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 People Like Us 
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We have been watching this movie for several class periods and I have seen many shocking and sometimes funny moments. One that I thought was shocking was when the upper class people were going into the “diveâ€

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Tracy Gardo


Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:56 pm
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I agree that some of the scenes in the video were really funny; but others were just sad. The way that people were so judgmental of others really made me hurt for them, no matter what social class they were from. One scene in particular that bothered me was at the "Hon Fest" when the man basically implied people were there to ridicule the rituals of blue-collar life.

With videos like this, I always wonder how much is scripted...

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Kimberly Smith

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Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:47 pm
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Hey Tracy,
Yes, I agree with everything you're saying. I was particularly appalled by the high school girl. She just seemed ignorant and ditzy. It really makes Caucasians look bad when others see her acting the way she does and saying the things she says. I mean, yes, most people do make their first impression of someone by their outward appearance, but it does not mean that we have to promote it by acting like it's ok. I also felt the same way as you about the people going to the "dive" bar. I felt they were only there to make fun of those who regularly go there. It seemed like these people fell for the trick and fed them what they wanted to hear. The WASPS guy was extremely rude. He said so many mean things about lower and middle class people. So what if you don't have a part in your hair? That was one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. He seemed out of touch with reality and only concerned with helping further himself, and people of his status, along. The interview with the groups of people at Anderson High School was very interesting to me as well. I believe that each group spoke some truth but were also very biased and prejudice. I really liked when the girl came by the group of three guys who were bashing them and stood up for herself and her group. I believe this took courage to promote understanding of why she, and others like her, act the way they do. I was also very offended by the girls at the picnic table who were bashing the "whites" or the "preps." Yes, as we saw in the video, some people do act that way, but some of their group (the minorities) act the same way that the whites were talking about them acting. Until we can confess that some social or cultural things hold true for certain groups, then we cannot move past this racial/class issue. We also must realize that not all Caucasians, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, etc. act the same, and prejudices from one person do not hold up for everyone. I also felt extremely saddened watching the lady and her sons from Ohio. I feel like she wants to be more than just "trailer trash" (which is a phrase I dislike) and so does her son. However, they are dealing with it in different ways because of the opportunities that arise for them. The son has school to provide him with opportunities, but the mom feels stuck in the "work, work, work with no real return" cycle. It has always hurt me to know that people in America live in situations like this, and it makes me want to do more to help them.

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Heather Holland Crow


Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:48 pm
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I have also really enjoyed watching the video, People Like Us, because it has brought about some interesting issues that will be probable sources of conflict in our own classrooms. I also thought it was interesting that the upperclass kids went into the dive bar. I agree, Tracy (I think it was you) that was talking about how it seemed like they were simply making fun of the locals. I also thought that. I thought that they gave the impression that they were too good to be in the local bar and that they were there merely for some sport. I feel that this could definitely be an issue in the classroom with upperclass children poking fun at the others, if all of the children are not from the same background.
I also thought the festival in which some of the Bostonians made fun of the blue collar people was very interesting. It was quite comical to me that the locals found it so much fun to make fun of those above them. I guess it goes to show that each class has it's reservations and resentments about other classes.

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Anna F. Gay


Tue Sep 23, 2008 9:43 pm
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I have also really enjoyed watching the People Like Us video. Just like Tracy, I found a lot of the moments funny. Sometimes, you wonder how people can really be like that (mostly the more wealthy). I found one of the stories about the woman and her sons who lived in Ohio to be very interesting. She was the one who was extremely poor and showcased her trailer for the video. I thought it was really intriguing that her son wanted so badly to pretend like he was not apart of his mom's lifestyle. He said he was embarrassed by her and her "Burger King" outfit. I found it even more interesting/disturbing that the mother thought that she was fine where she was at financially working at Burger Kind. My heart goes out to people like that, because you wonder, can they get out of that rut? Sometimes, I think it's really out of their control.

