Jane schaffer 2 chunk paragraph example

Sameera, I agree that personal troubles refer to the problems affecting the individuals, that the affecting individual, including other members of the society, typically will blame on the individuals own personal and moral failings. As you have said, blaming is a form of rejection that society uses to reject a person who made mistakes or failed at something. Instead society should do everything to still accept that person and help pick them back up. Just like Amber said in her reply, there are many things in society that will help an individual. Social Support definitely is a big one. Social issues are the main reasons why individuals commit suicide. When society makes you feel like you belong, you get a since of being wanted. This in turn gives that individual a since of purpose. Appraisal support is another key concept that should be followed. Having another person to get reasonable advice from to help in a certain situation is very beneficial. I agree that the Social Imagination helps us to get a bigger picture of what may cause suicide and being able to look at the smaller details, which help us to realize that an individual issue is more of a public issue.

Amber Britt Yesterday

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One would think their struggles are supposedly lived alone and told they are brought on because of their own personal actions and decisions. C. Wright Mills proposes those thoughts to be disprovable through a systematic study called sociological imagination. It is simply not ‘you vs. the world’, but you AND the world. This perspective gives one the ability to differentiate experiences of oneself and societal molding and to see private affairs like financial instability or unemployment are caused by social causes like environmental concerns or even poverty. Social Imagination is constructed of research methods (e.g. surveys, questionnaires and interviews) and theoretical perspectives such as the functionalist perspective and symbolic interactions which views society on a microlevel.

Global interdependence—a relationship in which the lives of all people are closely intertwined and any one nation's problems are part of a larger global problem (Kendall, 2018)

is introduced when grasping an understanding of the relations of both personal distresses and public affairs. Mills points out that your problem is faced by others but even so your simple daily activities like jeopardizing study time to scroll on a social media platform and like pictures. (Examples of Sociological Imagination, n.d.) Sociological imagination, encourages one to think outside of their norm, to remove themselves and think beyond in certain approaches, global for example. Society removes individualistic decision making. One might think that their subconscious decision to take a certain route over the other or choice to purchase a specific brand instead of the other is commonsense, almost like an un-doubtly right decision that’s been shaped by past experiences. C. Wright Mills deems “commonsense” not commonsense at all but rather myths. (Kendall, 2018 p.6) For example, memes created by users on the internet and shared by thousands a day can be said to be agreeable or felt need to be. They encourage groupthink and could produce harmful outcomes like suicide. Memes or rather social media ultimately, are big social forces influencing suicide trends in the United States. Social media includes any coverage that can be seen, heard or experienced like tv shows (copycat suicides), the news, and peer pressure from (cyber)bullies or friends who’ve attempted themselves. Social media in the U.S. even effects our food and drinking consumption which becomes social rituals that places more importance on the symbolic value of a cup of coffee or tea than the food itself. A cup of tea could be more than for a health benefit but rather social interaction or coffee for its drug effects on the brain rather taste. (Crossman, 2019)

Is the saying, “money can’t buy happiness” true? The economic boom in Dehli, India proves it to be. The suicide rates in India are highest amongst the rich, in ages ranging from 15 to 29, as well the well educated. (NDTV.com, 2012;Lancet 2012; Kendall, 2018 p.7) It is understandable that with wealth and proper education more opportunities are introduced, however, so are job performance anxieties, mental and health issues (e.g. sleep disorders, depression, heart issues) and weakened relationships with people because of moving. When people move because of an increase of income, they lose social support which is expressed to be very important in the functionalist perspective of sociological imagination. The functionalist perspective, when disrupted leave people to question their lives and their ability to live it. One study that examined the functions of social support in reducing or preventing suicidal ideation in Air Force personnel during U.S. combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan found that all forms of social support were not equally important in protecting individuals against suicidal thoughts or actions. Esteem support played a big factor in the severity of the Air Force personnel’s thoughts of suicide. (Kendall, 2018 p.15)

Sociological imagination helps identify the causes (and indirect preventions) and solutions by placing flaw in public issues rather than a person’s life’s decisions. Shame is a factor I’ve observed that results in suicide and many seemingly private acts like it. Others shame people into losing their interests and rob them of the fact they are human. This shame tactic is often seen with teen pregnancies, addiction, homelessness, incarceration and even simply music taste. Resources for help and guidance in certain communities are limited or not utilized as a result of self-shame or fear of being ridiculed.

Overall, the sociological approach has allowed for us the opportunity to look more in depth to an act deemed private. It allows us to take the action of an individual that would other wise be classified as personal and relate it to and identify society’s role in that action. We are able to then use theories and perspectives to help further understand an individual and find solutions to help.

Kendall, D (2018) Sociology in our times: The essentials (11 ed). Boston: Cengage Learning

Examples of Sociological Imagination. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of- sociological-imagination.html

Crossman, Ashley. (2019, March 26). Definition of the Sociological Imagination and Overview of the Book. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/sociological-imagination- 3026756)

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Sheila Farr (Instructor) Yesterday

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Hello Students,

Thinking specifically about the connection between personal troubles and public issues, do you think there are any social problems in which this connection is hard to make? For example, can you look at poverty in general from this perspective?

Best,

Sheila Farr

Sameera Farhood Yesterday

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Poverty from a sociological stand point can be interpreted in many different ways. Two main ways are; someone living in poverty brought it upon themselves or someone is living in poverty due to the society they live in and social forces around them. Generally speaking I truly think linking poverty (a personal trouble) to public issues is a hard connection to make.

Think of it this way, you can attempt to link poverty to unemployment issues globally but; not everyone who is unemployed is poor and not everyone who is poor is unemployed. Poverty is one of those things that is not fully understood yet due to the many different people/social classes dealing with the issue.

I do believe that there are some social forces and public issues that can be linked to poverty, especially those who are dealing with it while employed. For example