- A taboo is something that is not acceptable in social circumstances; for example, calling an infant “ugly.” But why is this so? Why is it more socially acceptable to call an adult “ugly,” but not an infant? (Note: when I refer to calling a kid "ugly", that doesn't necessarily mean to his face, rather I mean describing him as such, even if it is thinking it.)
- In the study Bakalar was describing, it clearly states that some parents left their “ugly” babies unattended in the cart, or would let “ugly” children wander off. If the reporter isn’t calling these parents “bad,” then what is Bakalar saying about this particular situation?
- Do you agree with Dr. Harrell when he states that, “…There are a lot of things that make a person more valuable, and physical attractiveness may be one of them”? Explain.
- Select a portion of text you feel is significant in some way. Explain it and why it is significant.
- Respond to another student's comment in some way. Keep responses academic in nature!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Ugly Kids Get Parental Short Shrift
Discuss the following in regard to "Ugly Children Get Parental Short Shrift":
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1. It may not be nice to call anyone ugly but unfortunately we do. Adults are more likely to be called ugly and be judged based on appearance because they are already fully grown. By the time they are 18 years old their body and physical appearance has grown and reached its limit. So if they are just seriously unattractive then that’s a lost cause. As far as children go we do not call them ugly because of the fact that we consider them still babies. They haven't grown yet. So the uni-brow on an adult may not be as cute as the uni-brow on a baby.
ReplyDeleteNatasha
Natasha: I love a nice uni-brow! Interesting observation-- it seems like we are willing to give kids the benefit of the doubt until they are 18, then we can be sure they are indeed "ugly".
ReplyDeleteJust as a note, when I refer to calling a kid "ugly", that doesn't necessarily mean to his face, rather I mean describing him as such, even if it is thinking it.
Question #1:
ReplyDeleteIn my personal opinion I believe it's "socially acceptable" to call another adult ugly because they are able to the criticism, even if it's not constructive. As for an infant, they aren't able to defend themselves, nor do they have the ability to even understand the definition of "ugly". Which of course to everyone, it has a different meaning with the same bases.
Maricela
Maricela: So it's a matter of picking someone one's own size, in a way? What if they are not saying it to the kid's face, but thinking it?
ReplyDeleteQuestion #2:
ReplyDeleteWhat Bakalar is saying to his readers is that parent's are bad beings but rather more distracted depending on the circumstance. I believe he's speaking on the general population with no research on the family's backround. The parent in this observation is clearly going to pay more attention to buying the produce, so all his conclusions, in my opinion, have no substance.
Maricela
Question #3:
ReplyDeleteI do agree with his statement. Unfornately, we live in a society where physcial beauty plays a big role in our day to day life. To superifical people, being attractive is everything. Others may place it as secondary. In job interviews for example, chances are they will hire the more attractive person because it will make their company "look good". Is all of this wrong? Absolutely.
Maricela
1. I personally don’t think is nice to call anyone ugly but at a point we all have or do. More likely we call adults ugly because of their appearance and because they are already grown, with babies is different because in some way people find babies cute and they haven’t grow much to change their appearance so that we think is ugly so we still find them some how cute.
ReplyDeleteOrquidiaR
Adriana: I noticed that you commented that all babies are beautiful. I agree, but I wonder what is it that makes them so? Is it the physical characteristics or is there something else? Please explain!!
ReplyDeleteMaricela: Remember: we have only read the infomation in the article, not the actual study. The article certainly leaves us with more questions than it answers.
ReplyDeleteA.Ferrante: It's the physical characteristics that makes them cute. The way they behave and act.
ReplyDeleteAdriana
1. The reason that is it is not acceptable to call an Infant "ugly"in our social circumstances is very simple it is not ok, we can hurt their feelings.This infants can grow with a low self steem.We or people in general may get in trouble with the parents of this infants if we call them "uglies'.But if we call an adult "ugly" it is not as bad as with infants, grown up manage more their emotions and are more secure of them selfs than an infant also adult may see that as a joke or they can event ignore people that may call them "ugly".
ReplyDelete2. What he is trying to state is his own opinion.Because that was his observation but we don't really know if this is true.His study is very clear he sow parents with ugly kids.He stared this research from his point of view only.
