn’t let that stop him from being successful in school because he accepted and understood who he was, even if others did not. In the United States, where people come from practically every combination of race and background, we like to think that we are breaking down racial barriers in government, education, and the workforce. How can we do that when we are always forced to identify ourselves with a particular group? If we really want to be a nation based on equality, we should stop looking at people based on where they come and instead give them a chance to show who they really are. We should only ever get one box to check off. Human.
After reading the short story,"Little Boxes", I quite honestly feel unaffected by the message it was trying to get across. I do believe that categorizing people into vague categories doesn't have a place in current society but I don't think it brings about any ideas that haven't already been touched upon. It seems to me that these boxes are just a general question that is asked to people to place them into very large groups for purposes that do not include identifying individuals for their unique personality. I do not believe that these little boxes matter and that if you want people to know who you are, they will know who you are. You don't need to spell it out for people. These boxes are purely for statistical purposes and serve no larger meaning than to classify someone into a broad group for organizational purposes. I think that the author thought too deeply about the questions being asked and too the idea too far. I do agree that people shouldn't categorize themselves with the masses but in order to be an individual you must make an impression not fill out the "other" column and hope that people will understand your life.
After reading this story I felt a little embarrassed. I had never even thought about this problem before. I had never had trouble categorizing myself because I always just mark myself “white”. I never actually thought that those little boxes could be doing so much harm. I felt embarrassed because I know so little about my heritage and culture that I never even think about the fact that I am not categorized as “white”, there are so many other pieces that come together in the formation of a person. While in class discussion, a girl sitting next to me told me that she was Kenyan and that she had always just checked black; although she never thought of herself as black. It made me start thinking that there are so many different ethnicities and it’s as if all the people in the world get categorized into a country when really they are from such a smaller place, with such a unique background. She shouldn’t have to check off a box that says black when there should be a box that says Kenyan. Reading this piece of writing really made me think about how our culture groups people just so it is easier for us, even when that isn’t what the person would consider themselves. We almost make up another person with our labels rather then actually figuring out who this person is.
After reading this article, I realized that I could kind of relate. I don't really know my actual heritage, so when people ask me, I don't know what to tell them. This article also opened my eyes to realize that a lot of people do put stereotypes on people based on religion and/ or race. Not everyone means to, I don't think, it's just how we think sometimes. Some of the article I disagreed with, when it mentioned how it's hard to fit in based on the fact he didn't know what background and religion he was. Race doesn't always have to do with who you make friends with. Just because I'm Jewish doesn't mean I don't fit in or hang out with people who are Christian or other religions, and only hang out with Jewish people.
After reading the story "Little Boxes", I began to think about how our society groups people together based on appearance. Looking around WHS you can see a few cases where a certain race of people only hangout with each other. To me this is sad because it shows that people still to this day feel that in order to fit in with society they must stick with their own race. Anthony Wright is a perfect example of someone who is stereotyped by society just because of the way he looks. Anthony feels that because of these stereotypes that part of his identity has been taken away from him and rightly so.
After reading the story little boxes it made me think. I have never had a problem with figuring out what box to check off I always just look for "white". I never realized that this can be such a big problem for people that come from many different backgrounds. I felt disappointed in society for letting us label everyone in the world with only 5 options to define ourselves. In the future I think it would be good if they just had a section for you to write about your ethnicity for people who have a variety of backgrounds.
After reading Anthony E. Wright's story about individuality and society, I could really say I agree. When it comes to taking big tests like: the MCAS, I usually stubble on what to bubble in the "little boxes" that defines your ethnicity.This is because I was born in Kenya and it doesn't have a spot for just African or Kenyan-American. People may see me as black or African American because of my skin color, but I view myself as a person with African roots rather than a "black" person.I definitely agree when Wright talked about how living a certain place can affect one's identity. A person may go to a school in a "ghetto" neighborhood and one might go to a nice private school and still have the same education, but the only difference is where the person came from. This stereotypical issues can change how a person feel about themselves. Next time you stereotype someone, think is someone doing the same.
Before reading the story "Little Boxes" I had know idea that people were getting so offended over the little boxes with the nationalities. Every time I have checked off these box I have done so mindlessly, not giving it much thought. This story has really shown me how bad categorizing and stereotyping are. People are so much more than their ethnicities and their physical image. It's who they are on the inside and what they my of themselves that matters.
"Little Boxes" came close to home in that many of my friends who are transgender have difficulties choosing between the male and female boxes. I feel like making someone define themselves through specific common categories is demeaning. Lately though, I've noticed that the list is getting longer and longer when it comes to categorizing yourself. There is half a page of ethnicities on the list yet it still excludes others. If someone is mixed-raced, like the boy in the reading, and don't know where they fit into they can have difficulty choosing just one box to check off. Like it stated, there are there ways to categorize yourself into ethnicities, which one should you choose? Other? No one wants to be stuck in the “other” box. You don’t feel like you belong anyway, or that your ways of life are unimportant. I feel like things have become better in a categorizing sense in that there is more than black white and Hispanic boxes, but no one wants to be left out and in little boxes someone almost always is.
