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Reflecting on Sociology
The sociological concepts of deviance and gender were the most personally relevant to me. I found it important to see the change over time in our society's notions of what is deviant, and how we respond to deviant behavior. People in power like to project the image that society's current systems are the correct one true way of viewing things. But what is illegal today might become socially acceptable tomorrow, and vice versa. Likewise, the fading view of gender as binary and that our sex determines rigid roles that we must play in society has been something echoed in my own life. The idea that this is what it means to be a man is giving way to the freedom to be yourself, whatever that may be. Using our sociological imagination we can question long held beliefs and assumptions in order to create a more equal society where freedom isn't just a word used to defend ones actions, but something that embraces our diversity.
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Advice for future students
Taking HACC's Sociology 201 course during the accelerated summer term was very intense, cramming an entire semester's worth of material into just 6 weeks. The rapid pace meant that there was little room to get caught up if say you went on vacation. As it was a virtual course, I found it very helpful to take advantage of the ability to unlock and complete future material in advance. I was able to plan around my vacation and complete work ahead of time so that it didn't intrude on my plans or pile up.
My advice to future students would be to unlock all the modules in the beginning. This will allow you to look through all the material and plan your time accordingly. You can then work ahead if need be to accommodate any activities you have planned. Also, I think it would be helpful to really start to work on your final project from week 1 and to at least put down a rough draft of your post as you go through each module. I didn't start mine until about half way through the course and found I had to shift gears quite a bit to go back and write the first few posts.
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An Arizona congressman was recently pulled over for extreme speeding, 97mph in a 55mph zone (Homer, 2018). During the encounter, he bragged to the officer about regularly speeding well above the speed limit, as high as 140mph (Homer, 2018). As a member of the Arizona legislature, he is protected from arrest for what would otherwise be criminal behavior (Homer, 2018). Because of this, the officer can only let him off with a warning about his unsafe behavior (Homer, 2018).
Although the congressman is not subject to formal social sanctions, laws prohibiting deviant criminal behavior, he is not immune to informal social sanctions, the unwritten rules of society (Conley, 2017, p. 198). Social and news media have made his behavior widely known and allowed his fellow citizens to voice their disapproval of both his actions and his attitude toward traffic safety (Homer, 2018). These informal social sanctions have elicited a public response from the congressman regretting his actions (Homer, 2018).
Only time will tell if informal social sanctions will reform his behavior, or at least remove him from office. But the incident does demonstrate an odd form of labeling theory (Conley, 2017, p. 207). The typical example would be of someone being labeled a deviant for their initial or primary deviance (Conley, 2017, p. 213). This label affects how that person behaves leading to further deviant behavior, secondary deviances (Conley, 2017, p. 213). In this situation the primary deviance, being a member of the legislature, is not what one would think of as socially deviant behaivior, a transgression of socially established norms (Conley, 2017, p. 191). However, being labeled a congressman led this person to believe that, in addition to a freedom from formal social rules, the informal social rules didn't apply to him and so engaged in secondary deviant behavior.
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References:
Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist (Core 5th ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
Homer, T. (2018, July 13). Police bodycam shows Arizona state congressman boast about speeding. The Drive. Retrieved from http://www.thedrive.com/news/22154/police-bodycam-shows-arizona-state-congressman-boast-about-speeding
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The popular MMO Fortnite is an online game that can be played either cooperatively with or competitively against other people. Recently in the Battle Royale version, there was a much-hyped rocket launch event that has changed the game's landscape and could have further repercussions as the game rolls out a major update (Liptak, 2018). During the event, many players took some time off from their role as combatants to be a spectator of this one-time event (Liptak, 2018). However not all did so. Some players took advantage of the spectators diverted attention to achieve record levels of carnage, leaving many players both dead and missing the event (Liptak, 2018).
