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 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.
22 comments:
Jon Syed
said...
I feel like I can really relate to this story. I don't like picking the little boxes. When I have to choose an option for a race I usually choose Asain. When people hear the word Asain, they think of Japaneese, Chineese or Vietnamese. My parrents are from Pakistan so that technically makes me Asain. We subconsciously judge and stereotype people by the color of there skin and how they look.
I completely agree with Anthony Wright's views in regards to filling in little boxes. To have a person fill out something about themselves and restrict them to a little box isn't fair. Whenever I have to fill something out, it's relatively easy for me. However, I do realize that for a significant number of people it's difficult to describe themselves when given only one option. I hope that eventually these little boxes will be modified instead of just a select few, will have many ethnicities to choose from.
I believe that the author of this article was correct in saying that the little boxes are too limiting. By "little boxes" the author means the special designations that are used on many applications, which people use to describe their race, religion, and other such descriptions. The author is using them as a metaphor to describe how people are pigeonholed by their race, and how it is difficult when you can fit into multiple "little boxes". When this happens and people are forced to decide which group they feel they are in the most, it limits them. By that i mean that they have to choose one culture over another when, without the boxes, they can have two cultures.
I found "Little Boxes" to be an interesting essay. I do feel its unfair that the boxes are so restrictive. When ever i have to fill a box i always have to check off the Asian box, but the thing is i'm not Asian. I am American, i was born and raised here and i shouldn't have to be forced to view myself as something i'm not. If anything, there should be a box called Asian American if you want me to categorize my self based on my skin.
I found Anthony E. Wright’s story “Little Boxes” to be a very interesting one. He complains about being forced into a particular group by the little ethnicity boxes, which is understandable. No one likes being stereotyped by their race, as it devalues who the person is inside. He also raises some valid points, such as the idea that words like “Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American” do not fully encompass a person’s identity. However, Anthony seems to take the issue a bit far. He believes that his identity is threatened when he sees the little boxes and circles. Really? I’m not in the same situation as him, but I think the true issue here is that Anthony E. Wright has been unfairly judged by others and he feels like he belongs to more than one category. What he should do is confront the people who stereotype him, rather than blame the little boxes. He should learn not to take the classifications too seriously, because there are more important things in life. Plus, he can always just write “Other”, as he does now. People are going to judge regardless, so the lesson is to realize that that’s life and to keep calm and carry on. I thought the class discussion was more telling, because we analyzed how it was human nature to place other people in groups, but to be offended when others do the same to us. It shows why Anthony got so worked up about this subject.
The article “Little Boxes” was very thought-provoking and caused me think about the definitions of “categories and labels”. Each individual carries his own labels that define his personalities and identities. The appearance and categories also affect us within culture and community because nobody wants to be isolated and different from others. To be honest, I can really feel Anthony’s feelings because my ethnicity also separates me from someone else and my ethnicity will never change. However, my ethnicity helps me look to issues and ideas from different perspectives and I will do my best to be in a different community. I believe it doesn’t matter if we are Asian, black or Latino, we will be ourselves regardless of race and religion. Identity is about who you are, what you say and how you act.
I feel that the "little boxes" are a necessary evil. There are so many things in life where we need to classify, and what are you going to do for classifying people by race other than simply list the most common, broad definitions of race, and then include the option of "other". I understand where Mr. Wright is coming from, he feels he loses part of his identity when he classifies himself in one of those little boxes. The system is not ideal, but it is practical.
I think that Anthony Wright raises some valid points, and that his view on being forced to categorize yourself is one that many people agree with. I completely understand that people do not like the idea of checking off those boxes because they do not necessarily represent who you actually are. I know that when I fill something out, I can generally easily associate myself with the "white" category, however that is such a broad spectrum and does not really tell who someone actually is. Despite all this though, I can also understand where this system comes from, and people tend to put others in groups naturally anyways. Although it doesn't really say who someone is, and that can be upsetting, I can understand where this system came from.
"Little Boxes" exposed me to something that I didn't really pay attention to before. Whenever I fill out sheets that have those boxes on them I do not really think twice about them. I just check off the white box and move on. However after reading this article, I see where the author's dislike of these boxes come from. They are restrictive and a little insulting. No one's identity, ethnicity, or family background should be limited to a little box.
"Little Boxes" exposed me to something that I didn't really pay attention to before. Whenever I fill out sheets that have those boxes on them I do not really think twice about them. I just check off the white box and move on. However after reading this article, I see where the author's dislike of these boxes come from. They are restrictive and a little insulting. No one's identity, ethnicity, or family background should be limited to a little box.
