Answers to Sociology Questions - Assignment Example

Answers to sociology questions of Answers to sociology questions Devise own question, and then give hypothetical answers that reflect the four basic theoretical orientations .Question: Why do people give birth to children? Individual Non-rational Most of the people believe that giving birth is the nature of humans. Therefore, being a human is their role to follow the laws of nature and get children. Moreover, people have kids because they are in the marriage institution. The proposition thus becomes like a mandatory requirement to get children especially after marriage. In other cases, people have babies because they love them. Rational Most people put forward that giving birth is a way of cultivating their relationship. The act of giving birth thus comes in as a reinforcement of the marriage. Furthermore, people get children because they want to carry on with the family name. The fact thus becomes like a requirement since no one wants his family’s streak to end on his line. Consequently, children get born. Some parents also believe that they need to have children with the aim of old age insurance. In other words, they tend to give birth so that they can have someone to take care of them once they got old to take of themselves. Collective Non-rational People give birth because the act is a provision by the organization. The society demands that people give birth to children in order to give them the experience of living although the children are not yet in existence. In some societies, children are seen as wealth. The fact is very evident in the African society. The fact thus graduates to the individuals since they want to have a high social class in the society. Rational The society tends to torment those without children with abuses and negative conclusions. Some society believes that the lack of children is like an ill omen. As a consequence, people do not fit the family structure, and the society sees them as outcasts. The fact that the society is so harsh to children tends to make people have children. 2. Has the proletariat, or working class, dashed deeper with the development of commerce as Marx Suggested? Effect of industry advancement on proletariats Industrial advancement is as a result of capitalism. The main facts according to Karl Marx were that there would be a revolution of proletariats due to the discrimination that they undergo in the production of goods and services. The issue comes into reality whereby Marx claims that the rebellion by the proletariats to overthrow the bourgeoisie will be a success since the proletariats have the numbers. However, with time, capitalism has been an advantage of the workers and thus up to date no worker revolution has come up in demand for the right to the means of production (Gingerich, 2009). As the industry is advancing, the compensation of the human resource tends to be directly proportional. In the new world, there have been laws that regulate the number of hours for working and the minimum wage. Most of the rules that tend to influence the economy tend to be to the benefit of the working class. Consequently, the theory of Marx does not coincide with the change in time. Prevalence of alienation in the capitalistic world The term alienation as per the propositions by Marx depicts the separation that tends to divide the workers whose reward is wages with the commodity that they contribute in the production process. From another perspective, the statement implies that the employees’ compensations tend to be lesser in relation to the proceeds from the products. Marx did not foresee the watchful eye of the state. The state through the workers unions monitors the returns of the companies about the compensation of the workers. The workers benefit from raises and other allowances once the firms tend to gather more profits. Otherwise, the unions tend to bring an issue to the law and seek for justice. Some people do not like doing what they do for a living. The issue is not because of false indictments that such workers may have an encounter. On the contrary, the wrong placements that workers find themselves in are due to constraints some of which they do not have control. For example, unemployment as a factor ensures most people to fall for the wrong careers. The fact is because their area of specialization may not coincide with the demand in the market. 3. Define mechanical and organic solidarity. Do these concepts help explain the division of labor in your family of origin? Mechanical and organic solidarity The two concepts emanate from Emile Durkheim in the quest of creating a difference between cultures. With reference to the provision of labor, Mechanical solidarity is a composition of societies that have no notable experiences of advancement (Morrison, 2006). Solidarity is as a result of the kinship ties and consequent ties that are familiar to the family. On the other hand, the organic solidarity is an attribute of societies that have high levels of specialization and development is dynamic. The above factors are correct since, in the family level, the mechanical solidarity may take place. The family members tend to give their family members manual jobs in their respective businesses. However, in urban centers, the families do not practice the mechanical solidarity but the organic solidarity. The factual part is that the job market does not concentrate on family ties but rather on the education level that gives in for the specialization factor. In the work environment that depicts the provision of security services at the local hospital, the solidarity is purely organic. The instances that lead to the job employment are dependent on the academic qualifications of the aspirant. The criteria in turn relate to the level of specialization. The requirements of the aspect are on the emphasis of provision of quality services following the issue that security is a sensitive issue. 4. How can the rise of “new age” movements, extreme sports, religious fundamentalisms, and spiritual healers be explained in light of Weber’s discussion of rationalization and the “disenchantment of the world”? Weber’s discussion of rationalization Rationality according to weber is the origin of the development. Rationality tends to make the process of putting rational forms possible. The aspect in turn tends to be a positive mark to capitalism. Rationality thus consists of activities that are ion the social sense. The effects tend to have a great deal of arguments and thus the regulation of the actions is solely dependent on reason. Disenchantment, on the other hand, is a term that values scientific thinking more than belief. The term also encompasses the making of goals that are sound. The rationality thus characterizes the processes since the reasonable goals act as guidance (Mechtenberg, 2009). In view of the new age movements, there are no specific goals that are of a scientific nature. Therefore, sports that are extreme and the religious aspects that consist of belief rather than practicality do not possess rationality. The methods do not focus on reasonable goals. Concerning the view of weber, the forms of the new age cannot account for the development. 