alanjames1930blog-blog

[alanjames1930blog-blog]

To Future Students Seeking Advice

This class is definitely one that I do not regret taking at all. The various topics that were discussed and how they connect to the real world will keep you engaged and in tune with the world. The course is challenging at times, but other times the topics seem to flow freely through our minds. The most important thing to remember is that this course is for anyone. I did not have any background with at all, but I still got a lot out of it. The workload can seem like a lot, but once you get started and realize what you can get out of it then you will know what it’s really about. To help with this, occasionally volunteer in class and read your textbook. Staying focused and engaged will help you immensely, and hopefully help you pass. From one student to another it may seem hard to focus at some points. However, once you realize that some of these topics will help you later in life then you will learn to love this class.

[alanjames1930blog-blog]

Looking back at this assignment, I feel as if that it was very beneficial for me. Being able to connect topics and terminology has always been an asset of mine, which showed well through these academic entries. I plan to become a law enforcement officer in a few years after completing my academics, and this course has really opened my eyes. Most cases involve looking from a psychological point of view, looking at the person’s behavioral issues only. However, this course has allowed me to look at a broader sense rather than looking from a micro sense. A specific topic that really interested me was the topic of deviance, especially since I just started my criminology course this semester as well. Some of the terms were repeats from that course, so I followed along pretty well. Overall, this course left me wanting even more information and I will most likely be taking another course later on in my college career.

[alanjames1930blog-blog]

Greetings Readers

My name is Alan and I am a former communications major, but now I major in Criminal Justice. Social issues and interactions always fascinate me, and that’s why I will most likely continue taking communications courses to serve as my minor. During my high school days, I participated in the Future Business Leaders of America Club where I focused in Business Communications. I did fairly well with it and it has greatly helped me today. I am very passionate when it comes to writing and I try to stick to a single idea in order to stay the course. In these entries you are about to read, I show you a few areas that I have found quite interesting and showed be looked at by others. I am a newcomer to the field of sociology but I have become hooked onto it through this class and this assignment as well. I hope you enjoy it!

[alanjames1930blog-blog]

So far, all of my posts have been heavily focused on topics and issues that the US are dealing with right now. For this one, I decided to look into the Canadian economy and see what is going on with our neighbors to the north. According to officials, the economy is looking at a downfall which comes as a shock since they were looking upward in the previous year. These directors decided to do a survey in order to see if the people think this drop will change or not. This would be called quantitative research which is a method that seeks to obtain information about the social world that is already in or can be converted to numeric form (Conley, 2017, pp.47). The survey took about 600 responses from those individuals in order to gain a better understanding of their mindsets. The survey showed that 28 percent of them felt that the economy would increase over the coming years, which fell from 52 percent from the previous year. The decline has come about because of a few reasons. Domestic issues and concerns over how trade and other economic decisions have been the reason for the decline and while others believe that things can improve, others may think otherwise. The information that was gathered does show us how those individuals feel, but how does the Canadian population as a whole feel about this decline? Surely some would feel confident in a possible surge in the economy, but some would definitely see it in a negative way.

Word Count - 256

Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York: W.W. Norton.

[alanjames1930blog-blog]

Activism and a strive for social change have been a part of our culture for many years. Some of these have come with open arms, while others spark major debates. These can vary depending on the amount of change that needs to occur to how many people they need to back up the movement. The biggest one that has greatly affected this country is the movement of ‘Black Lives Matter’. This has come about due to the numerous police related shootings and use of excessive force upon young black men, with some being unarmed and others just simply doing everyday things that even other races do. So why are police only singling out the black community when patrolling the streets and keeping communities safe? Let’s discuss just exactly what a social movement is, it can be thought of as organized yet informal social entities that are engaged in extra-institutional conflict that is oriented towards a goal. These goals can be either aimed at a specific and narrow policy or be more broadly aimed at cultural change (EBSCO Research Starters, 2009, pp. 2). So, what do we have to do as a nation to truly understand this movement and in turn help it out and provide more followers? I discussed racism in a previous post, and it also links to this topic as well. As a criminal justice major, I strive to become better than the various stories that I have heard over the past few years. I view all people the same, without any prejudice or negative thoughts. Once we establish that all races are equal in this country and treat all of them as one, maybe we can become more unified.

Word Count - 282

Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York: W.W. Norton.