After reading the story "Little Boxes" I started thinking about how many times I have checked off a box that would place me in a certain category. It made me realize that in the world today it is hard to be your own individual self because it is so common to group people. I think that categorizing people, sadly, happens all the time. It's something that is hard for people to control. I think what is much more important than not categorizing people, is judging them.It makes sense that when you walk by someone you categorize them but it is not fair to judge them based on that.
The story "Little Boxes" tried to convey the message about how the United States's system of classifying people into groups based on ethnicity or race or religion or other factors is problematic for some people. The author describes how he feels that the options that are given on the to classify yourself include broad categories such as White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, etc. makes him unsure of what he should select because in reality he is a mixture of many races. I personally can't sympathize with him because I can easily call myself an Asian-American but in addition I understand that these options to classify people can't list every possibility and that is why the option 'Other' has been added. I feel that these "little boxes" shouldn't be taken so seriously or offensively because there isn't a much better way to classify people. While some may want to do away with this classification of people, I don't know enough about what this data is mainly used for in the U.S to say that this classification is an issue.
the story does a good showing just how biased we are as a society. We grow learning stereotypes and using them like its okay i becomes a second language to ourselves i cant even deny that i haven't used some stereotypes through out my life. Since we all know stereotypes that why they show up often like it was for Anthony Wright who when filling out these little boxes and saw noticed that there was only boxes for certain people and races because its much easier to group people together as a whole and by the stereotypes that are associated with that. the story helps to show you that each an every person in the world is different and teaches you that its not the best to judge someone by their physical appearance but by how they present themselves, such as how they speak, and how they act. This story will help to remind to really think about people more and to take the time to understand them and to give them their own characteristics because everyone is different in their own way, were not just some robots in a group.
Personally, I am not offended when I have to check off boxes specifying my nationality or other facts about me. I can understand how people would be offended if they are forced to place themselves in a category that they don't feel represents them. Since I have never had an experience similar to Anthony Wright, I don’t see a huge problem checking off a box of your nationality because it doesn't define who you are as a person. However, reading “Little Boxes” did make me realize how often society categorizes people. Whether it’s in a survey or in school, people are constantly placed in different categories based on race, religion, and other aspects of their character. I believe it’s wrong that people are categorized so quickly and easily because often quick judgments are misleading.
After reading this story, it opened my eyes about how this could possibly be demeaning to most people. This made me realize that I was frustrated by this system too and made me realize something much more important. It made me realize the recurring problem in society where we judge a person based on their skin and even though we don’t have a clue about what they are really like, we treat them the way we see them. But the problem with the boxes is that it shows that you are just an other label being recognized as and it should have a much more open system. It should have a large space that you can put whatever you want and shouldn’t treat you like a label both in society and public
After reading this story, it made me realize that no one should ever be offended by their color or race. People should not be offended when they show and check off a box for their ethnicity or nationality. They Should be proud of who they are. The "little boxes" made me realize how people are put into categories and judged. It shouldn't matter what color skin they have or what ethnicity they are but it should matter who they really are. It's wrong how people are judged and categorized off of this and should not be judged by how they look but they should be by how they are as an individual in life.
"Little Boxes" really was just about not judging a book by it's cover. At first I looked at this short story too denotatively, and thought to myself "I don't relate to this situation at all". But then I thought a bit deeper about it. Yes, I don't relate to being stereotyped by my race, and I am more than fine with checking off as being white on any identification sheet, but I am certainly stereotyped in other ways. This includes my social life. I am a basketball player, so therefor I am thought of as a partier, and not really a hard worker by people who first meet me. And obviously, if you get to know me at all, you would realize that I try very hard in everything I do, and I do not take any drugs or drink. so at first I didn't think this story related to me at all, but upon more analysis, I found that it perfectly connected with me.
Before reading "Little Boxes" I never saw a problem with the boxes asking for your race. I had always been able to choose quickly and never thought much of the question or the choices offered. Now that I've been exposed to this article and way of thinking I see that many people must have the same struggle that Anthony Wright had, trying to find their own identity while having society put them in the little boxes. It also made me realize how often things are assumed about people by the boxes they check off. Society judges people based on their looks and background when these assumptions could be very far from the reality.