5. Discuss the specific advances in gender equality that has occurred since Gilman’s day. Advances in gender equality since Gilman’s day The work by Gilman was a landmark in the field concerning sex. Gilman wrote about the marriage institution, the family and the home where all activities of the marriage, as well as the family, occur. He explains that the economic independence of females is essential for the advancement of the institution of marriage, a decline of racism and an improvement of all the duties that belong to women. The book first publication was in 1898, and the theme of justice was subject to considerable controversy. From the time of the publication of the book, the female society has seen the dawn of receiving the freedom to cast a political vote during elections. The education of women is also on the rise. As a result, the financial status of women is on the rise. Due to the proposition, women have fewer children since there is a shift of responsibility. Women are not only givers of birth and children rearing but are also competitive in the economy just like men. In other individual cases, the job opportunities that are available for women are fewer in comparison to those available for women. The act thus renders women jobless and consequently dependent on men. The fact thus shows that the women are still to access full economic independence. The social position of the women is still the same with men still superior to women. The point shows that gender equality is still a cumbersome aspect. 6. With his concept of the tragedy of culture, Simmel explored how cultural objects, once they confront their users as external forces, often constrain our attempts to cultivate freedom and individuality. How do cars and computers allow us to fulfill some of our needs, while at the same time constraining our pursuit of independence and individual goals? The tragedy of culture by Simmel and the application to the scenario of automobiles and workstations The construct illustrates that there is a dialect relationship between the culture that is subjective and that culture that is objective. In details, culture that is objective comprises of the products from humans. There is also the sharing of the products. The products include examples such as philosophy, religion as well as rituals. The products enable the humans to transform and develop their own lives. On the other hand, different culture relates to the issues that are creative and intelligent of human beings as individuals. The development of the individual culture is dependent on the objective culture. The tragedy of the two cultures occurs during the development of the societies where humans inhabit. The aspects of an individual that belong to the objective culture tend to be more than the personal traits in the individual. The result is that humans tend to diminish the chances of their psychological growth by falling for the opportunities that are probability to experience them are only once in a lifetime. The use of cars and computers tend to save time. The computer tends to be an office thus saving on space. Moreover, computers provide entertainment and education which otherwise would be difficult to accomplish. The car also provides entertainment through the racing competitions. However, the automobile and the computer are not without fault. The devices tend to provide a limit to humans especially in their absence. In cases of roadblocks or car failures, business operations come to a standstill. Humans have also become dependent on the workstations. Communication tends to fail. For example in the banking industry, a failure in the computer systems can lead to a substantial obstacle to the operations. 7. Explain Du Bois’ concept of the color line. Using specific examples from Du Bois’ work, as well as real life, discuss how this concept encompasses both non rational and rational motivation for action, at the individual as well as collective level. Du Bois’ concept of the color line The term color line meant the separation of races. The segregation was mostly in the United States and thus the nation became the origin of the name. The term was mostly at use after the abolishment of the slavery institution. In Dubois perspective, color line was one of the major problems of the tenth century. The act tends to restrain people from different skin colors the ability to share the opportunities that the universe has to offer (Lee J., 2007). The problem was a happening in the USA, and the occurrence of the same in other regions is not identical. Individual Non-rational After travelling from Poland to Ghana for a couple of times, the issue of the color line became apparent. The fact that all problems in life tend to affect humans from all races, in the same way, gave the original meaning of the color line into a great diversion. Therefore, the color line is pointless since all humans are equal. Rational The fact of the shift in the original meaning is because of the need for the sharing of the resources that are available in the earth. The blacks, for example, were under civilization, and there was a need for self-independence of the African countries. The fact is evident through the formation of the ideology of Pan-Africanism. Du bois was among the chief architects in the struggle. Collective Non-rational According to the abilities that face all men do not display any level of discrimination. Therefore, it is necessary for a society to coincide with the laws that are prevalent. The other aspect is that the skin tone does not limit any hominid from the abilities. Therefore, the color line as per the survey by du bois are not and advantage or disadvantage. Rational It is rational that it is a crime to deprive a person’s ability to benefit from life from the basis of the color line. The act as per Du Bois is a teaching that has mistaken perception. The act also displays hate and prejudice which is not the way of the human being. 