3. I don't agree with Dr.Harrelbecause i don't think physical appareance can make people more valuable than others. There is many other things that make people more valuable. We should never use physical attractivness to make people valuable.This can really hurt people feelings and make them feel less valuable bucase they are not as attractive as others.there is many other good things that makes people be very valuable
1. The reason that is it is not acceptable to call an Infant "ugly"in our social circumstances is very simple it is not ok, we can hurt their feelings.This infants can grow with a low self steem.We or people in general may get in trouble with the parents of this infants if we call them "uglies'.But if we call an adult "ugly" it is not as bad as with infants, grown up manage more their emotions and are more secure of them selfs than an infant also adult may see that as a joke or they can event ignore people that may call them "ugly".
ReplyDelete2. What he is trying to state is his own opinion.Because that was his observation but we don't really know if this is true.His study is very clear he sow parents with ugly kids.He stared this research from his point of view only.
3. I don't agree with Dr.Harrelbecause i don't think physical appareance can make people more valuable than others. There is many other things that make people more valuable. We should never use physical attractivness to make people valuable.This can really hurt people feelings and make them feel less valuable bucase they are not as attractive as others.there is many other good things that makes people be very valuable
I guess it’s more socially acceptable because people assume an adult can handle a response than an infant can? As an adult many people feel that making a statement towards and adult is easier than an infant. I personally disagree with anyone judging people on looks. It’s important how a person carries themselves rather than looks, just my option. My mother always told me that having a healthy is significant than looks. Depending on the approach of an adult I would judge them rather than looks.
ReplyDeleteMayra
The statement Mr. Bakalar is making would be parents simply are not caring about a child who’s ugly. Parents are paying less attention to a child base on looks. It doesn’t make sense to me what he stating base on an observation. This research could use more in depth research to see if this statement is true. My option would be parents are very busy with everyday life and could be easily distracted especially in a supermarket.
ReplyDeleteMayra
3.Yes I agree with Dr. Harrell statement there are so much more to a person then. Look. To how a person dress and carry themselves. A person attitude towards people also makes a difference I believe many people and companies today would hire base on appearance instead of experience. Society still looks at appearance and physical looks before we base it on intelligent or knowledge.
ReplyDeleteMayra
4.Reading this article I knew I wasn’t going to agree with the observation. As a mother of two there’s no way I will ignore any of my children because of their looks. Mothers tend to love their children regardless of physical appearance. Sometimes we do get very busy and distracted with everyday life, especially in a supermarket when you just want to pick-up what you need and run. Shopping at my local supermarket I see parents of all different ages tend to be so over protective of their children whether is yelling for the child to stay near or have them in carts. Looks definitely isn’t one of them!
ReplyDeleteMayra
5.I read all the comments and I agree with everyone. As an adult we learn and know not to call a child ugly. Growing up as a child my mother told me to keep my option to myself if it was going to hurt someone’s feelings. My mother said “if a child was born healthy that all it matter”. Another thing my mother told me that an ugly duckling grow-up and becomes a beautiful swan. So never base things on looks because it does change with time and age.
ReplyDeleteMayra
4. I selec the text portion where Dr.W.Harrel say pretty children, represent the best genetic legacy, and therefore they get more care. Why did I choose this text portion is because I don't thing this is true because parents for nature love their children no matter what.I am a mother of a 8 years old and I haven't thought about his fisical appareance I just love him the way he is, for me he is the best and the cutest boy of all.
ReplyDeleteGisela R
1. An infant has not done anything for you to call it ugly. They are just babies. How can u even have the heart to call a child ugly? They mean absolutely no harm and have not done anything for you to be calling them ugly. An adult is different. There is always love and hate going on. So anyone can hate another person and call them ugly due to the fact that there are always having problems going on among them.
ReplyDeleteFarheen abbasi
2. The reporter isn't calling the parents bad but the adults are the one that make the choice whether to give more attention to the prettier babies then the ugly ones.Its like if the parents feel more proud of having the pretty babies.Sometimes the parents don't notice the different attention they give to their children.Parents will be more secure with their pretty babies and let the ugly babies do basically whatever they want.
