Thinking Sociology by Bauman and May - Essay Example

Thinking sociology: Bauman and May Bauman and May observed that being “free” and “unfree” at a time perhaps isthe most ordinary and most puzzling thing about our experiences. Bauman and May say that; existing amongst others restricts our freedom to act and think just as we wish. Some of the factors that limit our ability to control our lives are; responsible: we are held responsible, even for our actions, this way our actions have a limit as they have consequences. Rules: if we go against these rules that are intended to guide our conduct, possibly we will be punished. The punishment is deliberate to limit our actions. Rules, in this case, help us to coexist in harmony with others (Bauman, May 18). How we operate and perceive ourselves is guided by the prospect of the groups to which we fit in (Bauman, May 20). Our sense of dependency in these groups limits our freedom. These groups impose cultural constraints such as customs, beliefs, values, expectations, and ideas on us. "Oneself with others" imposes that our personality is linked in some way to the general public. We are formed by socializing (Bauman, May 24-25). We are controlled by others, how people view us, including who they assume we are. How others see us is a central part of our identity. The people positioned in institution to exercise discretion draw the boundaries of our freedom. To give an example, they may make policies such as, cut marks for university entry; this limits those who do not get the required marks from joining their university of choice. The border between ‘us’ and ‘them’ maintains the distinction of our identity (Bauman, May 183). Bauman explains the concept of, “us” and “them” as not just two separate groups of people, but as the difference between two different attitudes; between, trust and suspicion, emotional attachment and antipathy, fear and security, cooperativeness and non-cooperativeness. Bauman compares this distinction between, “us” and “them” to that between, “in-group” and “out-group” in sociology. Our identity is determined by how we portray ourselves to others and those we stumble upon everyday (Bauman, May 30) Bauman says that these two groups are inseparable and that this “mutual conflict” conditions their existence. Strangers may threaten the boundaries of a social group. We exist among strangers, amongst whom we too are strangers (Bauman, May 39). Bauman states that because we note their presence and since we know so little about them it is hard to make sense of them. Bauman talks about the discomfort people feel when things or people are not in the spaces originally allocated to them, and even more upsetting when ambiguity makes placing them in the social and physical world difficult. Bauman discusses the concepts of “togetherness” and “apart” with relation to the “community” and the “organization”. A community is made up of people, who are not restricted, but who have the same opinion of what others refuse and put an authority upon those philosophies (Bauman, May 43). Bauman defines community as a group in which factors which unite people are stronger and more important than anything which may divide it. They define an organization as communities of people that are together for a specific purpose or united by a similar task (Bauman, May 46). In an organization what is important is not the person, but the “skill” they have to “perform” the assigned role. This creates the limits to their attachment to the organization. Bauman contrasts the organization which absorbs only part of the persons involved, to the community, where the members are expected to belong to body and soul. The key characteristics of a bureaucratic organization are: Everyone acts in an official capacity given by rules attached to the role, to achieve this, a truly rational organization has division of labor, officials are guided by abstract rules, and people are chosen and promoted by the quality of their skills for the task. The history of the organization is made up of its records, and not personal memories. Roles are arranged in hierarchical (Bauman, May 48). Conflict may occur when people are fighting for power or position in a bureaucratic organization. We generally perceive a person as the decision-maker of his own acts. But this may not always be the case. Bauman explains that certain acts we perform are not “outcomes of a decision-making process”. Actions that do not involve calculated decision making, such as “habitual behavior” or “affective behavior” are described as “irrational” while rational actions are based on the decision making process; we pause and think of the consequence before taking the action. Power is the ability to put into effect a directive or choice in the face of resistance; by use of force or pressure, whereas authority is a unique kind of control, in other words we can call it legal power. All ownership divides and distinguishes people; Bauman says “ownership is also a “social affair”, because it involves the “exclusion” of other people from accessing that particular good. The thought that organizations try to adjust human rights to fit into their rational ways and how they silence the morals of its workers by simplifying each task as a simple command to obey or refuse infringes the human rights (Bauman, May 72). Bauman and May justify