Schoolings

Here is my last semester writings from Intro to Sociology taught by Dr. Lisa Ralph Leake. I answered all of the questions but incorrectly saved them:

Question #1 for Wednesday, 1/12

What is sociology? How does the metaphor, “the architecture of society” help us begin to understand sociology?

"Sociology is the systematic study of human societies." (Newman 2011:05.) Sociologists seek to understand, explain, and predict social phenomena. (Leake) Architecture is not interior designing in the way that sociology is not psychology. Many different items such as plumbing, electrical wiring, walls, doors, roofs, and balconies are put together to form architecture. Many different people are put together to form societies. A door is not a door unless it has a room to open up to and a person is not a person unless he has a society to open up to. While psychology asks, "Who are you?" sociology asks "Who are we?".

Question #2 for Friday, 1/14

Using your sociological imagination, identify two large-scale historical events that have shaped your biography and explain what effect these societal events had on your life.

The attack on the U.S.A. of September, 11th 2001 was a large-scale historical event which shaped my biography. The effect of this event on my life is still in progress. Immediately, and ashamedly my first thought was, "My birthday and possibly birthdays will always be overshadowed by this event (my birthday is September 12)." Shortly after the attack a connectedness was felt to the global community. I no longer felt that war was foreign or historical but a current factor of my life.

The Great Recession which began in December 2007 was a large-scale historical event which shaped my biography. While I do not blame or condemn this social phenomenon, I understand how this external factor had an influence on my day to day life. I went from three jobs, to two jobs, to one job, and finally to no job. This change snowballed into other detrimental changes in my life. As a result of not having as much money, I gleaned happiness from the many other aspects of life that had been neglected during my economic high. Education, religion, family, and pursuit of serving my country took the place of consumerism, career focus, and self indulgence.

Question #3 for Wednesday, 1/19

Define and give examples of the terms an “ascribed status” and an “achieved status.” How are statuses and roles different from each other?

The term "ascribed status" in sociology is a status which is obtained unintentionally and involuntarily. My ascribed status is that of a white, male, son of John and Susan Deans, whose status is that of old people. The term "achieved status" in sociology is a status which is obtained intentionally and voluntarily. My achieved status is that of a college student, AFROTC cadet, member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and video game player. The military has clearly defined achieved statuses or ranks. Depending on your rank or "achieved status" you are assigned a classification or job. An officer who wishes to be a pilot is expected to perform as a pilot. While his "achieved status" is a 2nd Lieutenant his "role" is that of pilot. Roles are the expectations of a status.

Question #4 for Friday, 1/21

Define one of the three theoretical perspectives outlined in the text, (e.g. structural functionalism, social-conflict perspective, symbolic interactionism, etc.). Which one do you think provides the best explanation of social inequality? Why do you think that?

The conflict perspective provides the best explanation of social inequality. Karl Marx believed that conflict arises because of the scarcity of resources. This conflict between the "haves" and the "have nots" create a need for powerful leaders to equalize an inherently unequal society. This theory emphasizes the commonness of greed and the uniqueness of charity.

Question #5 for Wednesday, 1/26

What is meant by the phrase the “social construction of reality”? From personal observations in your own surroundings, identify one phenomenon that has been socially created. How did this “fact” or practice arise? How might you (or a group of individuals) change or challenge this practice and belief in society?

The phrase "social construction of reality" means that reality is built by the mutual agreement that things exist and that we are all sharing the same existence. The phenomenon of child protection was socially created. This practice arose when people established that it is socially acceptable to nurture and protect the younger members of the human race. Groups of individuals challenge this practice every time they abuse and/or neglect a child.

Question 6# for Friday, 1/28

Describe the subculture of Utah Valley University. What are some ways in

which this subculture differs from that at other colleges/universities

in the state? How does UVU differ from the larger community in which it

is located?

The subculture of Utah Valley University is one of utilitarian scholastic pursuits. The goals of the students are not spiritual as much as they are career oriented. Obtaining a degree is a stepping stone to a career. UVU's subculture is also that of a fringe or alternative subculture to that of BYU.

Question #8 for Monday, 2/7/11

Explain the difference between George Herbert Mead’s the play stage and the game stage in the development of the sense of self. Be sure to use an example(s) to support your explanation.

