Thursday, February 07, 2008
Un-Super Wednesday
It's past 3 AM on Thursday morning, and I just finished the project I have due for my sociology research methods class. That was fun. In a few hours, I'll wake up and get to go look at statistics (how fun)! Followed by Japanese history (I want to get back to China)! Followed by research methods (*yawn*)! Followed by my film class (we're watching a movie, so this one ain't that bad)!
I have to do a series of six projects for this research class, each one building on the previous one and relying on the 2006 national GSS surveys for data. I'm doing mine on attitudes towards premarital sex. Eventually I'll have to pick a specific variable to examine, but for now that's just the general topic. As I've made known here before, sex and gender issues are probably my primary area of interest when it comes to sociology. It's just fascinating to look at how it infiltrates our culture and how religious groups in particular respond to it. Some interesting facts I've uncovered:
1) In 1972, 36.6% of people felt that premarital sex was always wrong, while 27.3% had no problem with it at all. The rest of the people felt it was only wrong sometimes. In 2006, 26.3% felt it was always wrong, while 45.5% felt it wasn't wrong at all. Talk about a change in values!
2) In a study done on African-American high school girls, it was concluded that middle-class girls had more conservative attitudes towards premarital sex than lower-class girls. The surprise: when it came down to actual sexual behavior, the statistics were pretty much the same. Around the same percentage of girls were having sex regardless of class. Perhaps this is due to certain expectations that people of higher class are meant to be more "proper" and conservative, so they pretend they are, even if in reality they don't behave that way?
3) In a study done among Conservative Protestants, Mainline Protestants, and Catholics, it was found that Conservative Protestants are the only group to have stayed consistent in their views about premarital sex over the past few decades. Go Baptists! Holy crap, I never expected to type that. Mainline Protestants and Catholics have gradually become more permissive over time, which to me is unfortunate since premarital sex is one of the few issues I tend to be really conservative about. Is this change because Conservative Protestants have more of an exclusive religious subculture than the other groups, and as so are less likely to be secularized? If so, is that good or bad? Hmm.
4) There might be a double standard among parents in regards to attitudes to premarital sexual behavior. Studies showed there is at least a perception among adolescents that parents are more strict in regards to sex when it comes to daughters rather than sons. I'm going to leave this idea now, before I go off on a lengthy tangent about how Western culture promotes sexuality as a necessary rite of passage, particularly among males. In summary: Three cheers for China and modestly dressed women!
***
While on the subject of sociology and sex/gender issues: I think all the "alternative" or "progressive" professors, at least when it comes to gender and sex issues, work in the sociology department. I'm pretty certain that the grad student who taught my class on gender issues a few semesters ago was a lesbian. At least, she dressed like a man and didn't allude to having a boyfriend (or girlfriend, so who knows). I really don't know what to make of the grad student teaching my lab this semester. She seems like a super cool, nice person, but in regards to her sexual orientation and relationship status she couldn't be more ambiguous. On the one hand, she talks about her "partner." On the other hand, she refers to this partner as "he." On yet another hand, she is pregnant. And on even another hand, she and her partner have agreed not to get married until women everywhere have the right to get married. What does this mean? Is she not married because she is a lesbian and not allowed, or just because they really really support gay rights? Is she pregnant from her male husband, or is she having a baby with her female partner whom she just happens to refer to as her husband? Does it really matter? Not really, I just think it's interesting. Particularly if she's actually heterosexual and would like to get married to her boyfriend/husband/whatever-you'd-call-it but won't as a means of making a statement.
***
Super Tuesday is over. McCain looks like he is the Republican party frontrunner. Meh. At least Romney didn't do well. He reminds me of the G-Man from Half-Life. Creepy.
I also think it's funny how he keeps attacking McCain for not being conservative enough. [sarcasm]Yeah, because McCain is definitely what I'd call a liberal.[/sarcasm] Maybe if you're a mega-right-wing-gotta-kill-all-the-illegal-immigrants kinda guy. Does Romney really think he'll win the next Presidential election by being the most conservative? Last time I checked, the vast majority of people wanted less conservative Bushie policies. It just doesn't seem like a smart move to me, especially since the only way the Republicans will win the election is if they miraculously manage to convert Democratic and Independent votes.