that in bureaucracy rules must be followed regardless of the human rights. People’s personal feelings and opinions are disregarded in this case. Bauman and May say that love and exchange make the basis of human interaction (Bauman, May 91). Human interactions are predominantly depended on the principles of “gift” and “equivalent exchange”. He explains the two types in its “pure form, as models. In is more of self interest or selfishness (Bauman, May 79). He says that exchange interactions occur in informal relationships, while gift transactions occur in more personal ones. Bauman states that in contemporary society where people need to engage in numerous exchange interactions, in which they play specific and different roles according to the different situations, the need for personal relationships is touching and delicate. Bauman stresses the importance of personal relationships for the human’s perception of the “I”, among the various “Me’s” they play in all their impersonal relationships, thus it is hard to find true self in love. The chase for the genuine identity in the market is an illusion. Appearances are artificial comes with repeated consumption (Bauman, May 88). The consumer market only creates an illusion and thus it cannot supply us with the true identity of our choice. Bauman talks about the issues and pressures on and in love relationships in this complex society, when elements of exchange, which is the need for “reciprocity”, creeps into relationships, as opposed to unconditional gift transactions. Thus he explains that most relationships are impure, and mix the two models in varying proportions, and that “love and exchange’ are the basis of interaction. The human body is the physical part of “us” and people tend to make judgement of what they can observe. Though our bodies are nothing but just a packaging of what we take to be our “internal lives”, it is the good looks that will attract others (Bauman, May 103). Bauman says that it is essential to maintain the health and outlook of our body, the society defines who we are as we interact daily, thus people tend to judge us by our appearance. To be male or female is something that needs to be learned, practiced, and perfected (Bauman, May 105). One has to practice and perfect the gender roles, we have to dress and act in accordance with our sex and the expectations of the community. Our sexuality is a complex fact that includes not only sexual practices and relations, but also style, speech, and dress (Bauman, May 105-106). By this Bauman means that being born female or male is not enough to maintain it that way; we have to practice and play the different roles of gender, and live to societys expectations. Time and space are about our past, present and future and how we experience them. Bauman relates to the technological changes experienced during this change. Some of the societal effects of the spread of electronic means of communication are that people may hardly ever, meet and then be ignorant of each others whereabout in terms of relation (Bauman, May 112). A risky society is one that has a lot of hazards and insecurities (Bauman, May 21). Bauman and May see risk society as one which has insecurities and hazards one can be sure when they are safe in such a setting. He defines globalization as a process which no one controls (Bauman, May 114). Bauman states that culture is a “preference” and that it regards other alternatives as “inferior. Culture is an artificial social structure, which gives no room for change. The morals and value systems brought forward from the past, maybe the ones that are most suitable for the members who belong to that particular culture and therefore may not necessarily need to be changed. Bauman says that culture is most effective when it is disguised as nature, and when it is not questioned as to whether it is the right possible “order.” But the fact is that people are exposed to various cultures and ultimately, conforming to one particular culture seems to rely on personal choice. Bauman defines a State as an area which has control over its affairs (Bauman, May 135) Bauman talks about how dependent we have become on technology as we have become so accustomed to using them. Since we cannot seem to be able to do without these modern technologies, we have developed a need for it. · “Its championship of equality notwithstanding, the market produces and reinstates inequality in a society made of consumers” (Bauman, May 160). This was why Bauman explains why the “demand” for new products comes only “after” their introduction. Bauman also explains how this never-satisfying “consumer attitude” is further reinforced through the advertising agencies, and how this in the modern world has given new meanings to poverty, social position, identity, inequality, happiness and power, based on an individuals ability to possess these commodities. Thus we see how Sociological Thinking is useful to describe and explain aspects of human world, and make us appreciate the things we take for granted and make bearable the things we take far too seriously in everyday life. But just as Bauman states in the introduction, sociology identifies and explains problems to broaden our understanding of it, rather than give a solution for it. Work cited Bauman, May. Thinking Sociologically. 2nd. Oxford: Blackwell, 2001. Print. Read More