Thanks in advance for your help. For this assignment I did not actually interview anyone. I guess technically I was supposed to, but I just ran with it. Nothing written in the essay actually happened, so I guess it is fiction... I sort of just "freestyled" the essay... Probably not the best idea... and I'm not sure at all if what I've written will satisfy the professors request for me. Can you read over the assignment details, as well as my essay, and provide me with an answer to whether or not I should scrap this and craft a new essay based around the suggested questions and assignment details provided to me? Thanks again.
The professor says "Your interview questions should concentrate on people's values, beliefs, aspirations, perceptions of the world, and attitudes toward other generations and cultures."
Based on that, I'm pretty sure my essay is, not going to be satisfactory. It reads more like a narrative or something, I dunno... I can put the words together alright, but the various writing methods, structures, and terminology, not so much...
Basically I wanted to make sure my essay is trash before I toss it... So here I am.
I do have adequate time should I need to start all over... no big deal.
I'll include first the assignment information as provided by my professor. I'll close this message with my essay.
____
ow Different Generations of People Perceive the World
By: Kahrl Porkerbahn
Introduction to Intercultural Communication
Instructor Franco de la Jerry Garcia
August 27, 2010
To appease my youngest sons happy meal demands I have found myself eating at McDonald's on several occasions as of late. It was during one of these trips that I overheard some dialog between an older gentlemen and what I presumed to be his grandson. Granddad's cell phone had started to vibrate and the sound of Nokia's default ring-tone was blaring throughout the dining area. The man struggled to either turn the phone down or perhaps to simply answer the call. Obviously frustrated, he exclaimed,
"These darn things!", while tossing the phone back onto the table. At that moment the boy snatches the phone, answers it, and begins to have a conversation with an unknown party on the other end. I would wager a bet that although Granddad does not seem very tech-savvy, he is certainly knowledgeable in other areas. The grandson probably has no idea how to do some of the things that his grandfather can easily accomplish. The technology available to us, the culture we are accustomed to, the society in which we were raised, and the changes we face in our lifetime all play a huge role in how different generations of people perceive the world. I decided to research this a bit further by conducting interviews with two people from different age groups, hoping to gain insight about people from different generations. I wanted to ask them questions and see what differences in their perceptions of the world I might discover. Beginning with Jessica, age 28, who is employed as a secretary and the mother of a small child, I asked a standard set of questions and noted the responses:
What is important to you in your life?
Family...my son Jordan and seeing him get a good education and have positive role models in life. Meeting my goals and being successful, not just for my own personal gain but for my family's as well.
What is valuable?
An education...sense of family, caring about others.
How would you define success?
When you complete all your goals, feeling content in life...not just monetary success but completing and following through with all your personal goals.
What are the characteristics of a successful person?
Smart about a variety of subjects, having a sense of pride in your work, knowing what has failed in the past and working to change for the better to secure the future.
What types of changes have you seen in the past that have been either positive or negative? Briefly describe why you feel this way?
Positive changes in the past have been the increase of technology which has benefited the country as far as healthcare and just the general way we function in life. Negative changes have been the costs of living, everything has dramatically increased in price and Americans are suffering because of it, debt is out of control and the lack of jobs has increased as well...very negative.
How would you describe the relationship between the U.S. and the rest of the world (or one other country)?
It could be better, we are a wasteful country and could be doing more to help the rest of the world. Other countries view us a threat and we as well view other countries as a threat I believe.
What changes (if any) would you like to see take place in the next decade? Do you expect these changes to occur?
More jobs, and for the cost of living to decrease. Not sure if I see these changes occurring, right now I feel pessimistic about the health of the country due to the national debt and economy.
How would you describe relations between culturally different groups in the U.S.?
Have they improved or worsened?
I think they have worsened in a lot of ways...Americans see culturally different groups as a threat to their jobs and security.
What might account for any frustration that might be felt regarding changes in the U.S. and abroad?
Badly ran government and world leaders not communicating well, lack of jobs, gas prices, higher costs of living, not enough resources for everyone .
Have changes taken place in the U.S. and/or around the world that you are pleased with or that frustrate, anger, or sadden you?
Not really pleased with any changes currently, I feel frustrated because I feel like the government has not really made any positive changes lately. We are so in debt its hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am angry because it is very hard for the average person to get ahead in life. It seems like you have to have money to make ney and its hard for people with good ideas to make any real changes. But also I look at how much the US takes for granted, when compared to other countries we really do have it good in comparison to many third world countries and it reminds myself to be grateful for what we do have even though at times it feels like its not much.
