After watching the “Tough Guise” video I realized just how much masculinity and the “tough guy” appearance is pushed on boys and men of all ages. I have a teenage son and all around him are images, advertisements, and everyday situations that are encouraging him to strive to be tough, strong, and manly. I have no problem with my son being into hunting, fishing, and sports, I want him to be an athletic hard working man when he grows up but like with everything there has to be a balance.

 To me what sets apart “the bad guys” and the “good guys” is respect. Respect for themselves, respect for women, respect for your elders, ect. The problem is that most young men start out with lots of respect then see in the media or in a lot of music the blatant disrespect for women. A good man is going to love, care for, and respect a woman. He’s not going to be out “pimpin his hoes” or “getting money” but these are the type of images that the media is sending to children. And of course you can’t control every move your kid makes so you have to hope that you did your job raising them to respect others and to stay true to themselves. Unfortunately a lot of parents just assume that their kids are making the right choices when in reality their brains are absorbing this masculinity and naturally put on this “tough guy” front as a surviving mechanism just like what was said in the video. Ultimately to survive we have to find a mate and reproduce and men are getting it in their heads the more masculine and violent they are the more attractive they are and this is where we have to start educating and encourage them that violence is not only unattractive but can get them into a lot of trouble.

 To conclude I think the best way to break the cycle of violence and this “tough guy” image is to educate our kids when they are young and to have the confidence knowing that even if my son is watching these violent images on TV or hearing about them in a song it doesn’t mean he is going to be an aggressive, violent person because he knows better. It’s important for me to know that when he grows up he will instill the same characteristics into his son. It’s really just a matter of everyone addressing the issue because let’s be honest there’s nothing we can do to change media it’s been the same for years and it will continue to be the way it is.

week 3

After watching the “Tough Guise” video I realized just how much masculinity and the “tough guy” appearance is pushed on boys and men of all ages. I have a teenage son and all around him are images, advertisements, and everyday situations that are encouraging him to strive to be tough, strong, and manly. I have no problem with my son being into hunting, fishing, and sports, I want him to be an athletic hard working man when he grows up but like with everything there has to be a balance.

 To me what sets apart “the bad guys” and the “good guys” is respect. Respect for themselves, respect for women, respect for your elders, ect. The problem is that most young men start out with lots of respect then see in the media or in a lot of music the blatant disrespect for women. A good man is going to love, care for, and respect a woman. He’s not going to be out “pimpin his hoes” or “getting money” but these are the type of images that the media is sending to children. And of course you can’t control every move your kid makes so you have to hope that you did your job raising them to respect others and to stay true to themselves. Unfortunately a lot of parents just assume that their kids are making the right choices when in reality their brains are absorbing this masculinity and naturally put on this “tough guy” front as a surviving mechanism just like what was said in the video. Ultimately to survive we have to find a mate and reproduce and men are getting it in their heads the more masculine and violent they are the more attractive they are and this is where we have to start educating and encourage them that violence is not only unattractive but can get them into a lot of trouble.

 To conclude I think the best way to break the cycle of violence and this “tough guy” image is to educate our kids when they are young and to have the confidence knowing that even if my son is watching these violent images on TV or hearing about them in a song it doesn’t mean he is going to be an aggressive, violent person because he knows better. It’s important for me to know that when he grows up he will instill the same characteristics into his son. It’s really just a matter of everyone addressing the issue because let’s be honest there’s nothing we can do to change media it’s been the same for years and it will continue to be the way it is.

week 1

While reading the article identity dance one page stood out to me the most. In bold letters it reads "Genetics couldn't explain why some people bounce back from terrible trauma that shatters others, or why some people are ruthlessly ambitious and others laid back." I was drawn to theses words because I have been wondering the same thing for quite some time. Someone very close to me suffered a traumatic childhood filled with physical and mental abuse. I find it interesting that siblings that grew up in the same family sharing equally traumatic  experiences can have such different outcomes. It seems they all are still affected by thier past but a few more severely than others.  Sharing the same genes one would think all involved would be genetically and mentally equipped to handle situations similarly, but unfortunately that is not the case.
        Everyone is set up a specific way genetically to react and deal with life's ups and downs? This is one thing I would like to learn more about while taking this course. According to this article people that have a the short transporter gene are more likely to become depressed after experiencing a series of  stressful events. Statistics have proven fourty-three percent of people who carried the short gene who experienced four or more tumultuous events became clinically depressed. Those with the short gene that did not have stressful events became depressed at the average rate of the general population.   While those with the long gene that were subject to four or more traumatic events have a seventeen percent chance of depression.  One theory says that genes have "switches" that can be turned on and of like a light switch. If that is the case, then wouldn't the number of people with depression be dwindling?

week 2

While reading the article " What's the difference between boys and girls?" I instantly thought of my teenage son. Though I didn't allow him to play with toy guns until he was four of five, he automatically knew what to do with them and always followed the rules. Now that he is older he is the same boy with a collection of BB guns and a thirst for hunting and fishing competitively. my son being the competitive child he is, I learned could be from higher levels of testosterone. Which also explains the way he is when it comes to playing sports, in your face ruthless and out for a win at any cost. My daughter on the other hand, does enjoy playing with BB guns but loves her stuffed huskies. My daughter being a tom-boy wears nothing but basketball shorts and hoodies and loves to get dirty. I wonder if maybe she has higher levels of testosterone caused by the adrenal gland?  "Both the Berkeley study and a more recent federal daycare study find a different pattern in girls; they're emotionally sturdier". I find that to be true. I find my daughter to be less sensitive than my son though he tries to not show it. I learned that they're healthy development seems most harmed by being restricted and its confinement that brings down IQ in girls.

Something that piqued my curiosity while reading this article, is what about the testosterone levels in homosexuals?  If a gay/ Trans-gender men prefer to dress as a woman, does that mean they have lower testosterone than the average male or the "pink gene" as quoted by a British journalist.  Same goes for lesbians, do they have more testosterone than the average woman or do the majority suffer from congenital adrenal hyperplasia? If I had unlimited funds to do more research, I would like to research more on this particular topic.