Issue Of The Week XX: What Habitual Attitudes Influence Your Actions When It Comes To Race?

I would agree that habit is a large part of unconscious life. In terms of race, stereotypes are prevalent no matter where you grow up. Of course, overcoming those stereotypes can be challenging. I still find myself checking the lock on my car door without even thinking about it when I drive through certain areas. I do not do it out of fear, I do it out of habit. Habits are hard to break and hard to control.

Prior to reading this I always thought my habits were something that I chose. A lot of the habits I have were pointed out in this poem. For example shaking my toothbrush dry. The first line made me reflect on what shoe I put on first, I've never paid attention to it, do I do it the same way every time?
Each race has habits that they fall into and sometimes these habits become a races stereotype.
Certain habits of how we choose to eat our food are tied to race or culture. For example as Americans we have the habit of needing to wash our hands before we eat, though as a race we tend to eat with utensils rather than with our hands but we feel the need to have washed hands in order to eat.
There are many habits that I've fallen into that I think I've chosen. However in reality they are learned habits from society or my parents. I have the habit of making my bed every morning, not because it's what I felt was right to do, but rather because it was learned from my parents. All the small things we do in our life that we think we have control over could very easily be things that are controlling us.

It's weird to think about the concept that everyone has different habits. The things that I and my family do seem so normal to me that when I sleep over at a friends house with her family or go on a trip with them, I notice that even though I have a lot in common with my friend... I keep thinking things such as "Man, her family is so weird" and "My family would never do something like this". But vice versa I have had friends tell me that they think my family, specifically my parents, are weird.

This concept is the same between cultures and races. I feel like this is where racism comes from. Everyone is used to their own culture and how they do things, so to them it is the only "right" way. I don't feel like people try to be racist... it's just hard to imagine and accept that people do things different from the way you do them.

I also feel as though "cliques" in a way keep racism going. When I eat at the dining hall at my school I notice that it is very rare for a table to have a racial diversity among it. Most African Americans are sitting with other African Americans, white students with white students, and most foreign exchange students are sitting with other students from their home country. I don't think people mean to do this, it's just subconsciousness. People want to sit with and converse with other people who are similar to them. It takes too much work and brain power to try and understand differences and other points of view.

Unless people break out of "cliques" and put in the time and effort to immerse themselves in another person's culture... they won't realize that there are different ways of doing things.

It's hard to see and appreciate differences when you're constantly hanging out with people who are very similar to yourself.

I do agree that habit is incredibly hard to break but if it is such a awful habit, people should learn to try their hardest to fix it. Yes, it is probably not going to happen over night but over a span of a couple months, maybe even weeks, if a person is conscience enough about what they are doing, eventually they will have another habit that is not as bad as their previous one, in some cases.

This poem emphasizes a lot upon the habits in our every day lives. The process in which we go throughout a day is always a "routine" because according to our mindset, we were both born and raise to follow these "traditions" that are forced upon us by society. We both our teeth a certain way, we eat a certain way, we dress a certain way; these factors are mainly contributed to our lifestyle by society and what we are EXPECTED to do. What if we break these rules? What if we dress differently? What if we rather wear rainbow tie-dyed shirts with really tight pants in New York City? Of course you'll be judged because when we were growing up our friends, family, teachers, and other people we have meet throughout our lives shape our future selves. Just like a horse, we listen to our owners and eat what they give us. Just like a human, we listen to what society tells us.

After re reading the article, our in class discussion, and reading responses I have came to possibly suggest the idea of individualism in relation to habits could be questioned. I say this because everyone has a habit that others reenact at anytime during the day. I know i have habits that i participate in frequently that i do not realize or think about while doing so. One can not escape the reality of a habit. Regardless of culture, society, or environment one lives in, it is nearly impossible to escape habits. Our senses help us see/smell/hear etc. to what is socially acceptable. Our minds are implicitly telling us to reenact our "habits" because if not, then one would not be considered normal. Our morning routine does not change due to our society(culture) telling us that it shouldn't change. Our ability to conform/adapt is intriguing because no one likes to be considered a outcast or strange to the group. Even those who considered themselves to be "different" or "unique" could be influenced by their "culture" or group of friends. I say this because if one says they are "different" and they act like the rest of one's friends; the person would not be that "different" or "unique". Overall, habits are really inherited due to past generations and culture. As humans we can not escape it.

It is crazy to think how much of our lives are controlled by "habit" or unconscious thinking. This poem reminds me of many things that can relate to me, like routines in the shower or even check my phone keys and wallet before i leave for any destination. I always thought these habits were something I chose but after discussion and understand this poem a little more I began to realize, i am not really making these decisions and im to busy and being distracted with life. How crazy.

This poem and our discussion kind of sparked me to try and break these habits and do new things every time, thinking about everything I do. I know it is hard, but so is accepting another culture, and i hope to learn more and more about trying new things and accepting new cultures

of course people will blame "habit" on why one is racial. people do not accept that they may just be racists. basically im saying that people just make excuses to be racial.

