Suburbia

My interest in social sciences was limited to none until my spring term at Drexel last year. I had no idea what Anthropology or Sociology were, but I took intros in both just to see what they would be like. Loved em both. As of this point in time I'm hoping to declare a minor in Anthropology from Temple University. Do I want to be an anthropologist? No, but I find it fascinating and it is my strong belief that people should know more about it than they do.

I come from a hugely white suburbia population in Berks County, Pa. I went to a very good public school (the same as Chad Henne, Kristy Kowal, and many other cool people), with great teachers. Taxes are low and the economic/financial standing of those living in the school district is a wide range, but almost every student lives in a suburb to rural area.

I grew up in Danbury, Connecticut, a more urban sort of area with another good school district. But it was much more "mixed" in terms of race and ethnicity. And it was fantastic. That's the one thing I miss from elementary school and the only thing I don't like about Berks county.

Do I have a problem with living in a predominantly white suburb? No, but I have a problem with people living in such areas that stereotype and have never been outside their shell. Don't get me wrong, no one's perfect and I think it's safe to say everyone thinks in some sort of subconscious stereotypes, including myself.

I have made amazing friends in Berks County. I see them as people first before I see them as a socially constructed color. That's how little children see people. They recognize a smile before they recognize that someone has a different shade of skin.

Sometimes, though, I challenge my best friends, and they challenge me when it comes to anthropology and stereotyping. Some of them are very receptive to the knowledge I try to share with them from my classes and experiences, but some of them don't want to hear it. It's disheartening. Am I asking you to agree with me on this blog? Absolutely not, then there's no room for progressive conversation, it's just a bunch of one sided arguing on my part.

My friends (and you) are completely entitled to their(your) opinion, but I believe that anyone who forms opinions about race needs to be further informed about it. Stereotypes exist for a reason, but lack of race/gender/human behavior education and the environment in which people are brought up play a huge part in the misunderstanding.