8. How does Mead define self-consciousness? What part does semantic play in the progress of self-consciousness? Self-consciousness as per the analysis by George Mead The consciousness of a human has an organization that emanates from the angle of own objects and the influence of those objects towards the corresponding conduct. Therefore, the physical behavior of an individual is one that moves towards a particular object or one that moves way from a particular object. Language helps in the expression of the actual feelings from the self-consciousness. Therefore, language acts as a way of assertion and a means of protesting the limits that self-consciousness may compel an individual to resist. In other words, the language is an expression of the self-consciousness. Self-consciousness has plays a significant role in the process of social interaction. Social interaction is as a result of the social behavior. Social interaction, therefore, illustrates a scenario whereby there is a mutual benefit. Self-consciousness helps in the mitigation of the different behavior that tends to build up the interaction. In addition, it helps individuals to interact in an appropriate manner towards mutual benefits. The television and the media in general can affect the development of self. The self-consciousness is dependent on the immediate surroundings. In instances whereby the media tend to be a significant attribute of the environment, a person is bound to tap the behavior that the television exposes. The language is the main trigger. 9. Explain the hypothetical basis underlying structural functionalism Structural functionalism The construct tends to illustrate the functioning of the society. The case is possible through the explanation of the various relationships that link up all the institution that make up a society. The fact that the determination of the goals in society is solely dependent on the central culture is pure. The reason is that the structural functionalism strives to create equality in the society. The construct is thus a support of the prevailing culture. The instance is thus dependent on the superior culture since the culture is the one that affects the most people. The example in turn creates the balance that touches every individual in society. A manifest and the Latent functions A manifest incorporates the real plans while the latent comprises of the activities that do not include the actual intentions. The work OF a security service provider entails various advantages as well as disadvantages. The work ensures that there is the development of a career due to the continued gain in skills. Moreover, the work provides the meeting of new people and thus a plus in the confidence. However, the law includes numerous obstacles. Most of the people do not have high regard for security providers. The action makes it tiresome to control and creates plenty of fatigues. The work does not pay very well and thus makes it hard for the provision of all the wants and needs. The job also has uncertainties that tend to create tension of the probability of the worst happening. The issues include the theft and other crimes taking part within the work premises. 10. What role, if any, might education play in promoting a “totally administered society”? Role of education Education is the act of giving knowledge to an individual. The knowledge is with the sole goal of improving the individual. However, the twenty-first century is dependent on technology. The new skills tend to simplify the work and consequently render humans as dependent on the simpler ways. The instance in turn proves that most people cannot operate without the items that simplify the work. However, the law is not entirely accurate. The evidence to the fact is that there is a continuation in the innovation of other methods that enhance the existing methods. The law shows that the knowledge does not impair the reasoning of humans. In other scenarios, rationality may lead to the oppression of other individuals other than the individual. Wrong wisdom is the only one that affects the owner. The knowledge that someone learns tends to be an advantage for a person over others. The US is partly a totalitarian nation. The fact is real due to the existence of government regulations and the application of punishment in case of failure to follow them. 11. How does the structure of social networks contribute to the production of social capital? Contribution of the structure of social networks Social capital is dependent on the existence of social networks for its richness. Social networks tend to draw resources from different avenues and also bring in the best skill for a [particular means of production. Social networking is thus the best source of information and knowledge. The existence of social capital correspondingly alters the behavior of individuals after the attainment of the same. Individuals are either more knowledgeable and therefore tend to give more output or are more knowledgeable, and the act proves to be destructive, for example, the education knowledge from social networks tends to be very constructive. On the other hand, adult content on the internet tends to be very destructive especially for the young minds. The existence of social capital thus explains the instance of social inequality. Every output is as a result of the choices of an individual. The person who chooses harmful information does not realize the goals he sets vice versa. 12. How might some of the key concepts in this framework be useful in exploring stratification systems and the relations of domination and subordination they sustain? Symbolic interactionism The act of symbolic interactions is a theory of George Mead who articulates on the various origins of the self-perceptions. Every human achievement initially exists as an idea in the mind. Therefore, the persons who make the step to act in accordance to their ideas are the ones who excel. The act thus brings the issue of social stratification. The way people think and perceive situations differently is what gives rise to the different social classes in the society. The issue is thus possible to address through the teaching of the best methods to reason a situation and the consequent action to take in order to excel in the idea that one perceives. The instance thus reduces the difference in social classes through the alleviation of the human perceptions and corresponding actions. The act in turn acts on the people who dominant other since there is no more room for power. Everybody has a say in every decision that occurs. References Gingerich, D. H. (2009). Varieties of capitalism and institutional complementarities in the political economy: an empirical analysis. British Journal Of Political Science, 39(03), 449--482. Lee J., &. B. (2007). Reinventing the color line immigration and Americas new racial/ethnic divide. Social Forces, 86(2), 561--586. Mechtenberg, L. (2009). Cheap talk in the classroom: How biased grading at school explains gender differences in achievements, career choices and wages. The Review Of Economic Studies, 76(4, 1431--1459. Morrison, K. (. (2006). Marx, Durkheim, Weber. London: Sage. Read More