I was also really disturbed (I guess you could say) when the man that was a WASP was speaking. The percentage of people who live in that kind of high class society is so small, and you wonder if those people sometimes just need a reality check. Being that rich and that stuck up is not in the "norm". I think it's a little sad that the high class people think they are so much better than people who work just as hard and haven't inherited their wealth or their "name" (like the Rockefeller's or the "Hilton's").

I also really enjoyed the section on the people of rural Appalachia. Even though I can't really relate, I can see how people can be so deeply embedded in their way of life that they can't even think of changing. Another example of that was all of the "rednecks" at the mud wrestling. They love their way of life, they love the people, and they see no reason for change when they have everything that they really want. In my opinion, I feel like simple people like that are the most honest and hard working people.

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Paige Kathleen Colbath


Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:56 pm
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I have to agree with everyone else, I have enjoyed watching the video “People Like Us.â€


Wed Sep 24, 2008 6:25 pm
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I have enjoyed, I think like everyone else who has responded thus far, watching this movie. Yes there are definitely some funny parts, but there are many more parts that, I guess you could say, "push my buttons." I'm not really going to get into all of those, because there are quite a few, but I am going to agree with Paige about the whole WASPS guy and their "group" needing a reality check because their behavior is DEFINITELY not the "norm," as Paige said. During the last class when the WASPS guy came on, I seriously did not listen to what he said after the part where he was talking about the heavier material of clothing. I was just completely bewildered about that and just got caught on that one part. I was wanting to have the taped re-wound so I could hear the other things he was saying, but that didn't happen (oh well). Someone said, after what the guy said about the clothing, that "isn't tweed a heavy material?" I think it is... so doesn't that mean that the people who wear tweed are in the same position as the "other" people (according to this guy)??

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Kelly York


Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:41 pm
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I've found this movie to be so interesting because not only is it sad in some parts but it's just a way of life that has been going on since the beginning of time. Stereotyping and judging are almost a way of thinking that almost feels innate. I mean, who doesn't want to feel proud of where they came from? And the thing about America is that if you're not proud, then you can "change" to who you want to be if you try hard enough. It's insane! I think it's because of this that I've found humor in almost every portion of this movie.
As for me, it's harder for me to relate to those like the WASPS. Like a man pointed out in the video, I am one of those people who views extreme wealth as a sort of "sin"(for lack of a better word). I've always felt that if you're blessed to have more money then it's best to invest it in those that aren't as lucky as you. Because $250 skirts, pants, shirts, etc. are NOT a necessity. I enjoyed relating to the rural Appalachia people in the video. The banjo music, and deep roots in where you came from are of a large importance. I simply feel that if you're at the financial area in your life where you can live day to day with no worries of having your essential needs (being food, shelter, clothing, water, etc.) and you're content with where you are in the "social" scheme of things, then why not? NO ONE has the right to judge or try to convince you to change who you are or your beliefs for their way of thinking.
Although, I would be curious to see another movie similar to this made now rather than in the 90's. I've wondered, and I'm open to response, if we have made our "gaps" and social classes larger (diverse) or not? So many political, social, technological, economical, etc. changes have occured since then.

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Kristen Bumgarner


Wed Sep 24, 2008 9:02 pm
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In response to Kristen's question of how things might have changed between social classes since the 90's to today, I'm not sure at all on statistics, but my bets are that things are about the same. Social class has been an issue in most societies forever. It's most obvious in things like the caste system, but if you look back through just American history, social classes have been just as prominent as they were in the 90's. This history makes me think that it's probably the same or an even larger gap between the rich and the poor. You know the old saying, "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer" is so unfortunately true in a capitalistic society. Sadly, I honestly don't think we'll ever get away from social classes.

I truly agree with Kristen when she says, "I simply feel that if you're at the financial area in your life where you can live day to day with no worries of having your essential needs (being food, shelter, clothing, water, etc.) and you're content with where you are in the "social" scheme of things, then why not? NO ONE has the right to judge or try to convince you to change who you are or your beliefs for their way of thinking." What a great way to embrace the differences that we are so freely able to experience in this country!

