Sociology: Ozark Missouri

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Ozark, MO; Population: 18,348, Demographics: 90.9% White, 5.5% Hispanic, 2.6% Interracial, 0.4% African American, 0.4% Asian, and 0.2% American Indian, Median Income: $48,929. (1) Ozark, Missouri is the place where I lived for the first nineteen years of my life. I was raised in a middle class, interracial, family consisting of Irish and Mexican bloodlines. My mom and I are white, my step-dad is Hispanic, and my brother is White/Hispanic. The majority of my friend’s family’s socioeconomic status is in the $200,000 to $300,000 income bracket. Our town also includes the fourth largest Assembly of God church in the United States with an average attendance of 8, 850. (2) This is the society I grew up in and there are a lot of things I would change about it, but also a lot of things I love about it; it is the place that made me who I am. I will begin this essay by talking about the social structure set by my parents and their cultures, my peers, and the town I grew up in, the constraints and options I feel that society has given me, and finally I will touch on the effect that the intersection of my biography and history have had on my life. Due to my family makeup I have in interesting history of cultural background stemming from both rural American culture and native Mexican culture. Since both of my parents came from farming communities: one from Mexico and one from South West Missouri, they actually have similar values despite the geological difference of the cultures. My family has no religious affiliations and tends to lean toward liberal ideas. However both of my parents, having grown up in conservative families, still have some conservative ideas about gender-rolls, economics, and family dynamics. Another thing that I ... ... middle of paper ... ...ng similar to its current state if I had grown up in a more wealthy family, a more religious family, or even in another country. I believe that I have come to the conclusion that the answer is no; my personality is a combination of my own intelligence, knowledge, experience, and pressure from society. Without the knowledge, experience, and pressure from society that I experienced in my life in Southern Missouri I would be a significantly different person, but I am still proud of who I am and what I have become. Works Cited 1. "Ozark, Missouri." (MO 65721) profile: population, maps, real estate, averages, homes, statistics, relocation, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, moving, houses, news. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2014. . 2. Assemblies of God USA. 2009 Full Statistical Report, p. 36. Accessed 2 Feb 2014.

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