Um, Is Your Mom an Attorney?

Early Sunday, T sent the survey below to several people, including me, as part of an assignment for her Sociology class. I was immediately stumped by the first question, because I have a bad memory for things like "strangest," "ugliest," "funniest," "most" fill-in-the-blank. But by the time I got to question No. 8, I simply could not fathom how to answer it without objecting due to vagueness. What does it say about me that I had a strong desire to object to several of the questions on various ground? Here are the questions, minus my answers, which I managed to give with zero objections, only a few qualifications, and without reserving my right to later supplement:

1) What is the “strangest” food that you have ever eaten?

a. What was strange about it?

b. What would you consider a typical meal?

2) How often do you view independent or foreign films?

3) What genres of music do you like/dislike the most?

a. Do you listen to any foreign music?

b. If so, of which cultures?

c. Do you play/enjoy any “exotic” instruments?

4) Do you eat ethnic food? If so, what kind and how often?

5) Would you feel comfortable living in a non-European country?

6) If you were given the opportunity to travel internationally, would you take this opportunity and what would be the top three countries on your list?

7) If someone from another culture greeted you in an unfamiliar manner, would you return it in kind?

8) Do you associate with those of different cultures than your own?

a. How many?

b. Of which ethnicities?

9) What are primary characteristics that you notice when you first meet someone?

10) What would you consider to be a “typical” American name?

a. African-American?

b. Middle Eastern?

c. Asian?

d. Hispanic?

11) With which ethnicity do you identify yourself?

12) What constitutes family to you?

13) What do you believe your responsibilities to your parents are?

a. Them to you?

b. How will your parents be cared for in old age?

14) At what age is one financially independent?

15) Would you marry someone of a different religion/ethnicity?

a. How would you handle these differences when raising a family?