Within the Fortnite Battle Royale game, everyone has the ascribed status of combatant (Liptak, 2018). An ascribed status is one that is involuntary and cannot be chosen or discarded (Conley, 2017, p. 133). During the rocket launch event, some chose to take on the achieved status of spectator (Liptak, 2018). In contrast to ascribed statuses, an achieved status is voluntary and is something a person chooses to take upon themselves (Conley, 2017, p. 133). In this circumstance, the status of combatant was a master status in that it overshadowed the status of spectator (Conley, 2017, p. 133). Since players could not choose to stop being combatants, some were unable to be spectators due to being forced into combat. Thus these players experienced role conflict, where the duties of two distinct roles placed incompatible demands upon the individual (Conley, 2017, p. 133).
Some games with combat elements offer these as achieved statuses, they can be turned on or off, or are only in certain areas. This allows players to be sure of their status and avoid role conflict. It also impacts the way players interact with each other. With universal combat, players must have a developed concept of the generalized other, a sense of what is expected of others in a variety of settings (Conley, 2017, p. 123). Without the ability to be affected by others, players can be more selfish without repercussions. Those who took advantage of the Fortnite spectators are risking in-game retaliation for their actions. Given the anger they've generated, I would not want to be in their avatar's shoes.
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References:
Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist (Core 5th ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
Liptak, A. (2018, June 30). Fortnite players are mad after being killed during the epic rocket launch. The Verge. Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/30/17521342/fortnite-rocket-launch-one-time-event-killed-twitter
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Risk assessment tools have been hailed as a method of safely reducing incarceration rates within the criminal justice system (Rice University, 2018) . By weeding out offenders who are unlikely to re-offend, resources can be focused on incarcerating or supervising those most dangerous to society (Rice University, 2018) . However, use of these tools may actually be leading to an increase in incarceration rates (Rice University, 2018) . The implicit assumption of risk assessment tools is that all offenders are at some risk of re-offending (Rice University, 2018) . This is at odds with the fact that there is a large number of people convicted of non-violent offenses who pose little danger to the public (Rice University, 2018).
The data shows that an increase in the use of risk assessment tools has correlated with an increase in the number of people being detained or supervised by the criminal justice system (Rice University, 2018). A correlation is when two variables change in either a similar or opposite manner (Conley, 2017, p. 48). While the study does not definitively prove a causal relationship between the two, it is highly suggestive of one. A causal relationship means that one variable is responsible for the change in the other (Conley, 2017, p. 50).
In order to show causality, one must demonstrate correlation, time order, and the absence of alternative explanations (Conley, 2017, p. 50). Correlation has been shown, but the criminal justice system is extraordinarily complex and changing. It is impossible to hold a single variable constant, and thus it is difficult to rule out other factors that may be creating a spurious relationship, when a third variable is reponsible for the change in those being studied instead of a causal relationship between them (Conley, 2017, p. 51).
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References:
Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist (Core 5th ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
Rice University. (2018, June 6). Risk assessment tools may increase incarceration rates. Retrieved from https://phys.org/news/2018-06-tools-incarcerations.html
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Investors are increasingly looking to use their money for something more than increasing their wealth (Shell, 2018). Specifically, the younger an investor is, the more likely they are to invest in socially responsible investments, or SRIs (Shell, 2018). SRIs, are investments that have beneficial environmental impact, positive social change, or support for good governance (Shell, 2018). They see it as an opportunity to invest in causes that have meaning to them, and still earn a decent return. By investing in SRI funds, investors are using their money to fuel social movements and support companies that act in ways they approve of. For many investors, it is no longer acceptable for a company to earn profits at any cost.
This form of collective action creates a group of investors that act against the normal motivation of investment which is to get as high a return as possible (Conley, 2017, p. 699). It is alterative in its nature in that the funds target specific areas of improvement and works within the capitalist system co-opting the vehicle of investments for social change in addition to wealth generation (Conley, 2017, p. 705). By investing their money in social causes, the investors hope to utilize the resource-mobilization theory of social movements which states that it is not enough for there to be a social need, but the movement needs the resources to grow and succeed (Conley, 2017, p. 712). If this social movement continues to grow, it could be a new way of regulating corporate activities. Rather than passing laws, companies that do not behave in the public interest will not be able to generate funding for their enterprises.