[alanjames1930blog-blog]

Cooperation within our country is vital for our foundation and survival, but cooperation with other countries is just as important. This serves so we have allies and extra support when conflict arises or a simple discussion may be the topic. Another part of the world that may operate differently than us allows us to have another outlook on the certain issues. One component that is crucial is military affairs and relationships we have with other nations. One example of this the continuing cooperation with the country of Cambodia, and despite certain setbacks we still maintain a strong relationship. This means that both governments are also on good terms if they can communicate these topics and keep it up. Functionalism is the theory that various social institutions and processes in society exist to serve some important (or necessary) function to keep society running (Conley, 2017, pp. 31). Without the foreign relations that the US has formed over the years, where would this country end up? Possible conflicts and feuds could erupt, sending the US into a possible war with another country with little to no back-up. This is when allies are crucial, that way they aren’t going into a conflict alone. Also, negotiations that occur at summits and other important meetings could hurt us if there is no country that will side with the US. This is why the idea of ‘functionalism’ comes into play, it shows that when the US and other nations are cooperating and aiding in any way they can, the relationships can be kept in line.

Word Count - 259

Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York: W.W. Norton.

[alanjames1930blog-blog]

The society we live in is separated through many things, but the idea of ‘social class’ has been the biggest. But what happens when personal relationships and dating becomes a part of this? Both men and women act upon this, and they tend to try to be someone they’re not in order to secure a relationship with a potential partner. Usually, people stay within their status when they meet a significant other, but other times they tend to want to stay away from that. This occurs because of the class system, which is an economically based hierarchical system characterized by cohesive, oppositional groups and somewhat loose social mobility (Conley, 2017, pp. 251). This follows along with the male mindset, some may think that they can just move up on the scale and get any girl they want. Others however may not be as confident and try to stay within their ‘class’ because they believe that’s all they’re good for. Let’s use the example of a factory worker vs a CEO of a large corporation. Typically, a woman would go for the CEO because he shows qualities of power, wealth, strength, and leadership. But couldn’t a factory worker still show these qualities as well? The mere image of a successful man has shaped the idea that all men need to have these highly successful jobs, and that manual work is a sign of weakness. The wage gap between a CEO and a factory worker has been the biggest in the history of this country. In order to combat this, men and women should simply disregard the idea of what class they’re in and what class their potential partner is in. They should focus on the factors outside of that.

Word Count - 288

Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York: W.W. Norton.

[alanjames1930blog-blog]

As I previously discussed in an earlier post, material culture plays a vital role in shaping our culture. However, this can work in negatively and positively for the individuals in that specific culture. Technology is the best example of material culture that we have in our world today and it has helped us greatly, but is has also hurt us. In some factories and manufacturing companies, human assets are being replaced by machines. While efficiency may be enhanced, the number of jobs available for the working people are limited. As George Ritzer wrote in The McDonaldization of Society, with the coming of robots, we have reached the ultimate stage in the replacement of humans with nonhuman technology (Ritzer, 1993, pp. 377). George was making the point that technology truly is hurting our status as working individuals and driving us out of manual work. Taking away people and instead using technology will leave us helpless, making us feel like these things are out of our control. The examples of GPS, online ordering for food for various restaurants, assembly lines for manufacturing products, and many more shapes the concept of replacing people with machines. However, it is technology that generates ideas and concepts, values and beliefs (Conley, 2017, pp. 82). So maybe technology isn’t all bad. Sure, it may limit some of our jobs, but it can also shape us as people and allow us to gain a better understanding of the world around us. I believe that technology has played a crucial part in the development of our country and in some cases without it, we may not be who we are today.

Word Count - 272

Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York: W.W. Norton.

Ritzer, G. (1993). The McDonaldization of society: An investigation into the changing character of contemporary social life. Newburyport Park, Calif: Pine Forge Press.

[alanjames1930blog-blog]

The debate of blue vs pink has finally ended up in the hands of our government. Political officials in Michigan are striving for fast food restaurants to eliminate the idea of separating toys for boys and girls. The labels that society gives children at a young age can be looked at positively and negatively. For young boys, generally you see cars and action figures as the primary choice for their toys. For young girls, you see dolls and maybe a make up play kit. But what happens when a boy wants a ‘girly’ toy or a girl wants one of the younger boy’s toys? This is when the concept of gender roles comes into play. Gender roles are the sets of behavioral norms assumed to accompany one’s status as a male or female, (Conley, 2017, pp. 289). This links to my main point on the separate toy’s topic, showing us why there was a separation in the first place. I believe that the separation of the toys should be looked into more, especially now that young girls are becoming more interested in science and technical work. To me it’s kind of crazy that something so simple is restricting these children from breaking out of the stereotypes that society already has on them. You usually only see these on adults and young adults as well, once they hit a certain age where they can be held accountable for certain things. The limitations that children are put under at such a young age could negatively affect them in the future, so maybe the choice of which toy they want is crucial for their development.

Word Count - 272

Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York: W.W. Norton.