I think that a majority of what anyone does is because of habits they form. I think that society helps us form this habit of subconsciously being racist. SInce we wers born and all through schools racism was always an issue and was always there so it influenced us. It can be hard to break habit, but habits can be broken.

After reading and doing an in class activity I began to think about my daily habits. I thought about how I brush my teeth and put my shoes on. I do not do these activities because I want to; I do them because that is what I have grown accustomed to doing because that is what society tells us.
I also began thinking about the role habits play in my experience of race in the United States. I found that I often make judgments about race. I do not choose to make these judgments it just kind of happens, and sometime I do not even believe or feel the same way about the judgment I make. I feel like these judgments are based off of stereotypes and past experiences. However I am 100% positive that I cannot make judgments on people, because everyone is different. These habits of judgments based on race are often times subconscious and I do not live by them.

I understand the idea of non-conformity is scary to many people, and that’s in part why we abide by habits at all. We are taught at such a young age about the “normalcy” of what’s acceptable and what’s not; which, in a way creates barriers within our lives the older we get (by making it harder to break the habits we have in order to see through a different perspective) instead of breaking down barriers as we grow up. But we can’t discredit the need for habits all together. While it’s always good to break some habits once in a while, habits help us to develop organization within in our lives. Without habits, it would be difficult for anyone to be organized in some aspects of their lives, and not in others. Although, I do believe there is a definite need to get out of ones self and do certain things (even something as insignificant as brushing our teeth) a different way as to gain a new perspective. None the less, I enjoyed this poem and feel that reading it is a good way to get you thinking about the acts we do everyday without a second though, and maybe open us up a little bit to the understanding of the ways other people do things as well.

There is a multitude of responses to the question, "what is a habit?" Many people rightly believe that habits are developed through repetition of tasks over a relatively long period of time. However, I believe some habits could be developed based on single events.

For example, the first time we touch something burning hot, we instinctively jerk our hand away and avoid touching very hot objects in the future. Likewise, if someone of a particular race mistreated us even once, we would be more likely to associate mistreatment with that particular race instead of with just the individual. Thus we instantly form a habit of avoiding people of that race in the future unless something compels us to change our perspective of them.

Perhaps habits are much more easily formed than we might be prone to believe. Just a thought.

Habits are called habits for a reason; they are something that people have a hard time evaluating and attempting to change. I think that the majority of habits, thoughts, and inclinations are developed at home when children are young. It is the responsibility of parents and caretakers to stress the importance of acceptance to children as they grow up. Hopefully, this mentality of acceptance and respect will be well received by children who will then perpetuate positive behaviors that include respect and compassion for people from all walks of life. I don't think I have fallen in to many discriminatory habits. Although I am aware of the amount of prejudice in the world and am familiar with racial epithets, I do my best to never use them. One issue I feel very passionate about is the use of the "n-word." I don't believe that anyone descended from a lineage other than African American heritage should be able to use that word. It has such a negative connotation in society and perpetuates racism.

If, as social science tells us, structures are largely responsible for situations in which we find ourselves, privileged or otherwise, then why not for racism? What I mean is that, to me, it seems imminently plausible that social structures (e.g. upbringing, class, race etc...) could all play a role in how we treat each other. I do not offer that as an excuse. I merely suggest that racism may not be completely an innate trait (is "culture of racism" synonymous with "culture of poverty?") and may well be a product of society. Thus, when we scold the commentator who calls on poor people to look inwards and fix their problem, we might apply a similar logic to those who blame racism on the individual alone.

I think that a lot of the stereotypes of race come from our upbringing. I myself grew up in a neighborhood that wasn't ideal. There were drug dealers around the corner, gang bangers next door and as a child I has hardly allowed to go outside and play. My parents were very strict about who I had as friends. I noticed growing up that all my friends were the same ethnicity as I was. They were all asians. My parents always saw other races as being evil or bad (such as african americans and hispanics). I didn't question them as a child, I thought the same way. It's sad, but for the longest I thought this way. It wasn't until I was older that I allowed myself to actually have friends of different cultures. I actually listened to their stories and opened up to their culture. Everyone comes from such diverse backgrounds, but it's arrogance and ignorance that will keep us down. We need to start truly listening to others because it's the only way to begin understanding.

In my personal experience I do notice that habits play a huge role in racism within the United States. The biggest example I see relating to this is that people may be acting inappropriately and since it is a reoccurring habit they may not see that it is wrong. Within these habits you can always see that then people may believe one thing but continue to act the wrong way because it is routine. These habits are hard to break and will continue to play a huge role in racism until they can be broken.

Habits are extremely hard to break and I feel that it makes up a large part of who we are. Compared with race and stereotypes I actually feel hope for the human race. The reason is because although habits are easy to form and sometimes hard to break they CAN be broken and changed.