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References:
Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist (5th ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
Shell, A. (2018, May 11). Millenial 401(k)s: a peek inside their “socially responsible” investments. USA Today. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/05/11/millennials-socially-responsible-investing/580434002/
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It is said that one should walk a mile in someone else's shoes before judging them. Researchers in the BeAnotherLab have gone a step further and developed a way to inhabit not just another's shoes, but their entire body (Kambitsis, 2014). The “Machine To Be Another” experiment is part research, part performance art (Kambitsis, 2014). Two participants, each wearing an Oculus Rift virtual reality headset, perform a synchronized set of motions (Kambitsis, 2014). Head-mounted, point-of-view cameras allow each participant to see what the other is seeing (Kambitsis, 2014). Although a participant is still feeling with their own body, the synchronized motions and video feedback tricks the body into believing what they're seeing is now their own body (Kambitsis, 2014). By allowing people to experience a reality different to their own and expanding the perception of who we consider familiar, it is hoped that implicit bias and discrimination can be reduced (Kambitsis, 2014).
This experiment continues to blur the lines between sex and gender. If sex is the biological differences between male and female (Conley, 2017, p. 281), then this experience is probably as close as one can currently get to changing their sex short of sex-reassignment surgery. In contrast, gender is the social position that is built around sex (Conley, 2017, p. 281). The effects of the experiment on our concepts of gender are more subtle. By seeing oneself as a member of the opposite sex, one is more likely to reevaluate their views (Kambitsis, 2014). For example if men view women as inferior, after experiencing being a woman, they may begin to realize that we are all alike (Kambitsis, 2014). As the technology improves, it may be possible to give an even more immersive experience and truly feel what it is like to live life as a member of the opposite sex, or even transgendered.
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References:
Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist (Core 5th ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
Kambitsis, J. (2014, February 25). A crazy Oculus Rift hack lets men and women swap bodies. Wired. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/2014/02/crazy-oculus-rift-experiment-lets-men-women-swap-bodies/
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In America, globalization began at home with connecting all parts of the country together. This began with the railroads, but accelerated and became part of the American ethos with the invention of the automobile, and in particular with the construction of the interstate highway system (”15 Ways highways changed America,” n.d.). While the government's intent may have been to improve military readiness, it was sold to the American people as an economic driver (”15 Ways highways changed America,” n.d.). To a large extent, it delivered on both promises, but it also changed the American landscape in ways that no one had predicted (”15 Ways highways changed America,” n.d.).
The ease of travel meant that people no longer had to rely upon their local downtown for all their shopping and dining needs. Shopping malls sprung up outside of the congested city centers and fueled the expansion of the suburbs (”15 Ways highways changed America,” n.d.). Fast food developed as a quick meal to be eaten during road trips (”15 Ways highways changed America,” n.d.). And hotel chains grew in response to the increase in tourism (”15 Ways highways changed America,” n.d.). All of these areas strove for what George Ritzer would later call McDonaldization after the popular fast food chain (1983). By standardizing practices across a franchise, customers would receive the same experience all across the country (Ritzer, 1983). Before the widespread travel created by the international highway system, there was no need for a common experience as most people would only ever visit their immediate area. But now that people were traveling far and wide, they had expectations of consistency no matter where they roamed (Ritzer, 1983).
The interstate highway system has also dramatically impacted how we manufacture goods, and who buys them. Ease of travel has created the commuter, where people are now able to travel much further distances to work each day (”15 Ways highways changed America,” n.d.). People are also more willing to relocate for work, knowing that they can much more easily visit friends and relatives (”15 Ways highways changed America,” n.d.). Lastly, as consumers, we now have access to a much broader array of products than ever before (”15 Ways highways changed America,” n.d.). These products are produced by national or even international companies, leading to another form of McDonaldization where goods are mass-produced to ensure consistency, using the least expensive means of labor available (Ritzer, 1983).