[alanjames1930blog-blog]

In today’s world, race seems to be the center of all discussions. Employment, social status, and personal views are all tied to this topic and can spark conflict that divides people in a negative way. Unfortunately, the issue of race has now struck down into out government and tarnished the relationships that have been already built. Numerous racist comments have been made by white government officials, although some might say they were ‘just joking’. Joking or not, racism is the biggest issue that this country has become divided on. Racism is the belief that members of separate races possess different and unequal traits (Conley, 2017, pp. 325). The idea that these individuals can say these outrageous comments and later on disregard them as a joke and expect to get no backlash for it is terrible, and a drastic change needs to happen. These comments can’t even compare to some of the heinous acts that have occurred previously, but they can affect people just as much as actions. Publicly outing someone of the opposite party that is running against you, in my opinion, is a cheap shot. Especially when comments of race are involved or when they bring up your personal life. Regardless of this, race should not be and never should be a topic that causes our nation to be divided. In my personal opinion we should be inviting and more open minded to those that appear different at first glance, but may have more than that under the surface.

Word Count - 250

Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York: W.W. Norton.

[alanjames1930blog-blog]

Our society views bad behavior as a burden on society, and rightfully so. Certain actions are worse than others but as a whole, it does create issues. In this Ted-Talk, Brian Strobel talks about the Normalization of Deviance, and shows some real-world examples of just how deviance has become normalized in our society. Deviance is described as the state of departing from usual or accepted standards, especially in social behavior (Conley, 2017, pp 191). His one main point was when he discussed the lack of judgment from officials at Volkswagen. They clearly took shortcuts when it came time to run emissions tests on their vehicles, which lead to recalls on many vehicles. This is a great example of how these individuals were acting outside of their standards that were enforced by the company to ensure quality on their products. Another example that Brian provided is that we ourselves normalize deviance without even realizing it. The first example is that we try to rationalize these actions by using logic, which makes us believe that an action that is bad is actually good. The second example is our need to be social. Brian uses the example of peer pressure in high school and the idea of being a ‘team player in a workplace. This leads to going with the crowd and in certain situations can be very negative. The final reason comes in the form of institutionalization, when the leader of a group or organization is doing something then all the followers do the same. Deviance can be found almost everywhere, but it’s not always the well-known forms of deviance. Social norms can differ in cultures and even in subcultures, but the individual’s judgment and ability to think under pressure is the deciding factor.

Word Count - 292

Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York: W.W. Norton.

[alanjames1930blog-blog]

Homeschooling vs public school, is there really a difference between the two? To some people, going to public school is better for students especially when it comes to interacting with their peers. However, others believe that a homeschooled experience will be more beneficial for a child. Michael Rennier from Aleteia wrote about the benefits of homeschooling a child from a socialization point-of-view. The main reasons that are given are that they are exposed to adults more often and they are not exposed to bullying. However, there is one negative that I would like to highlight and that is the concept of role conflict. Role conflict is the tension caused by competing demands between two or more roles pertaining to different statuses (Conley, 2017, pp. 133). Let’s say for example that the parent is the student’s teacher; the child now has to assume the roles of both child and student. This could compromise the students the learning because they might mix up the roles accidentally. The relationship you have with your teacher differs greatly from what you have with your parent, so public school kids can easily identify the difference. However, a homeschooled kid may not be able to do so since their parent is now both. They may become unsure of how to treat the situation, whether as a student or a child. The parent must be able to help the child along the way, by being helpful as a teacher but also caring as a parent. Doing so will help the child understand when it is a home setting and when it is a classroom setting.

Word Count - 267

Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York: W.W. Norton.

[alanjames1930blog-blog]

When we look at culture as a whole, we mainly look at values and items that describe it. For some people, one is much more valuable than the other and it depends on your own beliefs. Chris Cancialosi, a contributor for Forbes, wrote about the technological transformation of our culture. This can be described as material culture, which is everything that is a part of our constructed, physical environment (Conley, 2017, pp. 82). Technology is the main example of this, although there are plenty of others. Technology has greatly shaped our culture, whether you side with the positives or negatives is up to you. The idea that everything around us in someway has been changed through technology is incredible. Looking at the US, we have had a great amount of access to technology compared to other struggling cultures around the world. The main component that makes technology so desirable is the structure and some cases the reliability of it. I’m not saying technology is perfect, but it definitely offers a more focused approach to certain things. Also, if a group of people are working on a collective project then they will all use the same software in order to accomplish their goals. By this I mean that technology brings out the best in a collective group rather than just the individuals working with it. It’s very important to always want to build on team-working skills. The idea that technology not only makes our lives easier in some ways, but it also guides in forming relationships and building on what we have in the present for the road ahead.

Word Count - 268

Conley, D. (2017). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York: W.W. Norton.