ATA5

I agree with Sigmund Freud that all humans have the ability to act out on aggression. Just like primates do to survive in the wild, us humans have that instinct or hold violent tendencies and can have some type of aggression towards others. I do not believe it is in genetics. I can see aggression being taught, or learned growing up in maybe a abusive home or subjected to violence. Or simply just suppressed feelings and something sets off a person who doesn’t know how else to deal with their emotions except through violence. Women and men both pose different levels of aggression as I believe men can more violent and angry easily than women. I feel like women yell more and men hit and throw things more. However, both men and women in history have equally done some heinous and violent crimes so both are capable.

Anything and everything could cause a person to become angry or act out in aggression towards another person or towards an object like punching a wall or throwing objects. I do think certain triggers can push a person to be aggressive when they have never acted mean or aggressive in the past such as bullying or teasing. I was bullied all throughout my school years and yet I never acted out except cry or lock myself in my room and write sad poetry. A boy who used to tease me very badly in high school and even physically attacked me, he was himself a victim of violence as his father would beat him so would be a good indication as to why he would act violently towards others. Another example would be with my cousin. He was never harmed or physically abused, but his parents, my Aunt and Uncle would constantly fight and scream at each other in front of him and throw things at one another and act violently towards each other, but my Uncle never laid a hand on my Aunt, but she would which lead them to separate. During the separation, my cousin would act out violently towards his mother mainly because in his eyes she was the cause of the breakup of the family and he hated her for it. Finally, after a scary incident when my cousin was 10, he had wanted to go to his dads, but it wasn’t his dads’ weekend, so he got angry at his mom and stabbed her in the palm of her hand with a knife, she didn’t press charges and the cops removed him from her home and placed him in the custody of my Uncle. He was so angry at his mom for the separation and built up so much hatred towards her that without thinking he acted out on his anger and it could have been way worse. Soon after some therapy and living with his father, his attitude changed drastically for the better.

ATA4

I do believe it is true that within minutes of meeting someone, we know if we are attractive to them or not. Sometimes, after upon meeting someone things could change this opinion like if you found out something about the individual that wasn’t attractive like if they picked their nose or was rude and mean. Seeking the approval of others such as teens in high school is very important among most. If you don’t fit in anywhere, then you have a high chance of being an outcast and bullied. I haven’t had experience with this type of lesson in any other class, but I was bullied throughout school. I was a very quiet kid and kept to myself, which was an open window for others to pick on me because I didn’t have hardly any friends because I was too shy. I wasn’t very attractive either so I was made fun of my appearance and clothing.

I never cared how people looked, but I seem to not like those that tried really hard to get others to like them. Like girls that wore way to much makeup, and the boys who knew they were cool, but would prove they were. Now that I’m older, I don’t care about what people look like, but rather their attitude on life and just in general. I don’t even care if we have nothing in common. Or even like the same things, as long as they are not rude or ugly and are respectful then I find them ok in my book.

ATA3

Discrimination and prejudice is still a problem today as it will always be no matter what anyone tells you. With sports and with celebrities there will always be discrimination among male athlete’s get paid more than female athletes.  Same with male celebrities getting paid for a main roll in a movie, whereas the female who has the same amount of lines and scenes as the male, but gets paid less. There will never be an equal to end discrimination. I’m nobody famous but I remember in middle school my PE teacher told me to try out for the girls volley ball team as I should great skill and respect for the sport. Her encouraging words and reassurance that I would make it in had me convinced to try out which I had never tried out for any school sports. Upon tryouts I noticed something a little odd, I happen to be one of the shortest girls trying out. After tryouts she had us all line up against the gym wall and talk with the other coaches and did a roll call of those that made the team. I was not picked. I did however notice that all the girls that were drafted were much taller than me so I felt discriminated.

There’s always going to be stereotyping and prejudice people in the world and there’s no escaping it. You see bi racial couples and sometimes you will notice people starring but really what’s the point. If that couples happy, then let it be. Or what about gays and lesbians? I will admit it was weird for me at first as when I was in high school I had one of each as a best friend, but I didn’t know they were gay till I would see them with their partners. So it was shocking to me that teens my age actually engaged in that sort of manner. Then I saw how happy they were and accepted the fact that they had found someone to love and that’s who they choose. It’s not for me to decide for them, it’s for them to decide for themselves and that’s my attitude still today. Working in retail for 15 years I see all types of people and all types of couples and as long as their comfortable and happy with who they are with, than who am I to judge.