How can we account for any differences between generations with regard to perceptions about intercultural or personal relations?
Every generation is going to feel differently about different cultures based upon how they were raised and what they were taught. I think people my age are more acceptable with other cultures. The older generation has seen a lot more than I have seen and may feel strongly about acceptance of other cultures. It certainly seems that way when I have talked to people older than me.
After speaking with Jessica, I was left with the impression that she cares a great deal about her family and I'm inclined to think that this is something that people of all generations can relate to. On the other hand, her views toward the United States and how other countries view our government struck me as bold, and I would assume that other people may not feel as strongly about this as she does. Eager to see what discrepancies may exist in the responses of someone who was raised in a different generation than Jessica, I met with John, age 58, who works in the medical field and is married with several children. I asked John the same questions I had asked Jessica, noting his responses:
What is important to you in your life?
Family is very important to me. Also being able to provide for them and to see them happy.
What is valuable?
My health is valuable. As I've gotten older it has become more and more important.
How would you define success?
Success is the achievement of goals and accomplishments.
What are the characteristics of a successful person?
I think a successful person works very hard to achieve success.
What types of changes have you seen in the past that have been either positive or negative? Briefly describe why you feel this way?
When I was in younger, kids were disciplined. Today it seems like children are never punished or held responsible for their actions, and I think this will have a negative effect on them later in life.
How would you describe the relationship between the U.S. and the rest of the world (or one other country)?
I think we are trying to help other countries who might not have the same freedoms that we have here in the United States.
What changes (if any) would you like to see take place in the next decade? Do you expect these changes to occur?
I would like to see universal healthcare for all Americans. I do expect this change to occur and I think it will be great for our country.
How would you describe relations between culturally different groups in the U.S.?
Have they improved or worsened?
They have improved greatly in my lifetime. I can remember when there was much more racism than there is today.
What might account for any frustration that might be felt regarding changes in the U.S. and abroad?
People are set in their ways and it is hard for them to accept changes.
Have changes taken place in the U.S. and/or around the world that you are pleased with or that frustrate, anger, or sadden you?
It frustrates me that the price of gas has risen to such heights.
How can we account for any differences between generations with regard to perceptions about intercultural or personal relations?
I think what I said before about people being set in their ways applies here as well.
It seems I was correct in assuming that family would be very important to people of all generations, as Jessica and John both mentioned this as being important in their lives. Also, responses to questions regarding values and characteristics of success seemed to match up. A sense of pride in taking care of the family by working hard and being successful was evident in both interviews, as it should. These are things that do not change much from generation to generation, and unless a drastic shift in the values
of our society takes place, I do not suspect that this will change anytime soon.
However, there were differences in the responses, specifically when I asked about relationship between the U.S. and the rest of the world. John said "I think we are trying to help other countries who might not have the same freedoms that we have here in the United States.", while Jessica offered an alternative take on things by stating "Other countries view us a threat and we as well view other countries as a threat I believe." While both of these perceptions could be accurate, I think that the generation gap is a factor in the tone of the response. Someone reading John's response may think of the U.S. as a knight in shining armor, saving the world from terror. However, it could also be interpreted that this is a notion of our government forcing policies and traditions upon other countries who may not wish for this to occur. Maybe these countries are proud of their heritage of hating freedom, hating the United States, or slaughtering cute puppies if that their custom. Jessica is obviously aware of the possibility of this scenario as she expressed that other countries may view such an encroachment on another culture's tradition as a threat. This relates to changes that have occurred over
generations. It is easy to imagine that John was raised during a time when communication between cultures was not so prevalent. In Jessica's timeline, we have the rise of the Internet which signaled an increase in communication between cultures.
Jessica can simply turn off Fox News and go to the Al-Jazeera website to view the opinions of people who may be having their culture and traditions threatened, all in real-time. John, on the other hand, could have been influenced by propoganda during the Vietnam war, a time when getting the opinions of an enemy's public was not as readily available as it is today. This demonstrates a change between generations and how that change may effect the perception people have of the world around them.
In closing, I feel that some things never change, such as the importance of family and being able to provide financial support. These values are so engrained in our society that it would take drastic change for them to be erased. However, there are differences in how the various generations of people perceive the world they live in. These differences can come about due to advancement of technology, the actions of governments, the values of society, and many other factors. I can imagine the grandfather from our happy meal outing having a hard time composing and sending an email. Not because he lacks the intelligence to figure it out, but because it may just be more convenient for him to send his correspondence the old fashioned way; through the postal service.
