Aldedo's Thoughts

No staring at walls here.  

[aldedothoughts]

20-27: Mills, The Promise

September 6, 2019

Mills thinks of sociology as ” the unique historical circumstances of a particular society affect people and, at the same time, seeing how people affect history .” He also thinks it makes people find their place or purpose in life. Men being described in this paragraph seemed to be trapped with their private lives, and the more that they think of this and aware of threats the more trapped they feel. They may feel this way because of the success and failures of men and women today. When someone loses a job now they don’t have enough money for bills, a wife lie a long a child has no father, and so many other things can go wrong. This can cause people to feel trapped even more. No matter how many troubles men are having they never tell anyone or even know how to cope with this. Men usually doesn’t understand the connection of sociology and the history-making that they are actually a part of. Even though society is always changing mean still can’t cope with the new ways but they seemed to be possessed by the sense of the trap they have always felt. Mills also describes the sociologic imagination which ,” enables its possessor to understand the larger historical scene in terms of its meaning for the inner life and the external career of a variety of individuals.” Society is always changing from generation to generation and it is a man that knows his own chances in life only by becoming aware of those of all individuals in his circumstances. Sociology also brings together history and biography and the relationships between these two. Also sociology always comes back to history with these three questions: What is the structure of this particular society as a whole? Where does this society stand in human history? What varieties of mean and women now prevail in this society and in this period? All of these questions make something that is simple into something meaningful and out of the ordinary. After men look at sociology they acquire a new way of thinking and all of the things that held them back before just wants to bring them closer now. There are still a lot that can effect this and the society around them is one of them. Another example that was stated was when they’re is only one unemployed man they look at the individual and what is going wrong with him. But, if it’s half of the population then something is wrong in the economy or politically. One example that really stood out to me was when Mills talked about war and how most people in war think about how to die honorably or safety. But in reality we should think about what causes these men to go into war and fix that so the leading effects don’t have to occur. Something that may help this is Insofar, which the problems are incapable of personal solutions. Structural changes brings people experiences. Mills then explains what well-being, crisis, indifference, and uneasiness is. Well-being is cherishing something and not being threatened by it, Crisis is when you do cherish it but it does threaten you, Indifferent is when it involves all your values, and uneasiness is when you are unaware of any cherished values and still aware of threats. This chapter showed me how many threats there are to someones mind, and how much it can effect their lives but also how much sociology can also effect their lives  as well. And the most important thing to me was the very last sentence when Mills said,  “and the sociological imagination, out most needed quality of mind.”

[aldedothoughts]

3-7: Berger, Invitation to Sociology

September 4, 2019

Berger has a lot of desire for sociology since it shows everyone how to look at life in a different perspective and look ” behind the scenes.” Usually people have a thought about each thing in their lives and think of society a certain way, but when you learn how  sociologists think then you actually see what society really is. But once you look into these new lenses it’s hard to go back to how you use to think. Berger describes sociologists as being the person that is always at the parties or gatherings. It’s someone who examines people and what they do in their everyday life, but also what they do when there is a tragedy, what their beliefs are, and so on. Berger also tells us what a successful sociologists will feel, “his questions may lead him to all possible levels of society, the best and the least known places, the most respected and the most desired.” If a sociologists feels like this he is doing a good job, because the questions are so different and not answered they have to try and go find the answers. A sociologists is someone who is always curious and wants to know the unknown. An example that was given was if there are people talking behind a closed door a sociologists would want to open the door to see who these voices are and the relationships between them. This may make people think the questions sociologists are asking are too sacred or even what they do is too boring, but for sociologists you’re learning the unknown. From the certain questions sociologists may ask will have to deal with economic or political matters but will ask and handle these occasions differently. They feel an excitement for discovery, not just to find something that may seem familiar but becoming transformed in something familiar. Many people may think of sociology as boring because they think why are people wasting their times on things that is simple and everyone knows. Until the sociologists bring up something that is different and unknown to this person, and that moment they will think of sociology as a whole new thing. Berger also describes what the wisdom of sociology is and that is ” things are not what they seem.” Sociology is always different and always has ” new layers” to it, its never understanding. This can also have ” cultural shock” by all the new things learned. My professor even told my class that some days we will leave with headaches thinking how can this be, which can be the shock of sociology. Towards the end of the chapter Berger describes that some people who do not care about the unknown will be bored with sociology but the people who would be interested in sitting down and watching a man and to understand the human beings would be very interested in sociology. This is why this chapter is called the “Sociology as an individual Pastime.” Because something that may interest some may not interest others. This chapter showed me how sociologists just watch and can find so much and that some people may actually be really bored with this. I would love to know the unknown and learn how not take things for granted and put meaning behind my everyday life. I want to look at something simple that someone may not even think about and have a whole idea on how lucky I am to have this.