"Me as in we, I eat the pie." This is a memory device I wrote to help me understand and remember George Herbert Mead's the play stage and the game stage in the development of the sense of self. My life has been an example of the development of the sense of self because for years I was in a "play stage". Even though I was working and living on my own I reverted to a child-like state of instant gratification and intentional ignorance of the rules of life. As a cadet in the AFROTC my "generalized order" is very laid out and structured, we call it the "chain of command". I am constantly urging my previous self to rise to the challenges which are set before me. Feedback and constructive criticism allow me to gauge my worth and improve. My sense of self is developed into a self that is both independently confident and at the same time reliant of my "society" or flight, group, squadron, and military.

Question #10 – Due Monday, 2/14/11

In your own words, what is meant by the terms “front stage”, “back stage”, and "impression management"? What happens when it succeeds? What happens when it fails? At the microlevel, why is the failure of one’s impression management sociologically important to other people during social interaction? Give an example to illustrate.

The terms "front stage", "back stage", and "impression management" in my life can best be explained with clothing choices. "Me" seeks total comfort when selecting my wardrobe and feels that there is an unjust stigma attached to wrinkled and stained clothing. A prop "I" use when going from my back stage, coach in front of TV, to the front stage, church, school, and ROTC, is my uniform.  This uniform is a white shirt and tie for church and a uniform for ROTC and school (Wednesdays and Thursdays). This act of putting on a uniform is my "impression management" and I do it because I wish to present a favorable image with the goal of receiving a positive judgment. When I am successful I represent my social organizations (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and The United States Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps) well and those who interact with me are more likely to view the organizations favorably. When I fail the people I interact with are less likely to view myself and the organizations I represent favorably. If the embarrassment is on a large enough scale I will have to account for my actions and may receive sanctions from the organizations I represent. My impression management is important to other people during interaction because my actions not only embarrass myself but the organizations in which I belong too, even without my uniforms I still represent my race and ethnicity. With a long term historical outlook, I also like to think about the overall effect my impression management will have on the critique of my generation.

Question #13 –Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Using the information provided in the text, discuss one form of violence that may occur in family settings. What statistics are used to illustrate its occurrence? What norms, values, theories, or other sociological explanations could one use to explain why such a practice persists?

The United States had close to 900,000 substantiated cases of child abuse in 2006. This number is believed to be lower than the actual number because children do not report the crime or it remains hidden from those who would report the crime. The theory of "righteous violence" is a reason while this practice persists. Society has deemed that violence is an acceptable way to solve problems. The reasoning behind hitting your child or "spanking" them is because you were spanked. I would be interested to see the statistic of how many child abusers were spanked as a child. The "righteous violence" theory is also seen when children engage in a school yard fist fight. Society views this contest as acceptable as long as no weapons are used. In my opinion, it is just as bad to solve your problems with your fist as it is to solve your problems with a gun or bomb. Society enjoys watching the bad guy get punched in the face by the good guy. They do not see the third "guy" is actually violence itself growing stronger and gaining more acceptance as an acceptable action. I would venture to guess that if statistics were gathered about the relationship between child abusers and whether or not they were beaten up on the school yard the majority would be the victims of school yard fights, not the instigators or bullies.

Question #14 – Friday, February 25, 2011

If you hold the absolutist perspective, and all you know about a person is that he has served time in prison for theft, how will you most likely interpret his behavior and actions?

An absolutist would view a convict as an inherently bad person. There are no Jean Valjeans (main character from Les Miserables), or people who were justified in the stealing of bread to feed their family.

Question #15 – Monday, February 28, 2011

What is the difference between white-collar and street crime? Compare and contrast conflict and functional perspectives on this issue. Why is white-collar crime essentially ignored, while there is such a focus on street crime?

White collar crime is crime which the perpetrator engages in fraudulent business or theft without violence. A conflict perspective would view white collar crime as expected and detestable. White collar crime is expected by the conflict theorist because those in power are prone to abuse the power. The fact that the attributes they possessed which escalated them to their level of power are often the same that allowed them to commit the crime inflict a sense of betrayal on the conflict theorist. A functional perspective would view white collar crime as an unexpected but slightly accepted deviance. The powers that are capable of committing the crime are acting out their role when they pursue all means to earn money and as a result should not suffer severe punishment. White collar crime is essentially ignored because of the lack of entertainment associated with it. Society views street crime (or non-white collar crime) as a distant spectacle which provides entertainment. OJ Simpson, Jon Bennet, Elizabeth Smart, and other violent crime is far more interesting than Enron, WorldCom, and Lehman Brothers. Fear of immediate danger is what gains focus.

