JOHN ROBERT P.

LANABE

Who I Am Today

We as humans are social creatures by nature; we have a need or

requirement to socialize with others. Regarding with socialization this is The
life long process of social interaction through which: we become a consistent
and recognizable person, and acquire the physical mental and social skills
needed for survival in our society.
Socialization is not the same as socializing (interacting with others, like
family, friends, and coworkers); to be precise, it is a sociological process that
occurs through socializing. Like for example, even the most basic of human
activities are learned. You may be surprised to know that even physical tasks
like sitting, standing, and walking had not automatically developed for as we
grew. And without socialization, we hadnt learned about the material culture
of our society (the tangible objects a culture uses): for example, we couldnt
hold a spoon, bounce a ball, or use a chair for sitting. We also hadnt learned
its nonmaterial culture, such as its beliefs, values, and norms. We had no
understanding of the concept of family, didnt know cultural expectations
for using a bathroom for elimination, and had no sense of modesty. Most
importantly, we hadnt learned to use the symbols that make up language
through which we learn about whom we are, how we fit with other people,
and the natural and social worlds in which we live.
Socialization occurs throughout our life, but some of the most important
socialization occurs in my whole being. So let's talk about the most
influential agents of socialization. These are the people or groups responsible
for our socialization - including family, school, peers, and mass media,
government or politics, religion or church and the work place and also
including the music and me.

Family
There is no better way to start than to talk about the role of family in my
social development, as family is usually considered to be the most
important agent of socialization. In my infants stage, I am completely
dependent on my parents to survive. My parents are responsible for teaching
me to function and care for ourselves. They, along with the rest of our family,
also teach me about close relationships, group life, and how to share
resources. Additionally, they provide me with our first system of values,
norms, and beliefs - a system that is usually a reflection of their own social
status, religion, ethnic group, and more.
Furthermore, Family is the first agent of socialization. Mothers and fathers,
siblings and grandparents, plus members of an extended family, all teach a
child what he or she needs to know. For example in my own personal
experience, they show to me how to use objects (such as clothes, computers,
eating utensils, books, bikes); how to relate to others (some as family,
others as friends, still others as strangers or teachers or neighbors);
and how the world works (what is real and what is imagined).

Schools
The next important agent in my socialization is the school. Of course, the
official purpose of school is to transfer subject knowledge and teach life
skills, such as following directions and meeting deadlines. But for me as a
student don't just learn from the academic curriculum prepared by teachers
and school administrators. In school, I am also learning social skills through
our interactions with teachers, staff, and other students. For example, I learn

the importance of obeying authority and that, to be successful, I must learn

to be quiet, to wait, and sometimes to act interested even when Im not.
Sometimes I might even learn things from other teacher that did not intend
to teach. For instance, I might learn that it's best to yell out an answer
instead of raising my hand.

Peers
However, my peers also give me a chance to develop many of the social
skills I need as adult. For instance, I will certainly experience moments when
my friends' behavior and/or values contradict the norms and values that may
obtain from my family. It has to learn to decide which norms and values to
keep, reject, or use and follow in certain situations.
Peer groups are important to adolescents in a new way, as I begin to develop
my identity separate from my parents and exert independence. Additionally,
peer groups provide opportunities for my socialization since I am usually
engage in different types of activities with my peers than I do with my
families. Peer groups provide adolescents first major socialization
experience outside the realm of my families. Interestingly, studies have
shown that although friendships rank high in adolescents priorities, this is
balanced by parental influence.
Mass Media
However, in my opinion, one of the most
important agents of socialization for the development of the person is the
mass media. The Mass Media are the different processes that
facilitate communication between the sender of a message and the receiver
of that message. It plays an important role in the socialization of children. In
fact, there are many types of media; these include newspapers, magazines,

radio, films, CDs, Internet, and television. These kinds of media, especially
television, affect childrens and adults behavior in different ways. According
to the article, Socialization: From Infancy to Old Age, the average family in
the United States has at least one television turned on for at least seven
hours a day. Which are also very relevant in our country. Television is the
biggest mass media in this country and has positive and negative aspects.
There are some programs which are very helpful with lots of information for
me as a student. For example; there is a good program called Discovery
Chanel. As a student I can learn to new information and discovering a lot of
thing which I do not know yet. Through watching these programs, Im not the
same person anymore because I am more knowledgeable. These programs
are very good because they change minds and make different from what I
were
before.

