WEEK 12 CCU with Ms Brita

Worldview and review.

Hi everyone this week we are going to look a bit more at worldview and also review some other
topics. At any time, please put a question into our wa lesson. That way it will be more interactive
and more helpful for you.

Let's start with stereotypes.

A stereotype is what YOU (not someone on the internet!!!!! come on, give me a break, our CCU
class is not about internet....) thinks about a group of people. It is usually negative and usually not
completely correct. Stereotypes are not good because they make you dislike people before you
have ever even met them! Every time you hear or think or say a stereotype, I want you to analyze
it. Let me give you an example.

If you hear or think or say

'All Americans support same-sex marriage'
I want you to stop and ask yourself 'Really, what percentage of Americans support same-sex
marriage?'
The first thing you can do is some research by looking at USA government websites only, not
blogs!!!!!
And you find what percentage of USA population support, what percentage do not etc.
Here's what I found.

Public Religion Research Institute. April 9-20, 2019. N=1,100 adults

nationwide. Margin of error ± 3.5.

             
"Now, we would like to get your views on some issues that are being
discussed in the country today. Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose or
strongly oppose [see below]? ... What about [see below]?"

 
Strongly Strongly Unsure/
    favor Favor Oppose oppose Refused
    % % % % %
 
"Allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally"

4/9-20/19
  25 37 20 13 5

So, as you can see not all Americans favor same-sex marriage! It would also be interesting to find
statistics on actual numbers of same-sex marriages in USA. Or reasons for favoring or opposing
same-sex marriage. And so on.

Many, many topics can be researched this way.

'All Americans are atheists.' Find statistics about religious affiliation.

'All Americans eat junk food.' You need to make the question more specific. How many times a
week do Americans eat pizza or burgers not made at home?

'All Americans have sex before marriage'.

'All Americans wear sexy clothes'. (Define 'sexy' please).

'All Americans support gun ownership.' etc etc etc.

The second thing you can you do is talk about these topics in conversations or online chats with
Americans.
The way to do this, and not cause offense is to talk about yourself first.
For example:
I don't support same-sex marriage because my understanding from reading my holy book is that
God/Allah gave Eve to Adam. Marriage is between one man and one woman.......
Then wait and see how your American friend responds, or ask 'what do you think?'

All of the stereotypes above could be researched this way.

Worldview, again.

Last week we talked about how beliefs affect behavior, either consciously or unconsciously.
So, still on the same topic as above...
If you had two gay friends who were getting married, and you were invited to the wedding, would
you go? (why, why not?)
If you had two gay friends and they invited you to a birthday party, would you go?
(Think of some more questions).

The point is we do things for a REASON. These reasons are our norms, values and beliefs.

There are two ways to look at this.

1. Do I believe......? What behavior proves that.
Last week we looked at
Do I believe ghosts will harm me? My answer would be 'No' and the behavior 'I am not afraid to
walk through a cemetery at night to take a short-cut home'.

or

2. 'Why am I doing this particular behavior? What belief is related to this behavior?'
Taking the example above.
'Why am I walking through this cemetery but other people are not? Because I do not believe
ghosts will harm me.'
Now you try
belief ----- behavior
1. Do I believe men and women are equal?
2. Do I believe God/Allah loves me?
3. Do I believe the world is basically a bad place?
4. Do I believe children must always obey their parents?
5. (your idea)
6. (your idea)

Do not be surprised if you get different answers even for people from the same country. That is
because many countries are not homogenous (people mostly the same culture), but very
heterogenous. You did a lot of work in chapter one on the history of Great Britain, USA, India etc.
Very heterogenous. All through the history of many English-speaking countries different kinds of
people have moved there. Therefore there are many different opinions and beliefs and behaviors
as well.

Now, back to our book.

Be ready to share in our class this week, what new things have you learnt about yourself from
chapter 8.

Page 81. Let's each of us think about our life goals and aims.

Let's work through page 82 and 84.

Conscious and unconscious beliefs.

I want you to give your own example or your own question, one for each paragraph.

HW, finish the rest of chapter 8 by yourself, and do all the exercises in italics.