SocBook 4th entry 9/11/18

No society is peaceful.  They all have conflict which leads to social change. We talked about Karl Marx and W DuBois. We discussed the founders of Sociology Comte, Durkheim, Spencer and Merton.

We discussed the Symbolic-Interaction theory by Max Weber and George Mead.  Symbolic-Interaction is an ongoing process of social interaction in specific settings based on symbolic communication. Our individual perception of reality are variable and always changing. You can look at a family dynamic for an example of this. Each member of the family has a certain job to do but these jobs can change. In some families the Father figure works while the Mother stays home. The Father takes out the trash and does the yard work while the Mother does laundry and keeps the house clean. If you grow up in a family structured like this then you may assume that these are the roles and functions of the Mother and Father in a home. If something were to change this dynamic, lets say the bills are piling up and the Mother needs to also go to work, this can change your view of what a Mother and Father are. It would change your reality.

Goffman established the Dramaturgical Analysis stating “we all have roles”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qe5TI__ZDU

We play the role of Student, Teacher, Chairman, Dean, School President, School Board, Department of Education and on and on. Each role will affect all of the others and the first role is simply representing the last and the last is a reflection of the first. Sociology allows us to see what otherwise would be an invisible ripple effect. Sociology lets you know how important you are.

We then discussed the Social Exchange Paradigm. This is a micro view. In this paradigm, Social interaction is guided by what each person stands to gain or lose from others. (Homans & Blau)  We are all making decisions like this every day, multiple times a day. An example would be whether to go to class or not. If you go to class you could gain knowledge, It could help you continue to do well in the class and you could get the participation points for being there.  If you choose to go to class you would also be giving up something. You might be giving up time you could do something fun. You may give up time you could do something relaxing. You may give up the chance to pick up an extra hour at your job. No matter what choice you make you must give up the others. It is then you are deciding which one is most valuable.

Something positive I can do for Society – pay attention to the literature I get in the mail. Deciding what is useful and what is not useful.

Something negative I can do for Society – not maintaining relationships with family or friends.

Something positive Society does for me – My kids get to learn in a public school.

Something negative Society does for me – Does not allow me to teach my kids myself. Not sure I would be qualified for something like that anyway.