ReplyDeleteFrancheska Badia
3. I do agree with Dr. Harrell state.The physical attractiveness makes a person more valuable now in days.The looks is what people these are mostly paying attention to.If you have the money you can also have the looks.In some places the way you look makes you get the things you may want at the moment.It also makes you more sociable and have the time of your life.
ReplyDeleteFrancheska Badia
4. A portion of the text that i feel is significant in some way is Dr.Harrel said the importance of physical attractiveness "cuts across socail class, income and education.It is very important now in days because everything is based on looks.You may get a better job or have more freinds depeding on the way you look.It can be very hard for people that may not have the looks because they might have to work twice as hard to be noticeable and for people to treat them the same way as pretty people.Its very hard now to accomplish your goals when your being judged on something that really doesn't matter.What should matter is the way you present yourself as a person and the good qualities you may have to offer someone.
ReplyDeleteFrancheska Badia
5. During our discussin in class one of my classmates stated that it wouldve been a better idea to observe how adults treat their children in a different enviorment like a playground instead of a supermarket.I think that's a good idea because in a supermarket parents are too busy deciding what to buy and might not pay full attention to their child.In a playground adults are more focused on what their child is doing.This way adults aren't being distracted and have full focus on their child.This study can give a better response on how adults treat their children and what the reason might be.
ReplyDeleteFrancheska Badia
In the study Bakalar was describing how parents leave their "ugly" kids unattended and let them wander off where ever they want. He is basically saying his own opinion. It's not like parents judge their own child. at least thats what I think. The parents are in a supermarket, their intension of being there is to pick up the things that they want to buy. They are not there to play with their kids. obviously they will make sure that nothing happens to them but they deffinetly don't judge their kids as parents.
ReplyDeleteFarheen Abbasi
2. In the study Bakalar was describing how parents leave their "ugly" kids unattended and let them wander off where ever they want. He is basically saying his own opinion. It's not like parents judge their own child. at least thats what I think. The parents are in a supermarket, their intension of being there is to pick up the things that they want to buy. They are not there to play with their kids. obviously they will make sure that nothing happens to them but they deffinetly don't judge their kids as parents.
ReplyDeleteFarheen Abbasi
3. I totally agree with Dr. Harrell due to the following reasons. Now in days people judge each other according to how they look. Physical attractiveness is really valuable. Thats what everyone looks for. People always tend to judge a book by it's cover even though its not right. but that's natural for humans.
ReplyDelete3. I totally agree with Dr. Harrell due to the following reasons. Now in days people judge each other according to how they look. Physical attractiveness is really valuable. Thats what everyone looks for. People always tend to judge a book by it's cover even though its not right. but that's natural for humans.
ReplyDeleteFarheen Abbasi
Mayra I agree with you on your answer for #4.
ReplyDeleteI am also desagree with this research. I am a mother too my son is 8 years old and as you say, that you won't ignore your children because of their looks, well me too I will never love my son because of his looks. And I am very sure that all parents also love their children regardless of physical appearance, as a parents we love ours children that way they are and we don't care about the physical appearance.
Gisela R
4. Homely children were also more often out of their sight of their parents, and they were more often allowed to wander more thatn 10 feet away. Even though kids hav parents and family, they still tend to wander aroungd for some sreason. It's not like the parents let them go on purpose. They are just kids and they need to have their fun. Even though kids get out of sight they are still being cared for.
ReplyDeleteFarheen Abbasi
5. One of my classmates said that a supermarket is not the right place to do the survey. That's where parents go for shopping, not for taking care of kids. Of course they will make sure that are safe and with them but a supermarket is not the place where parents give all their attention to their children. A perfect place to do the survey is a playground. That where parents are actually paying their full mind to their children. They take them their for the kids to have fun and enjoy.
ReplyDeleteFarheen Abbasi
2)Bakalar isn't calling these parents "bad" because this was only his observations .The report says that the younger parents were more likely to buckle their children into the seat. While older adults , in contrast were inclined to let children wander out of sight but this was just his observation. It can also be that the more experienced you are. You let your children wander off and not necessarily you are a bad parent for letting them wander off. Parents need some time to relax.