[aldedothoughts]

Chapter 1: Jeans/Discovering Sociology

August 31, 2019

In the introduction it explains what this chapter will be about, it explains the 3 thinking frames of sociology which is material, cultural, and agency. Then explains how we all have to have an open-mind and think outside of the box. This chapter is all about jeans and how such a simple thing has so much meaning behind it. A sociologists can turn one little idea or thing into meaning and context. We all take jeans for granted, we never think who made this or what cloth is this, we think about this is cute or in style. You see people wearing jeans everyday, now its a fashion trend when in the olden days only low income people will wear them. Now jeans can be hundreds of dollars. Sociologists will answer all of these questions about what made jeans so popular? How did society change? and why do people pay so much for fabric? Sociologists look at ” connections between private troubles and public issues.” They look at why people do and think certain ways. They ask people why do you feel, or even about social groups. Once sociologists asked random people about why do they own jeans they said to fit in since everyone wears them now. Many people who have came from other countries have bought them so they won’t be looked at differently and actually be able to “fit in” more. Also, because they make you look good and they’re all unique so you can feel unique about yourself while still fitting in with everyone else. Sociologists also look at how they are made and where the fabric comes from. They explain how fabric can come from all over the world and the work conditions are very bad for the workers making them, they also don’t get payed even half of what they should, since they are making jeans that could be a lot of money. Once someone gets jeans you love them in the beginning but after a while what if they get outdated. It explains that our culture is always pressured to buy the ” new , cool thing.” Once the weather changes you might want to buy a new color. This can make poor income people stressed about not having enough money to  keep up with this. Humans also never shop for only what they NEED, but what pleasures them and makes them happy. Another way that opened my mind and also related to me was an interview they had with Diana, she explained that once she hated skinny jeans and now she can’t imagine her wardrobe without them, Sociologists ask, ” how do we make a sense of shopping decisions that feel personal, but clearly involve forces larger than ourselves.” These questions are what make up sociology, it shows the elements of life and makes everyone think critically about things most of us take for granted. Also, jeans have many chemicals inside that can harm us and especially the workers that make them. Even though this is true the workers are still not getting enough income and are considered poor. Also, sociologists try to make a connection between the personal and public world. For example, when someone doesn’t have enough money to pay bills they look at this as a personal failure and think why did I have to buy this or why didn’t I do this, which can make people really stressed and think poorly of themselves. While on the other hand, Sociologists think of how society effected you to make these chooses. ” The sociological imagination doesn’t deny the existence of individual choice, but pushes us to look ate ow outside forces  contribute to out situation and life outcomes.” This really showed me how differently sociologists think verses regular people. Then they talk about how society and shoppers came to today. Basically the author explained that back in the day we use to make everything for ourselves but now we buy it. This makes a cycle, we work for the things we want to buy and it keeps going over and over again. Now in society we think as if, if we keep moving that means success. It also brings up capitalism and how they also think. Another thing that was brought up was that in the olden days they didn’t need or want as much as people do today, so that makes shoppers shop even more. Jeans use to be worn only by workers since they are long lasting and will protect them but now it’s used for fashion and social status . Also many clothing nd materials are flown from all over the world. Another thing that was talked about was how some people can’t even pay for food and others are riding private jets and spending all of there money on things they don’t need. Then they describe culture verses material which cultural is looking at  jeans as how did jeans start off this way, and material is looking at the real world and the physical things that has to do with jeans. Then we looked at structure and agency, structure is when something goes unplanned or not normal. For example, the first day of class and my professor didn’t talk was structure. Agency is the freedom we have and what we do with it, so when the professor didn’t talk what we could of done, like walk out, we lead the class, and so on. Now micro is something small and macro is something big. So an example of this is a family interaction verses a state interaction. This chapter has taught me really how to look outside of the box and not take anything for granted because there is so much meaning behind each thing. Also about the olden days and how things use to be compared to now and how society is always slowly changing.

[aldedothoughts]

8-19: What is Sociology?

August 29, 2019

      When I first think of the word “sociology,” the first thing that comes to mind is the basic definition: that it’s the study of how society is. That then brings up the underlying question of “What creates a society?” So what does create a society? A society is created by the way people interact. It’s created by the interactions and relationships people have with one another. There is something linking these people together. There is some sort of unspoken status quo. For example, there’s this stigma in high school that if you were an athlete, you were “top of the food chain.” Granted, it’s a cliche that’s stemmed from movies but it’s very much a real thing that goes on in schools around the country. 

      Once upon a time, I was on my high school cheer team and I loved it. I loved the thrill of performing and my school spirit is off the chain. It would make me so mad when girls would only try out because they wanted to wear the uniform. As if a short skirt really gave you some authority around the school. I remember there being hundreds of girls trying out just for the freshman cheer team. The coaches would even say at the beginning of each tryout day that just wearing the skirt isn’t enough to be a cheerleader. Long story short, girls truly felt that their status at school was boosted just from being on cheer. 

      So what is sociology? Sociology is a way of life. Sociology is ideas that influence the daily lives of of people. It’s how certain groups of people see the world. Sociology shapes perspective.