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References:
15 Ways highways changed America. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://mentalfloss.com/article/78410/15-ways-highways-changed-america
Ritzer, G. (1983). The “McDonaldization” of society. Journal of American Culture, 6(1). 100-107. doi: 10.1111/j.1542-734X.1983.0601_100.x
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In a pure meritocracy, a person's status and social mobility are a direct result of their ability and achievement (Conley, 2017, p. 255). Vilfredo Pareto's favorable view of meritocracies has come to predominate in America; anyone can get ahead with skill and hard work and it is these skilled few who rise to the top and govern our society (Conley, 2017, p. 255). However, the meritocratic view has a dark side. If success is achieved through an individual's effort, then failure and financial difficulties are also seen as due to inherent faults with an individual (The School of Life, 2015). Under a meritocracy, a person who has experienced a setback has no one to blame but themselves, and thus are undeserving of sympathy or aid from those who are doing well (The School of Life, 2015).
Seldom does the world fall into neat theories, and meritocracy is no exception. It doesn't leave room for the element of chance or luck that pervades our world (The School of Life, 2015). It is dangerous to say that when someone experiences good or bad luck that they are somehow deserving of their fate. This leaves no room for compassion for the poor and justifies any behavior of the rich, hearkening back to the divine right of kings.
C. Wright Mills disliked meritocracies for their entrenchment of power (Conley, 2017, p. 256). While some people may indeed get ahead by working hard, it is impossible to guarantee equality of condition, or that everyone starts life with the same resources (Conley, 2017, p. 246). Thus those in power in a meritocracy will often be those who started life with more resources. Furthermore, the randomness of life plays a large role in who gets those resources. Working hard is not enough, one must also be lucky. We should therefore not look down on those who have not achieved our status in life, but instead reach out and give them an hand up.
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References:
Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist (Core 5th ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
The School of Life. (2015, August 24). Meritocracy. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTDGdKaMDhQ
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In this segment from Last Week Tonight, John Oliver talks about why we still have school segregation and the effects of both segregation and integration on student performance and race relations (LastWeekTonight, 2016). Segregation is when people are divided by their ascribed status (Conley, 2017, p. 352). An ascribed status is one that is involuntary, such as physical traits, race and ethnicity, or other labels society places upon you (Conley, 2017, p. 133). Ironically, it is the more liberal, northern states that currently have the highest level of racial segregation today (LastWeekTonight, 2016). This is due to the fact that the civil rights school integration movement was only implemented in the south (LastWeekTonight, 2016).
Previously, southern schools were segregated due to racial discrimination (LastWeekTonight, 2016). People held racist views disparaging black people and did not want their children exposed to black children (LastWeekTonight, 2016). Institutional racism is the primary factor behind the segregation we face in our schools today, though racial prejudices still exist (LastWeekTonight, 2016). With institutional racism, people are not overtly racist, but due to other apparently race-neutral factors, racial disparities still occur (Conley, 2017, p. 363). Because school funding is often tied to property taxes, and minorities often live in poorer areas, minority students attend schools that are severely lacking in funding and resources (LastWeekTonight, 2016). This also leads white families to band together, not wishing their children to be disadvantaged by going to a substandard school (LastWeekTonight, 2016). It is unfortunate that parents are actually working against their children's own best interest. It has been shown that students who attend integrated schools are better able to interact with people of different races (LastWeekTonight, 2016). Furthermore, integration improves educational conditions and results for minorities without having any negative impact on white students (LastWeekTonight, 2016).
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References:
Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist (Core 5th ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
LastWeekTonight. (2016, October 30). School segregation: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/o8yiYCHMAlM
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This news segment from BBC Newsnight (2017) details several technologies, new and old, that can be used to alter audiovisual records of events. Photoshop has been around for decades now, and there were other ways to edit photos before that (BBC Newsnight, 2017). Video is harder to fabricate (BBC Newsnight, 2017), though there are many who still believe that NASA did so to fake the moon landing (Griggs, 2009). And audio is perhaps the most difficult of all, though we now have technology to both easily create and put words in another person's mouth (BBC Newsnight, 2017). These tools are helping usher us into a postmodern era where we can each have our alternative facts, believe the version of history that supports our position, and assign meaning to events through personalized tinted glasses (Conley, 2017, p. 34).