ATA2

I want to start off by comparing how this chapter is personally relevant to myself. I don’t have a very positive outlook on life in general as in my much younger years I was bullied throughout school and ended up living with my grandparents at age 12. I seem to think I have a lot of bad luck and the constant lost feeling doesn’t seem to help so when spoken to, or asked my thoughts on certain subjects I tend to give what I think is a very bluntly honest positive answer, but in actuality it seems to come out as negative one to others. My negative attitude comes from my childhood. I was an only child and I was usually left alone to entertain myself and as I entered my teen years I started writing my feelings down on paper. I didn’t have much happiness throughout my younger years so I have fear for the future. Doesn’t make me a unhappy person to be around, but I have a lot of anxiety.

I do think everyone has a unique personality and a unique way of expressing their feelings or attitudes. You see it in small children, early on they will tell you whether or not they are happy by winning and crying. Screaming and throwing temper-tantrums are other ways to express their attitudes. In most situations attitudes are learned like when you have siblings that watch each other and copy one another or parents that have negative outlooks on life, a child will follow suit. Then there’s power of persuasion. We see this everyday, all day, and even when we don’t realize it.

Commercials are huge persuasions to change our attitudes about certain products or companies. Like Uber, who has a lot of media coverage this past year due to drivers being arrested and had many to speculate whether taking Uber rides was safe. People’s attitudes were greatly effecting how the business was running. So a few months ago the president of the Uber company came out with a couple of commercials reassuring the changes it is making and how much safer the Uber rides are. The commercial was specifically aiming at all those that were effected by past experiences and to those that are skeptical about using Uber in the future. The president of the company is trying to persuade us from thinking negative about his company and see it as a positive way to get around town. Anytime a company feels it needs to change people’s attitudes about their company, the company will find a way to manipulate, or persuade us to think differently. I think we need to be smarter than that, and go with our gut feelings, rather than follow in the footsteps of others.

ATA1

I enjoyed this chapter because I can highly relate to the subject of nonverbal communication and facial expressions. It is fairly easy to recognize a person’s emotions just by observing their facial expressions. Working in retail as a cashier for quite some time not a lot of people talk to each other anymore unless spoken to. Usually customers were on their phone or highly distracted with family or friends they were shopping with that they could careless to interact with the nice cashier ringing them up. People just want to pay for their stuff and get out now ah days. So I’ve learned to read people before they come up to the counter to check out whether or not if the customers will interact if spoken too. I wouldn’t say I’m psychic or know what a person is feeling, but I am usually dead on correct about most. One time a gentlemen came up and by the look in eyes I knew he was about to cry so I handed him some tissues and he just burst into tears and ran out the door.

To recognize facial expressions, you have to be very self aware and very observant to the other person or people around you. Usually it’s not to hard to tell if a person is sad or mad, or even lying for that matter. I find it easy for me to tell if a person is lying or not. I found this chapter and chapter 4 to be very interesting because I have what’s called a “uneasy” resting face. There’s another slain term but I do not wish to use that word on here. My resting facial expressions confuse many in thinking I’m either mad at the world and hate life, or I’m sadly depressed. However, 90% of the time it’s just the way my face rest when I’m concentrating on something or just being relaxed. It took my boyfriend of 8 years to finally realize after about more than half that time to stop asking me “what’s wrong?” because he always assumed I was mad. I always said if ever I have enough money I would get surgery on my face to fix it so I don’t look mad or sad when I’m in resting facial mode.

To study and know the different types of body language and what they mean and eye movement can tell a lot about a person without saying a word. Where I grew up their was not any kids to play with so I played by myself or watch TV and so I would learn facial expressions by watching actors and actresses. In elementary and middle school I was always quiet and observe all those around me acting like fools or working really hard to get that grade. I guess I was studying the many different types of personalities and nonverbal cues. In retail we would have to watch a lot of customers who possibly could commit a theft in the store. As I’ve caught meany, it was easy for me just by watching their body language and you can see their nervous and they too are self aware of their surrounds in trying not to get caught. Can’t always assume everyone is a bad guy, but knowledge of how to spot a potential threat is extremely important in today’s world. So I think it’s very important that everyone is more self aware and observant to their surroundings.