Question #16 -- Monday, March 7, 2011

Define and given an example of one type of a social dilemma that balance individual and society’s needs as explained in the text (e.g., Tragedy of the Commons, Free Rider Problem). What makes this a social phenomenon?

Many people do not donate to PBS yet they watch the channel frequently. The individual acquiring the service PBS provides without having to pay for it is a "free rider". This social phenomenon occurs on a large scale with regards to child care. The public resource of care and education of children benefits society by providing healthy smarty kids. This creates a dilemma with people's desire to not pay taxes. This social dilemma is a factor in the recent protests against union breaking laws. People want their children to have good educations but they don't want to pay for it.

Define and given an example of one type of a social dilemma as explained
in the text. What makes this a social phenomenon?

A social dilemma I have become more aware of recently in life is that of American pacifism. Some people want security and peace. Their definition of peace being a country not engaged in warfare and to some extreme people a country without a military. They want a country that is safe. This safety is achieved, in my opinion, through active pursuit and elimination of the enemy. While the theory of peace through warfare is debatable the dilemma I see affecting many people is not a moral issue of righteous warfare but rather of not getting their hands dirty. They want a safe country but they do not want to fight to get it. Their opposition of warfare and desire for security create a dilemma because they are not willing to sacrifice one for the other. While you could argue that they don't have to give up one for the other the dilemma remains for those who are not willing to change the status quo but want to abolish warfare. 

Question #17—Monday, March 7, 2011

Think of a bureaucratic organization you are personally familiar with.  How might it fit Weber's model of bureaucracy and its three characteristics?

The United States Military is a bureaucratic organization I recently have become familiar with. Max Weber's model and its three characteristics are clearly represented within the ROTC. As an officer we are told to maintain a fine balance between the mission and the people we command. Leading the individual and caring for their needs can be difficult in such a large hierarchical organization. "Division of labor" is called "Classification" in the military and every person has a "Job Code". This code is a number letter combination, for example the job code I desire is 11UX. These codes specify what specialized tasks you and only those with that code accomplish. The military calls these accomplishments, "Bringing something to the fight." This division allows us to accomplish large tasks that would be impossible if everyone acted independently. There is a definite pyramid or chain of command that is obeyed. The hierarchy of authority or "rank" is always respected. Balancing your impersonal or "professional" interaction with compassion and guidance towards those below you is a career long struggle for officers. Max Weber's model of bureaucracy fits very well into the military. 

Question #18 – Describe the disconnect between formal rules of corporations and the realities for the women in the film, Maquilopolis. What is the everyday reality for most maquiladora workers? What does this suggest about the negative side of globalization?

Corporations have formal rules which when practiced protect and enhance the lives of their workers. The reality for the maquiladora workers is that the informal rules when practiced enhance and protect the corporation's profits. The corporation's first priority is its board of executives and the stockholders they represent. The customer is second, the worker third, and everyone else last on the list of concerns for a corporation. The negative side of globalization is the "tragedy of the commons". This "tragedy of commons" in my opinion should be called "someone else's problem". "Someone else's problem" is created when corporations vampirically hopscotch around the world like locusts feeding of the most fertile fruit until only a dried out husk remains. Mexico, India, China, Sub-Asia, then Mexico again seems to be the cycle of abuse they follow as they search for the next "someone" to dump their "problems" onto. Watching the film and having hindsight on this cycle created a mixed feelings for the women maquiladora workers who fought the system and "won". Although their victory was commendable it contributed to their society's defeat because it was a reason the corporations withdrew. This was a case when "someone else's problem" was not something to fight because other countries were eager and waiting to take on the problem.

Question #21
What is meant by the term “working poor”? Using Tammy’s story (or another appropriate example), what are some of the obstacles to movement between classes for people like Tammy and her family?

Tammy was a "working poor" person because even though she was employed she was below the poverty line and unable to meet the demands of life. She faced the obstacle of emotional and academic knowledge of a better life. She did not know that she was feeling poorer than she had to or should want to and she lacked the education to change her job. Tammy also faced the obstacle of not having the resources, like a working car, to improve her current situation.

Question #22

What indicators or social markers are often used to separate ourselves from others? Does social class involve more than just money? Why or why not?

Race and ethnicity, possessions, gender, physical appearance, language, and religion are social markers we use to separate ourselves from others. Social class as defined by an economist does not involve more than just money. A philosopher would say that social class is determined by the morality of a person. In my opinion social class does not involve money at all. When a person is placed in a setting that is totally devoid of commercial interactions like a church class can only be determined by the way that person treats other people.