Sociological Imagination

                                     Writing Assignment: Sociological Imagination

            Sociology is one of the subjects that helps people from all kinds of societies explain their lives. Sociology gives people an opportunity to detach from the self and see the society and individuals from their contexts. According to C. Wright Mills, this ability to see what others are experiencing from their context can be described as sociological imagination. The development of a mental picture to help understand other cultures and their influences makes sociology an important topic of study. Additionally, the application of sociological perspectives in analyzing personal problems and public issues makes it easier to understand and resolve whatever we are experiencing.

According to C. Wright Mills, there exists a noticeable difference between troubles and issues. Troubles are classified a personal understanding of the problems that one is experiencing and is aware of. This may be related to the character, limitation and weaknesses of the individual (Andersen and Taylor 5). In the resolution of personal troubles, one looks into the enhancement of their personal values and how they can improve their private life without the involvement of the whole society. On the other hand, issues are public and are related to the well-being of the community or society in general (Andersen and Taylor 5). In dealing with issues, it is no longer an individual’s contribution but that of the whole society. Unemployment and epidemics, which affect a large part of the population, are examples of public issues.

The personal trouble that I am coping with currently is the balancing of work, social life and school. In the modern world, life seems to be moving too fast and each person has numerous activities to be involved in. Currently school is the priority but I also have to work and maintain a comfortable social life. This is a personal trouble that can only be resolved by individual efforts. I have come up with a way of making it all work by compartmentalizing hours of the day accordingly. There are certain hours that are strictly meant for class and schoolwork, others for work and others for social engagements. However, I have had to cut down on the social engagements that I commit myself to since school and work take priority over other matters in my life right now.

The problem of juggling between work, school and social life is not only a problem for me but for most people in the modern society. Many people complain that they are unable to achieve balance in their lives because they have so much to do in so little time. This has created a society of people who are always rushing since they have so much to do and do not think they can complete it all in one day. In sociological terms, this is definitely a public issue. When so many people in the society experience the same problem despite their character and values, the society must recognize this as a public issue.

In order to get a clearer picture of this problem, the functionalist sociological perspective can be used in this analysis. Functionalism or the functionalist perspective in sociology argues that the society is made up of different parts which work together for the greater good of the society as a whole (Mooney, David and Schacht 9). This means that when the different parts of a society are working excellent, the whole will also function excellently. However, when one part fails, the society is slowed down and its functionality derailed. According to functionalists, social cohesion only comes about as a result of all parts functioning properly (Mooney, David and Schacht 10).

In this perspective, the problem of juggling school, work and social life is a correlation of the decreased functionality of some of the parts. In the modern society, development and financial success are some of the most emphasized issues. Therefore, one finds the need to work in order to pay for their educational needs and advance their intelligence. However, a person is also expected to maintain a social circle, which in turn requires money and time. These are the different parts of the problem that must function properly if it is to be resolved. In this perspective, time management is of the essence in order to allow a person to engage in priority activities. Additionally, a person must order their lives by only including the most important activities in their daily operations. This will ensure that they succeed at work, at school and maintain a successful social life.

In conclusion, C. Stuart Mills was right in noting that there are personal troubles and public issues. However, as seen above, there are certain troubles, which can also be considered as issues due to their impact on the society and the community as a whole. The usage of sociological perspectives helps to breakdown the problems and gets a better and well-focused solution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Andersen, Margaret L, and Howard F. Taylor. Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society. Belmont: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2008. Print.

Mooney, Linda A, David Knox, and Caroline Schacht. Understanding Social Problems. Belmont: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.