ReplyDeleteSulma Vasquez
3)Yes, I do agree that there are a lot of things that make a person more valuable and physical attractiveness may be one of them. Now a days people only go for looks. For example when you on a interview, the interviewer picks the one that looks better. Many people only hire people that are good looking. People that are attractive sometimes get treated better than ones that aren't.
ReplyDeleteSulma Vasquez
4) "Wealthier parents can feed, clothe and take care of their children better due to greater resources". This is significant because the people that have a good income they can dress their children better so the children would have a good appearance . There is a quote that says "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." People judge according to your social class and depending on how much you have then that is how pretty you are.
ReplyDeleteIn class a classmate said that parents usually don't notice that they have preference for their prettier children .Many parents treat their pretty children better. I also have seen that some parents protect their not so good looking kids more than the ones that are pretty because they believe that the one that is pretty is going to have an easy life. So they focus more on helping the one that they think is going to have a hard time.
ReplyDeleteCalling an infant ugly is not acceptable in our social circumstances. The reason why is because they are just innocent babies that still haven't grown enough to be judge and it shouldn't be either way. Also we never know if the baby was born with a birth defeat and we can hurt the parents and child feelings. Babies shouldn't be judge at all in any way. Calling an adult ugly is more common now a days because people just don't care anymore or simply take it as a joke and walk away. Nobody should be called ugly specially babies and who ever does it and even just by thinking about it, it proves they don't have a heart.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Vital
2) In Bakalar studies he describes that parents left their ugly babies unattended in the cart and would let them wonder around. What Bakalar is trying to say is that their not bad parents but irresponsible. The parents he observe at the supermarket were more focus on what they were going to purchase instead of the ugly babies as Bakalar calls them. But this is just Bakalar point of view and what made me think in this particular situation is that they were irresponsible parents at the moment.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Vital
3) I do agree with Dr.Harell when he stated that "There are a lot of things that make a person more valuable, and physical attractiveness may be one of them." The reason why I agree is because a person can have all the potential, be smart, and a hard worker even though if the person is ugly or cute. Like Dr.Harell said physical attractiveness may be one of them but whats more valuable is how the person is to other and whats capable to do for good.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Vital
4) The text I feel is significant in some way is when Dr. W.Andrew Harell says " ... pretty children represent the best genetic legacy and therefore they get more care." What he said might sound right for certain people but in my opinion I totally disagree. Any child can still represent the best genetic legacy and get well cared. For me theres no ugly children. I'm soon going to be a mom for the first time and no matter how my child looks like, I will still love him with all my heart. My son will represent absolute everything even though if people might think his not that cute. So either if he is ugly or cute himself and other children out there can still represent genetic legacy and be taken care very good no matter what. My baby boy will always be loved no matter his physical appearance.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Vital
5) As I read what my classmates answers where to the questions we were ask to answer I realize that some of them agree with my opinion I had mention at class. Which was that a supermarket wasn't a great place to observe parents with their children. Any parents can easily get distracted at a supermarket to what they are going to purchase and don't really pay attention to there children like they would do at a playground. A better place to do this observation is at a playground where children will get all the attention they need by there parents. If the researchers do there observations at a playground they will have better results.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Vital
2)Bakalar isn't calling these parents "bad" because this was only his observations that he did on the supermarket. It says that they let the ugly kids wanderoff and parents didn't care. He doesn't know what was really happening.By them let children wander off doesn't mean they are bad.Parents don't always have to be watching the kid.
ReplyDeleteAdriana
3) I don't agree with Dr.Harrel because i don't think physical appareance can make people more valuable than others. There is many things things that can make a person valuable. We should never use physical attractivness to make people valuable. But there are times when they do look at that like to hire you to a job. They want to see a pretty face and skinny. This hurts peoples feelings.
ReplyDeleteAdriana
4) When they said that they took better care of the children by the way they look. For me this is not right. If I had children I will love and take care of them the same. They are my children and there shouldn't be a difference.
ReplyDeleteAdriana
5)I like what elizabeth said that the supermarket was not a good place to observe parents and their children. They don't know what is really happening.
ReplyDeleteAdriana