The professor says "Your interview questions should concentrate on people's values, beliefs, aspirations, perceptions of the world, and attitudes toward other generations and cultures."
Based on that, I'm pretty sure my essay is, not going to be satisfactory. It reads more like a narrative or something, I dunno... I can put the words together alright, but the various writing methods, structures, and terminology, not so much...
Basically I wanted to make sure my essay is trash before I toss it... So here I am.
I do have adequate time should I need to start all over... no big deal.
I'll include first the assignment information as provided by my professor. I'll close this message with my essay.
____
ow Different Generations of People Perceive the World
By: Kahrl Porkerbahn
Introduction to Intercultural Communication
Instructor Franco de la Jerry Garcia
August 27, 2010
To appease my youngest sons happy meal demands I have found myself eating at McDonald's on several occasions as of late. It was during one of these trips that I overheard some dialog between an older gentlemen and what I presumed to be his grandson. Granddad's cell phone had started to vibrate and the sound of Nokia's default ring-tone was blaring throughout the dining area. The man struggled to either turn the phone down or perhaps to simply answer the call. Obviously frustrated, he exclaimed,
"These darn things!", while tossing the phone back onto the table. At that moment the boy snatches the phone, answers it, and begins to have a conversation with an unknown party on the other end. I would wager a bet that although Granddad does not seem very tech-savvy, he is certainly knowledgeable in other areas. The grandson probably has no idea how to do some of the things that his grandfather can easily accomplish. The technology available to us, the culture we are accustomed to, the society in which we were raised, and the changes we face in our lifetime all play a huge role in how different generations of people perceive the world. I decided to research this a bit further by conducting interviews with two people from different age groups, hoping to gain insight about people from different generations. I wanted to ask them questions and see what differences in their perceptions of the world I might discover. Beginning with Jessica, age 28, who is employed as a secretary and the mother of a small child, I asked a standard set of questions and noted the responses:
What is important to you in your life?
Family...my son Jordan and seeing him get a good education and have positive role models in life. Meeting my goals and being successful, not just for my own personal gain but for my family's as well.
What is valuable?
An education...sense of family, caring about others.
How would you define success?
When you complete all your goals, feeling content in life...not just monetary success but completing and following through with all your personal goals.
What are the characteristics of a successful person?
Smart about a variety of subjects, having a sense of pride in your work, knowing what has failed in the past and working to change for the better to secure the future.
What types of changes have you seen in the past that have been either positive or negative? Briefly describe why you feel this way?
Positive changes in the past have been the increase of technology which has benefited the country as far as healthcare and just the general way we function in life. Negative changes have been the costs of living, everything has dramatically increased in price and Americans are suffering because of it, debt is out of control and the lack of jobs has increased as well...very negative.
How would you describe the relationship between the U.S. and the rest of the world (or one other country)?
It could be better, we are a wasteful country and could be doing more to help the rest of the world. Other countries view us a threat and we as well view other countries as a threat I believe.
What changes (if any) would you like to see take place in the next decade? Do you expect these changes to occur?
More jobs, and for the cost of living to decrease. Not sure if I see these changes occurring, right now I feel pessimistic about the health of the country due to the national debt and economy.
How would you describe relations between culturally different groups in the U.S.?
Have they improved or worsened?
I think they have worsened in a lot of ways...Americans see culturally different groups as a threat to their jobs and security.
What might account for any frustration that might be felt regarding changes in the U.S. and abroad?
Badly ran government and world leaders not communicating well, lack of jobs, gas prices, higher costs of living, not enough resources for everyone .
Have changes taken place in the U.S. and/or around the world that you are pleased with or that frustrate, anger, or sadden you?
Not really pleased with any changes currently, I feel frustrated because I feel like the government has not really made any positive changes lately. We are so in debt its hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am angry because it is very hard for the average person to get ahead in life. It seems like you have to have money to make ney and its hard for people with good ideas to make any real changes. But also I look at how much the US takes for granted, when compared to other countries we really do have it good in comparison to many third world countries and it reminds myself to be grateful for what we do have even though at times it feels like its not much.
How can we account for any differences between generations with regard to perceptions about intercultural or personal relations?
