Howdy Classmates,
The names George Burton and I'm finishing my last semester at UMBC majoring in Sociology and minor in American Studies. Sociology asks the question I wanted to explore- the implicit and explicit meanings of social constructs. My favorite part of sociology was determining the causality and impact of American symbols- or semiotics. Rather than using quantitative data to find correlations in hospitals or criminal courts, I was studying values such as the puritan work ethnic and seeing how it affects society’s beliefs and practices. American Studies compliments this by analyzing both high and common culture and put many of America’s time honored beliefs right under the microscope.
When I’m not racking my brain interpreting American Society I’m singing in my band called “The Rumble.” My favorite bands are “The Black Keys” and “The Hives.” I love punk and surf for its manic energy and I like blues for its dark mystical quality and grunge for its vulnerability. I’m also in UMBC’ Russian choir- the instructor is real hoot when he’s screaming Russian and broken English at you.
Speaking of old people screaming, I love studying comedians. Comedians are appealing because they are uncensored, unpredictable, and are just saying these twisted thoughts that wouldn't be tolerated on any other medium. I tend to connect to the ones that are hostile, angry, and dark. A few of my favorite stand-ups are George Carlin, Louis C.K., and Maria Bamford.
Finally, I’m a foodie. I love eating out because you can learn so much about a culture. By looking at culture’s popular dish you can possibly learn about their agriculture (the staple crop will be showcased), climate (tropical fruits or winter wheat?), Religion (are their dietary restrictions on the menu), even international trade (which spices are prominent).
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