Government or Politics
Although we do not think about it, many of the rites of passage people go through
today are based on age norms established by the government. To be defined as an
adult usually means being 18 years old, the age at which a person becomes
legally responsible for our own selves. And 65 is the start of old age since most
people become eligible for senior benefits at that point.

Each time we embark on one of these new categoriessenior, adult,

taxpayerwe must be socialized into this new role. Seniors, for example,
must learn the ropes of obtaining pension benefits. This government
program marks the points at which we require socialization into a new
category.
I see politics in our country dividing us as a society more and more every
day. People are born into political communities and are raised to believe a

certain political view or a specific bias all because theyre raised in a certain
area. Someones religion, ethnicity, and social status all have effects on
where people fall on the political spectrum. For me personally, Im not really
sure which one of the factors I mentioned played a significant role in my
development because I dont fully consider myself a Republican or Democrat.
I adopt views from both parties that I consider to be accurate and correct. To
best understand where my political views came from than I must look at my
earliest political experience that made an impact on my life, when I started
to develop strong views, and when my political views evolved to where I am
now.
Its often considered that ignorance is bliss and being a child you are nothing
but ignorant to the worlds violence and political system. You dont have the
ability to understand what politically is transpiring around you.

Religion or Church
While some religions may tend toward being an informal institution, this
focuses on practices related to formal institutions. Religion is an important
avenue of socialization for many people. Philippines are full of synagogues,
temples, churches, mosques, and similar religious communities where people
gather to worship and learn. Like other institutions, these places teach me
how to interact with the religions material culture .For some people,
important ceremonies related to family structurelike marriage and birth
are connected to religious celebrations. Many of these institutions uphold
gender norms and contribute to their enforcement through socialization.
From ceremonial rites of passage that reinforce the family unit, to power
dynamics which reinforce gender roles, religion fosters a shared set of
socialized values that are passed on through society.

This agent also helps and molds me to become a better person, in the in
sense of being aware of what are the things that should do and the things
that should not do, for instance obeying the 10 commandments. Following or
obeying the religious commands is also connected to socialization for acting
in right way and as a human moral accordingly.
THE WORKPLACE
Workers require new socialization into a workplace, both in terms of material culture
(such as how to operate the copy machine) and nonmaterial culture (such as
whether it is okay to speak directly to the boss or how the refrigerator is shared).
In my own experience as worker I do socialized with the different stuffs including
clients, boss, suppliers, and laborers. Making sense with them sometimes I get
trouble to get along with them but of course I have a personality to resist this kind
conflict. In working socialization is very relevant; interacting, collaborating, etc.
which turn me into a well experienced person.

Different jobs require different types of socialization. In the past, many

people worked a single job until retirement.

Music
It has played a major role as an agent of socialization in my existence. I know
and hope that it will continue to do so. During each period music has
affected my personality, shown my personality, affected my perceptions and
helped me to cope with growing and changing as a person. My Looking Glass
Self has compared the person in song and possibly the singer themselves to
myself to gain perspective of who I was at each time. I am going to discuss
each decade with the thought of how music was an agent of socialization in
each.
I believe that music as an agent of socialization is prominent in Symbolic

Interactionism. Songwriters and musicians, like poets, includes symbolism in

there lyrics. They give musical symbols by which we know things about our
world. Take for instance the music from Psycho, the shower scene. It is the
precursor for things that are frighteningly scary.
During my first decade music was extremely prevalent in my primary
socialization. My parents whether or not they realized socialized me greatly
with music in different forms.
It has a part in the Motivational Theory, by the way that it can motivate us
and brings about social solidarity. It gives a vent to normal deviances in
society. It can help us understand and accept our roles. Our choice of music
can define our status in society whether a person is highly cultured or a
street gangster.