Every generation is going to feel differently about different cultures based upon how they were raised and what they were taught. I think people my age are more acceptable with other cultures. The older generation has seen a lot more than I have seen and may feel strongly about acceptance of other cultures. It certainly seems that way when I have talked to people older than me.
After speaking with Jessica, I was left with the impression that she cares a great deal about her family and I'm inclined to think that this is something that people of all generations can relate to. On the other hand, her views toward the United States and how other countries view our government struck me as bold, and I would assume that other people may not feel as strongly about this as she does. Eager to see what discrepancies may exist in the responses of someone who was raised in a different generation than Jessica, I met with John, age 58, who works in the medical field and is married with several children. I asked John the same questions I had asked Jessica, noting his responses:
What is important to you in your life?
Family is very important to me. Also being able to provide for them and to see them happy.
What is valuable?
My health is valuable. As I've gotten older it has become more and more important.
How would you define success?
Success is the achievement of goals and accomplishments.
What are the characteristics of a successful person?
I think a successful person works very hard to achieve success.
What types of changes have you seen in the past that have been either positive or negative? Briefly describe why you feel this way?
When I was in younger, kids were disciplined. Today it seems like children are never punished or held responsible for their actions, and I think this will have a negative effect on them later in life.
How would you describe the relationship between the U.S. and the rest of the world (or one other country)?
I think we are trying to help other countries who might not have the same freedoms that we have here in the United States.
What changes (if any) would you like to see take place in the next decade? Do you expect these changes to occur?
I would like to see universal healthcare for all Americans. I do expect this change to occur and I think it will be great for our country.
How would you describe relations between culturally different groups in the U.S.?
Have they improved or worsened?
They have improved greatly in my lifetime. I can remember when there was much more racism than there is today.
What might account for any frustration that might be felt regarding changes in the U.S. and abroad?
People are set in their ways and it is hard for them to accept changes.
Have changes taken place in the U.S. and/or around the world that you are pleased with or that frustrate, anger, or sadden you?
It frustrates me that the price of gas has risen to such heights.
How can we account for any differences between generations with regard to perceptions about intercultural or personal relations?
I think what I said before about people being set in their ways applies here as well.
It seems I was correct in assuming that family would be very important to people of all generations, as Jessica and John both mentioned this as being important in their lives. Also, responses to questions regarding values and characteristics of success seemed to match up. A sense of pride in taking care of the family by working hard and being successful was evident in both interviews, as it should. These are things that do not change much from generation to generation, and unless a drastic shift in the values
of our society takes place, I do not suspect that this will change anytime soon.
However, there were differences in the responses, specifically when I asked about relationship between the U.S. and the rest of the world. John said "I think we are trying to help other countries who might not have the same freedoms that we have here in the United States.", while Jessica offered an alternative take on things by stating "Other countries view us a threat and we as well view other countries as a threat I believe." While both of these perceptions could be accurate, I think that the generation gap is a factor in the tone of the response. Someone reading John's response may think of the U.S. as a knight in shining armor, saving the world from terror. However, it could also be interpreted that this is a notion of our government forcing policies and traditions upon other countries who may not wish for this to occur. Maybe these countries are proud of their heritage of hating freedom, hating the United States, or slaughtering cute puppies if that their custom. Jessica is obviously aware of the possibility of this scenario as she expressed that other countries may view such an encroachment on another culture's tradition as a threat. This relates to changes that have occurred over
generations. It is easy to imagine that John was raised during a time when communication between cultures was not so prevalent. In Jessica's timeline, we have the rise of the Internet which signaled an increase in communication between cultures.
Jessica can simply turn off Fox News and go to the Al-Jazeera website to view the opinions of people who may be having their culture and traditions threatened, all in real-time. John, on the other hand, could have been influenced by propoganda during the Vietnam war, a time when getting the opinions of an enemy's public was not as readily available as it is today. This demonstrates a change between generations and how that change may effect the perception people have of the world around them.
In closing, I feel that some things never change, such as the importance of family and being able to provide financial support. These values are so engrained in our society that it would take drastic change for them to be erased. However, there are differences in how the various generations of people perceive the world they live in. These differences can come about due to advancement of technology, the actions of governments, the values of society, and many other factors. I can imagine the grandfather from our happy meal outing having a hard time composing and sending an email. Not because he lacks the intelligence to figure it out, but because it may just be more convenient for him to send his correspondence the old fashioned way; through the postal service.