When I first started reading "Little Boxes" I thought to myself, this really doesn't connect personally with me. I have never had a challenge filling out the boxes before. But as I kept reading the boy explained he didn't want the boxes to represent who they are and what they can do. And I was able to make a connection with him because in high school some people don't classify people just on race but along with how you look and how popular you are. Without even knowing you, kids make judgments off of these things. They Assume things that aren't true. Kids label others depending on how they look and who they hang out with. Just like the boxes, some kids in high school don't let others show who they really are.
when I first started reading the story I could not connect to his problem of filling out "little boxes". Every time I fill out an application I just simply check off white. But I never realized that it was more difficult for other people to do. this story showed me that you cant just stereotype someone because of how they look. this story also showed me that you have to take pride in where your from.
Anthony Wright made a point that everyone could agree with. It is impossible to summarize an entire person into one box. I may be one race but that shouldn't allow people to make assumptions about me. Whenever I see the boxes on a test, there are usually only five.There are definitely not five races and there are no two people exactly alike.
“Little Boxes” is all about tagging people with labels. Are you Caucasian, Hispanic, or Asian? Do you come from a lower class, middle class, or upper class family? Most people don’t give a second thought about their answers to these questions when prompted to check off a box. However, this article serves to provide a whole new perspective on categorizing yourself. Is it really possible to define yourself by simply saying you’re Caucasian when your great-grandparents grew up in Italy and your grandmother speaks fluent French? I know the main purpose of those “little boxes” are to simply get a general idea of who you are, but how can you choose to select only a part of your identity?
I’ve never realized how hard it is for some people to identify themselves. For me, it’s always been check the white box and move on. Since it’s never been a question, I’ve never been sensitive to another person’s situation. It didn’t occur to me that filling out information might frustrate other people. After reading “Little Boxes” I understand the importance of not categorizing people. It’s hard sometimes when you think about people and just subconsciously place them under a label without even realizing it. You have to remember that the person is an individual and just because they might look a certain way, doesn’t say anything about who they truly are.
I enjoyed hearing Wrights input on the boxes present on most applications. While I have never been faced with the trouble of choosing which box, always choosing "White", now that I have seen the different perspective it interests me. To think that people who are biracial need to decide which race to generalize themselves with is overwhelming. I liked how Wright implied that with Asian or Hispanic came different physical and personality trails that the person receiving the applicant would think of. While I have never been faced with this problem, I can imagine the dilemma.
I really enjoyed reading "Little boxes" because I feel as though more and more people today have to put down in a box who they think they are just by race.You can never tell who someone actually is by checking off a box. You don't what that person has to offer or where they actually come from. Limiting someone to a tiny box to check off isn't fair I don't think. I hope that these boxes will give more options to people. I think being able to write a sentence of who you are and what you're actually about or where you really come from because I don't believe a tiny box means much.
This article made me think about why humans naturally have to classify things and sort them into metaphorical "boxes." It seems to me like on those applications there could just be a space for country or countries of origin that would specify an individual's exact ethnicity; however, as Anthony Wright said, he always had difficulty identifying with one of his many racial backgrounds. In an urban environment, where groups and gangs divide society into separate parts, I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for Wright to associate with one group. While some people feel misrepresented by the little boxes, I think the larger issue for some of those people is figuring out which one fits their identity the best. And for some that could be an impossible question.
I thought this was a very interesting article regrading towards identity. I thought his story about how it is very difficult to fill out a simple application about himself. In some ways I can relate to this story because I have a friend that has multiple backgrounds and she often tells me how people constantly ask her what race she is. And sometimes, she tells me she will just pick one background and stick to that when people ask her. I enjoyed reading this because a little box does not define a person.
I found that little boxes was a very interesting essay to read. For the reason that in a very small way i was able to connect to what he was saying. I am albanian, italian, romainian, and russian. And sometimes when I have to tell people what my origins are they are little confused and it makes me feel a little self-conscious and unsure of who i a really am. So sometimes when people ask I tell them Im Italian, or sometimes ill just say im Russian; it really just depends on the situation. So i can understand what Anthony Wright is feeling.