It is said that history is written by the victor, but modern media has become accustomed to having verifiable hard evidence in the form of photos, video, and audio recordings with which to backup their stories. This scientific approach to history relies upon our senses telling us what is true, and that there is a single, verifiable truth to be known. Some people believe what they want to believe, but having hard evidence supposedly made such a stance more difficult to maintain. But the new ease of manipulating media means people can simply create the evidence to support their position. In a world where now live footage can be faked, how can you tell what is real, what is true? Ultimately we must rely upon our critical thinking and evaluate what sources to trust, as we have had to do since the dawn of time.
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References:
BBC Newsnight. (2017, February 6). The rise of 'fake news', manipulation and 'alternative facts' [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aTApGWVGoI&feature=youtu.be
Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist (Core 5th ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
Griggs, B. (2009, July 17). Could moon landings have been faked? Some still think so. CNN. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/07/17/moon.landing.hoax/index.html
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Introduction
Sociology is the study of human society (Conley, 2017, p. 4). This blog delves into discussions of a wide variety of sociological issues, drawing connections between fundamental concepts of sociology and modern artifacts of society. By applying a sociological imagination to the world we see around us, we can see how the large and remote affects the most intimate aspects of our personal lives (Conley, 2017, p. 4).
As a former chemist, and a budding web designer, I hope to bring a scientific and analytical view to my discussions and to investigate the impact technology has on society, for good or for ill. I am about to enter my final semester in Harrisburg Area Community College's Web Design and Development degree. I enjoy getting out in nature, playing games, and attending concerts, theater, and comedians. My hobbies tend to be creative and crafty, though I don't get to spend as much time doing them as I could wish. One of these days I hope to learn how to play the guitar.
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Reference:
Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist (Core 5th ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
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Many companies engage in corporate social responsibility, donating money, goods, or services to a good cause (Cadogan, 2018). But what are the motives behind a company's philanthropic actions? Do they truly desire to have an impact, or is this just a cynical ploy to attract customers? As Chris Cadogan (2018) writes for the McGill International Review, we can judge a company's intent by their actions. Without care and attention, a company's supposedly altruistic actions can do more harm than good (Cadogan, 2018).
Consumerism is the belief that obtaining material goods will bring happiness and contentment (Conley, 2017, p. 107). Corporate social responsibility takes this a step further, and promises that your purchases will bring happiness to others as well (Cadogan, 2018). We can feel the warm glow of altruism even if that promise falls flat, but if we truly care about helping others we will take that closer look to ensure that we are actually helping. Thus it is our values, or our belief in what is right and wrong (Conley, 2017, p. 90), that determines which kinds of companies we support with our custom.
Some companies have social responsibility programs that sound good on the surface, but looking deeper we see that their “aid” actually destroys local economies (Cadogan, 2018). Other groups are effective in their aid, but are discriminatory in who they help, assisting only those who share their own religion or values (Cadogan, 2018). This leads to minority groups being disadvantaged, or pressured to adopt the morals of the aid organization (Cadogan, 2018). But this is not to say that all social responsibility programs are harmful. By customizing programs to meet the need, and being careful to treat all those in need equally, it is possible to minimize unintended consequences and actually help people (Cadogan, 2018). If this is what we truly desire, then it falls on our shoulders to support companies that take these extra steps. If instead we just want to have the appearance of being helpful, then any company will do.
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References:
Cadogan, C. (2018, June 19). Corporate Social Responsibility: Capitalist Corruption or Genuine Aid? The McGill International Review. Retrieved from https://www.mironline.ca/corporate-social-responsibility-capitalist-corruption-or-genuine-aid/
Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist (Core 5th ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
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