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Emily Fox :)


Wed Sep 24, 2008 9:39 pm
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The more I read the above posts the more I find myself agreeing with everyone. I have found this video to be funny, sad, interesting, and all sorts of other things. Some areas of this video have left me dumbfounded though. I find it very hard to believe people act the way they do sometimes. I really just don't see how people can justify their actions in most cases. In this video, the rich and wealthy people just seem to be talking down about others stating how their lifestyles are so much better. I noticed that with the different interviews came different attitudes towards life. Granted the woman from Burger King was pretty down and out, the people from the working class seemed to be enjoying life whereas the people from the upper class were just complaining about the lower classes or just stated how and why they were better. This video frustrated me and made me laugh at the same time. As I think about teaching and dealing with all types of "social classes" within the class I find myself hoping that I can reflect the image that needs to be imprinted on the children of the future. If we can look beyond who is of what race or from what part of town or how much do they have and look more towards what we can do together to help our economy and environment thrive then our lives would be so much better.


Thu Sep 25, 2008 9:25 am
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I enjoyed watching this video, however at times I felt like some of the cliques in the high school went a little overboard. In my high school, I don't think we were separated that much. Of course everyone had their friends that they hung out with more than others, but I never saw people be mean to or not talk to people of different economic backgrounds. The most shocking thing to me in the movie was the son who talked about his mother. It made me think that the boy did not appreciate his mother for all that she does. She walked to work in the rain just so she could work for her family to have just a little bit of what they needed. I don't think he should have been so ashamed of his family and where he came from.

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Jessica Mundy


Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:26 pm
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Jessica and I went to the same high school, and I agree that I don't think cliques were that big of a problem, especially in our class. I mean, you could walk down the halls and see different groups of friends and you knew exactly where each group would be hanging out but it wasn't like you couldn't mingle in between groups. I think a lot of the reason for that was because our community is so small. Even though we knew who some of the richer kids in school were, it wasn't like they were so extremely rich that no one could relate to them. We were all from similar backgrounds just because we grew up in the same community. I'm so glad our high school experience was not like the one in the video! It really makes me proud to be in the class of '06 from ACHS.

In response to the boy who's mom worked at Burger King...I wasn't actually too surprised with his reaction and feelings toward his mother. The boy lives in the real world and probably knows what people say about him or think about him and his mother. I think he knows that his mom is working hard but he knows that there are bigger and better things they could all be doing to help the situation. I kind of admire him because he kept talking about all of his goals and how he wanted to succeed so he could surpass their living situation. So many times, people in that condition do not see a way out and don't try to reach any higher goals than what they're used to.

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Emily Fox :)


Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:34 am
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I really enjoyed watching People Like Us. I found the high school section of the video to bring back a lot of memories. I loved high school but I would confidently say that I loved high school because of the clique I was in. I know that not all high schools are divided up so much, and I think most people look at it as a bad thing. However, I felt like it was a model of what life would be like when I was and adult. I would love to say that I have ventured out and that I'm friends with people in college that I never would have been friends with in high school, but I have to say that I looked for similar types of people in college as I did in high school. I had never really thought about it until I watched this video and saw just how grouped society is.

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Mandi McGaha


Wed Oct 01, 2008 11:01 am
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I agree with the class in that the People Like Us video was really entertaining, but also was pretty appalled at the way many of the people interviewed acted. Going to the "Dive Bar" pissed me off more than any other part. The way the wealthy college kids would come in and insult the local people was appalling. What made it so bas was that they didn't seem to know or care that what they were doing was insulting. I would have loved to have jumped through the screen and strangled them. The other thing that got me about the video was the really clicky high school. I've never seen anything like that and it really opened my eyes to how different some of the schools that i may be teaching in are. My high school was simple, we just had different degrees of poor with a middle class or two thrown in the mix. I really wonder how my high school days would have been different if my school was like that portreyed in the video.

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Aaron Ross Jones


Fri Dec 12, 2008 9:47 pm
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