I found the student who wrote little boxes had some interesting ideas. I feel like categorizing yourself is often a tough thing to do. especially when the descriptions are so general. I think that he is right in saying that not everyone fits into boxes
22 comments:
I feel like I can really relate to this story. I don't like picking the little boxes. When I have to choose an option for a race I usually choose Asain. When people hear the word Asain, they think of Japaneese, Chineese or Vietnamese. My parrents are from Pakistan so that technically makes me Asain. We subconsciously judge and stereotype people by the color of there skin and how they look.
I completely agree with Anthony Wright's views in regards to filling in little boxes. To have a person fill out something about themselves and restrict them to a little box isn't fair. Whenever I have to fill something out, it's relatively easy for me. However, I do realize that for a significant number of people it's difficult to describe themselves when given only one option. I hope that eventually these little boxes will be modified instead of just a select few, will have many ethnicities to choose from.
I believe that the author of this article was correct in saying that the little boxes are too limiting. By "little boxes" the author means the special designations that are used on many applications, which people use to describe their race, religion, and other such descriptions. The author is using them as a metaphor to describe how people are pigeonholed by their race, and how it is difficult when you can fit into multiple "little boxes". When this happens and people are forced to decide which group they feel they are in the most, it limits them. By that i mean that they have to choose one culture over another when, without the boxes, they can have two cultures.
I found "Little Boxes" to be an interesting essay. I do feel its unfair that the boxes are so restrictive. When ever i have to fill a box i always have to check off the Asian box, but the thing is i'm not Asian. I am American, i was born and raised here and i shouldn't have to be forced to view myself as something i'm not. If anything, there should be a box called Asian American if you want me to categorize my self based on my skin.
I found Anthony E. Wright’s story “Little Boxes” to be a very interesting one. He complains about being forced into a particular group by the little ethnicity boxes, which is understandable. No one likes being stereotyped by their race, as it devalues who the person is inside. He also raises some valid points, such as the idea that words like “Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American” do not fully encompass a person’s identity. However, Anthony seems to take the issue a bit far. He believes that his identity is threatened when he sees the little boxes and circles. Really? I’m not in the same situation as him, but I think the true issue here is that Anthony E. Wright has been unfairly judged by others and he feels like he belongs to more than one category. What he should do is confront the people who stereotype him, rather than blame the little boxes. He should learn not to take the classifications too seriously, because there are more important things in life. Plus, he can always just write “Other”, as he does now. People are going to judge regardless, so the lesson is to realize that that’s life and to keep calm and carry on. I thought the class discussion was more telling, because we analyzed how it was human nature to place other people in groups, but to be offended when others do the same to us. It shows why Anthony got so worked up about this subject.
The article “Little Boxes” was very thought-provoking and caused me think about the definitions of “categories and labels”. Each individual carries his own labels that define his personalities and identities. The appearance and categories also affect us within culture and community because nobody wants to be isolated and different from others. To be honest, I can really feel Anthony’s feelings because my ethnicity also separates me from someone else and my ethnicity will never change. However, my ethnicity helps me look to issues and ideas from different perspectives and I will do my best to be in a different community. I believe it doesn’t matter if we are Asian, black or Latino, we will be ourselves regardless of race and religion. Identity is about who you are, what you say and how you act.
I feel that the "little boxes" are a necessary evil. There are so many things in life where we need to classify, and what are you going to do for classifying people by race other than simply list the most common, broad definitions of race, and then include the option of "other". I understand where Mr. Wright is coming from, he feels he loses part of his identity when he classifies himself in one of those little boxes. The system is not ideal, but it is practical.
I think that Anthony Wright raises some valid points, and that his view on being forced to categorize yourself is one that many people agree with. I completely understand that people do not like the idea of checking off those boxes because they do not necessarily represent who you actually are. I know that when I fill something out, I can generally easily associate myself with the "white" category, however that is such a broad spectrum and does not really tell who someone actually is. Despite all this though, I can also understand where this system comes from, and people tend to put others in groups naturally anyways. Although it doesn't really say who someone is, and that can be upsetting, I can understand where this system came from.
"Little Boxes" exposed me to something that I didn't really pay attention to before. Whenever I fill out sheets that have those boxes on them I do not really think twice about them. I just check off the white box and move on. However after reading this article, I see where the author's dislike of these boxes come from. They are restrictive and a little insulting. No one's identity, ethnicity, or family background should be limited to a little box.
"Little Boxes" exposed me to something that I didn't really pay attention to before. Whenever I fill out sheets that have those boxes on them I do not really think twice about them. I just check off the white box and move on. However after reading this article, I see where the author's dislike of these boxes come from. They are restrictive and a little insulting. No one's identity, ethnicity, or family background should be limited to a little box.