With strong influnce and environmental support habits indeed can be broken. If this new generation of people becomes educated on what are considered good habits and which ones are bad.

The idea of habit is very interesting when relating to racist acts. Once racism is introduced, i think that some people could use it as an excuse, rather than completely assuming the blame. this could quickly turn into a problem. If people really do blame racist acts on pure "habit" it could get out of control. In order to solve these issues, people need to start by changing themselves

In my opinion, Habit is something that is created by an individual person, a personal choice. But I also believe some people can be oblivious to their own habits (i.e. the poem.) And in this case, referring to racism/sterotypes/prejudge....I think that people need to take a step back and really think if there habits may be infringing on others. I think the reason why some people can be oblivious to their own habits is because they are created in groups. If there is something taking place that doesn't match up with your personal beliefs, it may create tension within a group. For example, Hazing.... Lets say a group of your friends is hazing a new potential member of your organization. They take the person and make them do stuff for them that maybe you don't think is right or ethical. Yet at the time, you are just thinking about "well I did it when I joined" or you begin to take yourself out of it. (this can be related to the theory of cognitive dissonance.) the moment our actions and our believes infringe on each other, we begin to feel uncomfortable. In the attempt to "sooth" ourselves and create an environment that is free from anxiety, we begin to change our beliefs, perspectives or actions. I believe groups can help alter/motivate the need for reassurance of our beliefs. In the act of hazing, the moment you start participating in the act, going against your initial beliefs, you are then becoming oblivious to the habit* that may be hurtful/racist to others. This can also relate back to our lecture on individualism and collectivism. As we grow into ourselves, explore and understand who we are, we create our beliefs and values. These beliefs and values affect our actions. Our actions become our habits which become our character. By reassuring ourselves of who we are, or maybe better off saying who we WANT to be... we can then strive to be free of negative habits. The majority of historical events that may be seen as social injustice where done in groups.... therefore bad habits (in my opinion) are more likely to be create in a group setting. Created and then maybe reinforced individually. All in all, the saying "old habits die hard" reminds me that in any given situation, it is important to look at all aspects of decision making... the environment, the people involved, the consequences, the benefits, the overall act of participating.... The moment you critically think about a decision, and know in your head it is wrong... should be the moment you align your thoughts with your actions... Negative habits are formed when you allow your actions to control your thoughts and your thoughts have no say in your actions.
Think before you do, easier said than done but in the end, its easier than breaking a habit that could be created.
-Chrissy

We went over this poem in the class and i started to think abou the habit that I always do without noticing it. it is really interesting that people just do without thinking. Habit is really unconscious because we do not think about that seriously and we do not think what we are going to do or what we are going to say. It just comes out automatically. Our habit is usually learned because I learned many habit as I saw my parents or friends. As we interact with same people we tend to change like that person.

I should start off with saying that I hate politics. I realize a lot of people do, but I hate it so much that I am almost twenty and have yet to register to vote, and don't know if I can even vote for a president this fall. I feel too tugged and pulled on. I know it's my civic duty as a woman, and for that I am ashamed. But if anything, I think being black helped Obama win the election. I think money is the most dominant ideology in America. It reflects success and hard work. People respected a black man working so far up to even be in the election, that perhaps even when in doubt, they voted for him, perhaps wishing for a change after the unpleasantness the last few presidencies brought. However, do I think that some, especially those of the older generation, didn't vote for him because he's black? yes.There will always be racism. Against white. Black. Asian. There will always be sexism. Stereotypes. No one person will ever win everyone over for the very reason of how we look on paper. Obama won. America is obviously not dominantly against blacks.

I was always apprehensive to certain groups because I felt like they lived life as though issues about race just didn't exist. Just because I'm cordial with them, doesn't mean that I agree with everything they stand for. I tend to hang around people that share the same similar background as me because I can relate to them more. Sometimes, hanging around these certain individuals can make me upset sometimes because they are just oblivious to their surroundings. They tend to worry about trivial issues rather than the big picture. At my school, you see people who share similar ethnic backgrounds hanging with each other making the campus segregated. That's another bad habit that is difficult to break.

I do not believe there is any habits that a strong-minded and determined human-being cannot overcome. After questioning our thoughts, asking ourselves the reasons behind our certain actions, we then realize that they became our habits. It is basically all about finding new things about ourselves, getting to know ourselves. Without exaggeration, I know days that I smoked 2,5 packs of cigarettes a day. Then I started asking myself "When does my hand go to my pocket?" Then i realized, I was receiving power from it, i was not feeling lonely, I was relieving my stress, I was able to use my hand gestures more properly and confidently. After that searched for other things to receive power from and I stopped smoking in about a week. If we try to question ourselves and seek for the root of the problem that will be the time we get rid of our controllable habits. The more we realize about ourselves the more virtues we will add to our personalities and after one point this will teach us how to develop empathy almost whenever we interact with someone which will lead better relationships.