Ron Paul is pretty much out at this point. He's no longer even mentioned on CNN. Oh well, I think we all knew it was coming. I guess the Republicans will nominate McCain, who I can't take seriously at all since he said we would potentially be in Iraq for 100 years.
Hilary and Obama are still neck and neck. I still hope Obama winds up getting the nomination, but if it turns out to be Hilary then I guess I will reluctantly have to cast a vote for her. It would be so much easier if her last name wasn't Clinton. Blegh.
***
The Heath Ledger autopsy results are in, aaaaaand... it was an accident. Really, was anyone expecting something else? Maybe now the media will finally let him rest in peace. Especially since Brittany Spears is out of the hospital now. Yet another useless celebrity story to cover! Time to move on to that one!
***
Michael Moore was on Larry King Live. Fun fact: When asked if his religious beliefs influenced his views and his films, he said yes. He was raised Irish-Catholic, still attends mass regularly, and at one time even planned on going to seminary to become a priest. Also, he said his new movie (which I am assuming is still the sequel to Fahrenheit 9/11) will focus on what the giant corporations have been up to for the past 8 years while America has been focused on Bush and the war. On the one hand, I'm glad that with this and Sicko he seems to be returning to the original issue he focused on in Roger And Me: how corporations control America and extreme capitalism screws the little guy. On the other hand... Moore himself helped contribute to the whole Bush-and-war focus that he claims distracted people from the corporations. Hopefully he doesn't blame the people for their ignorance, just the corporations for, uh, doing what they do.
***
Tony Campolo was on The Colbert Report last night, talking about how a large number of evangelical Christians are voting Democrat. I'm glad he was on. Anything that helps the general public stop stereotyping all Christians as extreme-right-wing Republicans - what my friend Mason likes to call "Jesus Nazis" - is okay in my book.
To watch the interview, click here.
Also, for one of the most hilarious interviews I've ever seen on the show, click here to watch this segment from tonight's program. Man, Colbert is quick. I can't believe how he manages to stay in character. When he started talking about "pride" I nearly spit up my Coke.
Quote of Da Moment:
"I'm disappointed that my own Catholic Church has decided that capital punishment is wrong. Which is pretty hypocritical if you think about it, because they wouldn't even have a religion if it wasn't for capital punishment."
--Stephen Colbert
I have to do a series of six projects for this research class, each one building on the previous one and relying on the 2006 national GSS surveys for data. I'm doing mine on attitudes towards premarital sex. Eventually I'll have to pick a specific variable to examine, but for now that's just the general topic. As I've made known here before, sex and gender issues are probably my primary area of interest when it comes to sociology. It's just fascinating to look at how it infiltrates our culture and how religious groups in particular respond to it. Some interesting facts I've uncovered:
1) In 1972, 36.6% of people felt that premarital sex was always wrong, while 27.3% had no problem with it at all. The rest of the people felt it was only wrong sometimes. In 2006, 26.3% felt it was always wrong, while 45.5% felt it wasn't wrong at all. Talk about a change in values!
2) In a study done on African-American high school girls, it was concluded that middle-class girls had more conservative attitudes towards premarital sex than lower-class girls. The surprise: when it came down to actual sexual behavior, the statistics were pretty much the same. Around the same percentage of girls were having sex regardless of class. Perhaps this is due to certain expectations that people of higher class are meant to be more "proper" and conservative, so they pretend they are, even if in reality they don't behave that way?
3) In a study done among Conservative Protestants, Mainline Protestants, and Catholics, it was found that Conservative Protestants are the only group to have stayed consistent in their views about premarital sex over the past few decades. Go Baptists! Holy crap, I never expected to type that. Mainline Protestants and Catholics have gradually become more permissive over time, which to me is unfortunate since premarital sex is one of the few issues I tend to be really conservative about. Is this change because Conservative Protestants have more of an exclusive religious subculture than the other groups, and as so are less likely to be secularized? If so, is that good or bad? Hmm.
4) There might be a double standard among parents in regards to attitudes to premarital sexual behavior. Studies showed there is at least a perception among adolescents that parents are more strict in regards to sex when it comes to daughters rather than sons. I'm going to leave this idea now, before I go off on a lengthy tangent about how Western culture promotes sexuality as a necessary rite of passage, particularly among males. In summary: Three cheers for China and modestly dressed women!
