Saturday, July 3, 2010

Images and Words: Week 61 Patriotism, Celebration of Countries and Cultures


Greetings from Amy and welcome to this special Fourth of July edition of Images and Words!  My theme for this holiday is "Patriotism: Celebration of Countries and Cultures", and I invite you all to post about patriotism and/or share what your love about your favorite countries and cultures.  Here's my entry:
The guy on the left is my hubby's best friend from way back in high school in California, and who moved his family here to Idaho to be with us.  Next to him is my hubby, Chad.  Behind them is our son, Alan, and on the far right is our other son, Sam.  The words are my own.  I'm not much of a wordsmith but every now and then I can come up with something.
My words refer to "Ingroup/Outgroup biases" and how they can so easily be overcome.  In short, Ingroup Bias (or Ingroup Serving Bias) is social-psychological speak for our tendency to feel that everyone inside our group is good, Outgroup Bias (or Outgroup Homogeneity Bias) is social-psych speak for our tendency to feel people outside of our group are all bad (and they're all the same).  These groups can be based on anything, from nationality to sports teams affiliation to even people with the same last digit of their social security number.  When allowed to run amok these biases can lead to prejudice and bigotry, but the good news is they can be so easily overcome by simply getting to know someone not in your group.  When you get to know someone you start thinking of them as being in your group, and not just them, you unconsciously include everyone who is like them!  There's no end to this inclusion, there's no reason why we can't eventually include everyone in the whole world into our in-group.  Isn't that neat?  Long ago these biases probably served us well, but today it's a small world after all and we'd be well served to overcome them--fortunately, we've been provided with the means to do so.
The Rules:

Each week we will post an original photo with words on it. The idea behind this group is to expand our minds through our photography.

Photos must be your own, but the words can be someone else's as long as credit is given after the words.

Your post can either be serious, or if you'd like comical, but never obscene .

Posts can either have one word on them,quotes, or full poems ... Your choice.

All posts are to be done on your own site in a blog form with a link back to it being left here.

New topics will be posted on Sundays.

Posts can be made through Saturday.

One post per person only please.

33 comments:

  1. What an absolutely delightful picture! It is just perfect for the theme - and the season! I'll be back tomorrow with my entry.

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  2. Very liberally cool lololol I can be friends with a Colts fan BUT I'll NEVER really respect a Colt's fan lolololol

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  3. wonderful theme amy will be back in a little while--

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  4. I'm from Northern California so I'm a Niners fan, and I grew up with our rivalry with the LA Rams. I loved going to Candlestick and chanting, "BEAT L.A.! BEAT L.A!" There's a long time rivalry between NorCal and SoCal which plays out in our sports teams. So, when the Rams moved to St. Louis it was no longer fun to hate them. I remember chanting, "BEAT ST. LOUIS! BEAT ST.LOUIS! BEAT... eh, who cares."

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  5. lolololol yep it's just good old fashion rivalry until someone else builds them a better stadium

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  6. Amy, I'm impressed by your take on patrotism, I totally resonate with that idea. Patrotism in the sense of "us" and "them" only leads to strife, fighting and wars and what good does that do in today's world?

    Your picture is lovely Amy, it reminds me of when my boys where younger and we used to do the
    sparkler thingie in the garden at Guy Fawkes...

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  7. Hi Amy. Not an entirely unexpected theme, given the date. LOL. I like your take on the theme.

    Here's mine:

    http://mitchylr.multiply.com/journal/item/330/Images_Words_61_PATRIOTISM_CELEBRATION_OF_COUNTRIES_CULTURES

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  8. What a lovely celebration Image you share with us all. You are correct Amy in your quote. A very important message you share especially in this day and age. Let the lessons of the past be our guides to the future.
    Happy July the Fourth to all those celebrating.
    Images & Words Week 61 ~ Patriotism

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  9. Very nice, Amy! I agree wholeheartedly...let's all try some of that inclusion today!

    I won't be celebrating today, or even leaving the house, as John is very ill. He spent the week in the hospital and just came home Friday. They've found a tumor, and he has to go back to the hospital this Tuesday for scans, and then to see the cancer specialist on the 12th. I don't think he should have left the hospital, but the VA hospital in Atlanta is overcrowded and badly in need of beds.

    I'm hoping I have an old photo I can post. I'm looking forward to seeing all of the posts for this theme that show love of country and fellow man. I'm going to post a video from last year that was taken of the return of one of our fallen heroes, along with my I& W post.

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  10. oops accidental caps! wasn't shouting ;))

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  11. Great Theme Amy. Thanks~!!
    Family and Friends....
    Nice photo and words.

    I have a great respect and Love for all Countries and their Cultures.
    I Am dedicated To God and for what The American Flag means to our Country.
    I Am Thankful for the ones that served and gave their lives in days gone by that
    assured us that Freedom and for the ones that are serving now to ensure that Freedom Rings
    on for generations to come.

    My Tribute...
    http://leadfootweenie.multiply.com/journal/item/451/Images_Words_Week_61_Patriotism

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  12. Thank you, everyone, for your wonderful contributions so far! At my house we are busily cleaning and cooking for a Fourth of July party this evening, complete with a fireworks show in front of our house, so I'll have to catch up with the rest of the entries later. In the meantime, I just wanted to a share of bit nostalgia. Thanks to Schoolhouse Rock, most Americans my age can recite the Preamble to the Constitution, but only if we sing it (wink). Enjoy the video

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  13. Wow, that's a remarkable photo, I love the moods created by the natural lighting of the sparklers,

    here's mine:

    http://dageaux.multiply.com/journal/item/426/Image_and_Words_-_Patriotism_Celebration_of_Countries_and_Cultures

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  14. This is such a Wonderful Photo.
    Perfect.
    I'm struggling this week, being English and 4th July yesterday made it difficult.
    Hopefully I can contribute with Countries and Culture with My Buckle and Music Collections....

    http://forenso.multiply.com/journal/item/93/Images_Words_-_Week_61_-_Patriotism_Countries_and_Cultures.
    Dave

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  15. Thank you to everyone for your wonderful contributions! This was a week of terrific celebrations :-) I'm sorry it took me so long to get around to many of your entries, my family has been working very hard this week building a "chicken tractor" because our little chicks are growing so quickly. We're almost finished with it, and when we're done I'll make a blog post for anyone who's interested.

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  16. What a wonderful shot! The lighting is perfect and gives the image a cozy and intimate feel. Your words are beautiful and touching. Awesome job Amy.

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