After reading "Little Boxes" today in class I felt that I didn't really connect with the message that it was trying to portray to the reader. I could see how Anthony could be affected by constantly feeling like he doesn't know who he is but I feel as if that is more of a personal issue than one caused by checking off the boxes that say white, black, asian, hispanic, or other. Maybe it's just because I've always known who I am- typical, all american, white girl from the suburbs- or maybe it's that I've never encountered the need to be categorized. Anthony said he grew up in New York City where everything is so culturally diverse that I really can't blame him for feeling like he has no where to belong. I just feel that it shouldn't be the little boxes you click that define you or who you want to be or your friends so why does it even matter what you check off? I got the feeling that Anthony seemed offended that he had to choose between all of his different nationalities on a paper, but the fact is a check mark on a piece of paper realistically doesn't define who you are.
After reading "Little Boxes", I could see the connection that could be made, but didn't quite make it. He talks about how he comes from many different backgrounds and felt as though just checking a box as broad as 'Hispanic' or 'Asian' could not live up to the definition of who he actually was. I know what its like coming from different backgrounds. Everything from Italian to Scottish, but I don't feel as though all of those represent me. What I see myself as is the most recent of my family's history and in the environment in which i was raised. I see myself as Hispanic, however broad it may be, it still is a characteristic i define myself with.
The broader message of Little Boxes seems to extend further than the example used in the title and beginning about checking off a “little box” of ethnicity or some other quality. The more meaningful idea to be taken from this is that people cannot and should not be defined by one or several overarching “categories” of race, gender, what have you. Often times in society today, when we learn of a certain quality of someone’s, that quality comes with a whole set of assumptions of how someone with that quality should look or act. This prejudice can severely limit our interactions because when we believe that we already know everything there is to know about someone, what else can there be to discover? If we are always categorizing ourselves into neat boxes, on a personal level, we won’t see the unique backgrounds and characters of each individual, and on a societal level, it will be harder to break down the barriers between these groups.
After reading this article, it revealed to me how much more is held behind the little boxes we check off during MCAS or even every day surveys. I am guilty of thinking that this box was merely an indication of ones appearance. However, i believe that this box completely limits and conflicts with ones given right to be who they want to be and represent themselves in anyway shape or form. Anthony is Asian but classifies himself as Hispanic because his passionate connection to the Hispanic culture overrides the simplicity of his appearance. I have always just assumed I am considered white and have always just subconsciously checked off that box and never felt that my identity was being limited or restricted in doing so. It reveals to me how much more I can identify myself with and how much possibility and diversity I am capable of containing regardless of where my family was from or what country I live in. My inability to recognize this shows just how influential society's desire to place people in groups really is.It makes me wonder if this is just one of human nature's many tendencies; to try and avoid complications or complexities and take the easy way out, rather than being different or considered an "other".
I could really relate to this story, "Little Boxes" in many ways. Every time I am filling out an application and I come across the little boxes, I always choose "other" also, or I do not answer. I am Egyptian by blood, and was born in the USA. I never know how to distinguish myself when it comes to checking those boxes. There is never a box for middle eastern, so I usually just choose white or other. I do not think that these boxes are for racial profiling, however, I believe they are to distinguish one individual from another by their unique identity.
The story of Little Boxes is something I feel we can all relate to; maybe not on a cultural or religious standpoint, but in everyday events. Every single person has felt, at least once in their life, as if they don't belong. As Wright conveyed, if you don't fit into the generalized "cookie cutter" option, you don't know where you belong or even if you should belong. Its easy to feel marginalized when and almost unimportant if you cant find a way to contour your own identity to that very vague box. The idea of "little boxes" that we must all fit into, is absolutely absurd. There are billions and billions of people on this planet with infinite combinations of backgrounds, religious views, political, etc. yet you are given no more than 7 options to define yourself. Why? As Tannen said, we all can recognize that each and every one of us are unique but on a split second decision of someones first impression we will always refer back to our instinctual stereotype habit, even tho we would not want that for ourselves. Now that I've turned my attention towards applying to college I see the say dilemma. I believe having to fill out those few boxes to "really let the admissions officers know who you are", doesn't give me a fair shot. I mark "white" but how will they know that my dads family are all strong catholic and Hispanic, and my mom is Swedish... When another teenage girl somewhere will mark "white" for her semi Irish and Russian background? On paper, there is no distinguishable factor. We all become what they have made us- a category, no longer a human being.
Reading the article "Little Boxes" woke me up today. In my life I've never had an issue filling out these "little boxes", but today I was made aware of the fact that many people struggle with this issue often. I mistakenly thought that this box was simply an survey to show every one's outer layer, but it means so much more. Having to squeeze one's identity into a tiny little checking box is a serious problem for humans because a person's character is extremely complicated and only a few choices just doesn’t cut it! I agree with what the article is saying about how people should not have to be limited to representing themselves in such an inadequate way. they need to find a new system to survey people about their identities and soon!
I was absent.
I was absent.
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