***
While on the subject of sociology and sex/gender issues: I think all the "alternative" or "progressive" professors, at least when it comes to gender and sex issues, work in the sociology department. I'm pretty certain that the grad student who taught my class on gender issues a few semesters ago was a lesbian. At least, she dressed like a man and didn't allude to having a boyfriend (or girlfriend, so who knows). I really don't know what to make of the grad student teaching my lab this semester. She seems like a super cool, nice person, but in regards to her sexual orientation and relationship status she couldn't be more ambiguous. On the one hand, she talks about her "partner." On the other hand, she refers to this partner as "he." On yet another hand, she is pregnant. And on even another hand, she and her partner have agreed not to get married until women everywhere have the right to get married. What does this mean? Is she not married because she is a lesbian and not allowed, or just because they really really support gay rights? Is she pregnant from her male husband, or is she having a baby with her female partner whom she just happens to refer to as her husband? Does it really matter? Not really, I just think it's interesting. Particularly if she's actually heterosexual and would like to get married to her boyfriend/husband/whatever-you'd-call-it but won't as a means of making a statement.
***
Super Tuesday is over. McCain looks like he is the Republican party frontrunner. Meh. At least Romney didn't do well. He reminds me of the G-Man from Half-Life. Creepy.
I also think it's funny how he keeps attacking McCain for not being conservative enough. [sarcasm]Yeah, because McCain is definitely what I'd call a liberal.[/sarcasm] Maybe if you're a mega-right-wing-gotta-kill-all-the-illegal-immigrants kinda guy. Does Romney really think he'll win the next Presidential election by being the most conservative? Last time I checked, the vast majority of people wanted less conservative Bushie policies. It just doesn't seem like a smart move to me, especially since the only way the Republicans will win the election is if they miraculously manage to convert Democratic and Independent votes.
Ron Paul is pretty much out at this point. He's no longer even mentioned on CNN. Oh well, I think we all knew it was coming. I guess the Republicans will nominate McCain, who I can't take seriously at all since he said we would potentially be in Iraq for 100 years.
Hilary and Obama are still neck and neck. I still hope Obama winds up getting the nomination, but if it turns out to be Hilary then I guess I will reluctantly have to cast a vote for her. It would be so much easier if her last name wasn't Clinton. Blegh.
***
The Heath Ledger autopsy results are in, aaaaaand... it was an accident. Really, was anyone expecting something else? Maybe now the media will finally let him rest in peace. Especially since Brittany Spears is out of the hospital now. Yet another useless celebrity story to cover! Time to move on to that one!
***
Michael Moore was on Larry King Live. Fun fact: When asked if his religious beliefs influenced his views and his films, he said yes. He was raised Irish-Catholic, still attends mass regularly, and at one time even planned on going to seminary to become a priest. Also, he said his new movie (which I am assuming is still the sequel to Fahrenheit 9/11) will focus on what the giant corporations have been up to for the past 8 years while America has been focused on Bush and the war. On the one hand, I'm glad that with this and Sicko he seems to be returning to the original issue he focused on in Roger And Me: how corporations control America and extreme capitalism screws the little guy. On the other hand... Moore himself helped contribute to the whole Bush-and-war focus that he claims distracted people from the corporations. Hopefully he doesn't blame the people for their ignorance, just the corporations for, uh, doing what they do.
***
Tony Campolo was on The Colbert Report last night, talking about how a large number of evangelical Christians are voting Democrat. I'm glad he was on. Anything that helps the general public stop stereotyping all Christians as extreme-right-wing Republicans - what my friend Mason likes to call "Jesus Nazis" - is okay in my book.
To watch the interview, click here.
Also, for one of the most hilarious interviews I've ever seen on the show, click here to watch this segment from tonight's program. Man, Colbert is quick. I can't believe how he manages to stay in character. When he started talking about "pride" I nearly spit up my Coke.
Quote of Da Moment:
"I'm disappointed that my own Catholic Church has decided that capital punishment is wrong. Which is pretty hypocritical if you think about it, because they wouldn't even have a religion if it wasn't for capital punishment."
--Stephen Colbert
# posted by Andrew Johnson : 2/07/2008 03:23:00 AM 