When I first started reading "Little Boxes" I thought to myself, this really doesn't connect personally with me. I have never had a challenge filling out the boxes before. But as I kept reading the boy explained he didn't want the boxes to represent who they are and what they can do. And I was able to make a connection with him because in high school some people don't classify people just on race but along with how you look and how popular you are. Without even knowing you, kids make judgments off of these things. They Assume things that aren't true. Kids label others depending on how they look and who they hang out with. Just like the boxes, some kids in high school don't let others show who they really are.
when I first started reading the story I could not connect to his problem of filling out "little boxes". Every time I fill out an application I just simply check off white. But I never realized that it was more difficult for other people to do. this story showed me that you cant just stereotype someone because of how they look. this story also showed me that you have to take pride in where your from.
Anthony Wright made a point that everyone could agree with. It is impossible to summarize an entire person into one box. I may be one race but that shouldn't allow people to make assumptions about me. Whenever I see the boxes on a test, there are usually only five.There are definitely not five races and there are no two people exactly alike.
“Little Boxes” is all about tagging people with labels. Are you Caucasian, Hispanic, or Asian? Do you come from a lower class, middle class, or upper class family? Most people don’t give a second thought about their answers to these questions when prompted to check off a box. However, this article serves to provide a whole new perspective on categorizing yourself. Is it really possible to define yourself by simply saying you’re Caucasian when your great-grandparents grew up in Italy and your grandmother speaks fluent French? I know the main purpose of those “little boxes” are to simply get a general idea of who you are, but how can you choose to select only a part of your identity?
I’ve never realized how hard it is for some people to identify themselves. For me, it’s always been check the white box and move on. Since it’s never been a question, I’ve never been sensitive to another person’s situation. It didn’t occur to me that filling out information might frustrate other people. After reading “Little Boxes” I understand the importance of not categorizing people. It’s hard sometimes when you think about people and just subconsciously place them under a label without even realizing it. You have to remember that the person is an individual and just because they might look a certain way, doesn’t say anything about who they truly are.
I enjoyed hearing Wrights input on the boxes present on most applications. While I have never been faced with the trouble of choosing which box, always choosing "White", now that I have seen the different perspective it interests me. To think that people who are biracial need to decide which race to generalize themselves with is overwhelming. I liked how Wright implied that with Asian or Hispanic came different physical and personality trails that the person receiving the applicant would think of. While I have never been faced with this problem, I can imagine the dilemma.
I really enjoyed reading "Little boxes" because I feel as though more and more people today have to put down in a box who they think they are just by race.You can never tell who someone actually is by checking off a box. You don't what that person has to offer or where they actually come from. Limiting someone to a tiny box to check off isn't fair I don't think. I hope that these boxes will give more options to people. I think being able to write a sentence of who you are and what you're actually about or where you really come from because I don't believe a tiny box means much.
This article made me think about why humans naturally have to classify things and sort them into metaphorical "boxes." It seems to me like on those applications there could just be a space for country or countries of origin that would specify an individual's exact ethnicity; however, as Anthony Wright said, he always had difficulty identifying with one of his many racial backgrounds. In an urban environment, where groups and gangs divide society into separate parts, I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for Wright to associate with one group. While some people feel misrepresented by the little boxes, I think the larger issue for some of those people is figuring out which one fits their identity the best. And for some that could be an impossible question.
I thought this was a very interesting article regrading towards identity. I thought his story about how it is very difficult to fill out a simple application about himself. In some ways I can relate to this story because I have a friend that has multiple backgrounds and she often tells me how people constantly ask her what race she is. And sometimes, she tells me she will just pick one background and stick to that when people ask her. I enjoyed reading this because a little box does not define a person.
I found that little boxes was a very interesting essay to read. For the reason that in a very small way i was able to connect to what he was saying. I am albanian, italian, romainian, and russian. And sometimes when I have to tell people what my origins are they are little confused and it makes me feel a little self-conscious and unsure of who i a really am. So sometimes when people ask I tell them Im Italian, or sometimes ill just say im Russian; it really just depends on the situation. So i can understand what Anthony Wright is feeling.
I found the student who wrote little boxes had some interesting ideas. I feel like categorizing yourself is often a tough thing to do. especially when the descriptions are so general. I think that he is right in saying that not everyone fits into boxes
I was not present for this.
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