Mnk86 “Is the U.S. News Media Failing to Do Its Job on Climate Change?” Michael B. Mercier GreenBiz.com November 9, 2009 http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/11/09/us-news-media-failing-do-its-job-climate-change
Mills: The media is a dominant institution in America today that holds so much authority and influence that it can significantly affect the mindset of the masses and deter them from social action. The corporate media presents the news so that people passively accept it and never question what is reported or how it is reported. It is a form of control manipulated by the power elite for several purposes including governmental control and economic gains. The corporate sector is the most powerful sector in running the country and its organizations. The masses below this sector remain unorganized, ill informed, and powerless to counteract the far-reaching affects of the media corporations.
An example of this is the current debate on climate change and the lack of information disseminated to the public. According to this article, “the Pew Center has found that only 57 percent of Americans, down from 77 percent, believe that global warming is occurring, and that 55 percent have never heard anything about cap and trade” policies concerning carbon emissions. The media is responsible for spreading important information and there has been relatively little recent discussion on climate change when it should be emphasized and made a priority. This leaves the American public in the dark and unconcerned about such matters. The media purposely leaves climate change out of news reports because they do not want to advertise a problem that could negatively affect corporations. If the media stressed the importance of new climate change regulations, the public would support it, and the corporations would not only have to fund more environmentally friendly equipment, but also possibly lose money based on production capabilities. The fact that climate change is so underrepresented in the news represents how the media manipulates what they cover to suit their own agenda and keep the American public ill informed and powerless.
Greece Lack of Health Care Worsens Women's Life Quality:WHO Laura MacInnis CommonDreams.org November 10, 2009 http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/10-3
Habermas: Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) have united to discuss the effects of a lack of health care on women across the world. Although women typically live longer than men, they are not receiving proper health care. The WHO reported that women around the world are “denied a chance to develop to their full human potential” because many critical medical needs are not properly accessed and cared for. Members of WHO are advocating for improved health care for women all over the world. WHO provides a group of solidarity whose mission is to recognize health care problems in the world and to take action to improve the treatment and health of those individuals in the world who are disadvantaged. The communicative action taken by the organization has been to first study the source and cause for the inefficient health care experienced by women and then to build awareness through articles such as this one. "The obstacles that stand in the way of better health for women are not primarily technical or medical in nature. They are social and political," Margaret Chan said. The legitimation crisis recognized by WHO centers on these social and political obstacles. Childbirth is the most significant contributor to the difference between the health of men and women. Women who are pregnant or who have children and have violated traditional social norms regarding pregnancy and childbirth are less likely to have access to proper childcare assistance. WHO categorizes these marginalized women as unmarried, teenagers, and/or sex workers. Poverty plays another role in the lack of health care received by women. The report by WHO also stated that women are more likely than men to experience depression and anxiety, to be victims of sexual violence, and to catch sexually transmitted diseases. The important thing to recognize is that awareness of this health care problem has come from the use of communicative action by a group of solidarity, the World Health Organization.
1. Charlie 2. “One Lost Job, Two Lost Jobs, Three Lost Jobs …How does the government keep track of employment numbers?” 3. Brian Palmer 4. Slate.com 5. November 7, 2009 6. http://www.slate.com/id/2234925/
Mills: This article takes a look at the unemployment rate in America right now. A problem which is a huge for many Americans currently. Not only the lesser educated people of America, but those who have just worked their way through the many hardships of college are still unable to find jobs in the marketplace. For those who have just spent a lot of time working on their degree to take them on to the real world and their next step in life this can be disheartening. They may believe this is there problem, but they must also see that this is not only a problem for themselves, they are not inadequate but simply this is a problem sweeping America currently. As the article states the unemployment rate has hit double digits. I think this article is important for all those unemployed to read to see that it is not just them suffering from unemployment but many Americans currently. If they are out in the world trying to get a job and not succeeding it is a bigger issue than them. It is part of the recession we are currently going through. This article also explains how the numbers we hear for the unemployment rate can sometimes be inaccurate, which is also important to keep people from getting to discouraged by the growing numbers of unemployment. If you are unemployed currently and received the proper education, attempted a job search and come up empty handed, do not be discouraged, but know it is bigger than you. America needs to come out of the slump before everyone can. I am not saying to be lazy until then, but maybe take a chance to further your education, so when we come out of this social problem it is possible to enter into the job force in a better position you could be in now.
Lack of Healthcare Worsens Womens Life Quality: WHO
Laura MacInnis
Commondreams.org
November 10, 2009
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/10-3
MILLS:
The key issue must be analyzed through my sociological imagination. One must use it to understand society and ones self as separate entities. Upon understanding such a concept one will further see that the issue is not something that is ones fault but a result and a symptom of society itself. The situation must be analyzed away from our view and bubble.
For instance within the current article, women expressed a sense of despair when focus was given to married women when trying to setup care for their babies or pregnancies. Furthermore the articke reinforced the stance of women by saying that although they lived longer they were more likely to experience abuse, depression, and even catch sexually transmitted diseases. Upon a clear analyses one can say that these women are failing to analyze their surroundings and are not using my sociological imagination. They seem to be blaming their existence as women and their desire to remain unmarried for the way they are currently being accepted by the medical system. They must understand that society sets preferences to married women and due to the close mindedness if past morals and ideals. These unmarried mothers are not at fault but must deal society itself. It is truley sad that the WHO fails to realize that care should be adminitered fairly and equally as we are all humans living in the same society.
Howard “The Rush to Therapy” David Brooks N.Y. Times November 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/opinion/10brooks.html
Mills: I, C. Wright Mills, believe that context is important. It is my belief that sociological imagination is the ability to see our individual experiences as they are related to and influenced by macro level social, cultural, and historical processes. Additionally, I believe that understand ones’ issues can be empowering to create change. David Brooks understands the world similarly to me and displays that in his article. A lot of what is personal is political, which means that our personal troubles are affected by public issues and public issues affect our personal troubles. He recognizes that humans are motivated to seek an understanding. Brooks points out that we learn about the macro world by applying our own personal stories to it. Additionally, when we experience different situations in life, whether on a macro or micro level, we learn about ourselves as individuals, as well as our place in society. If we recognize how our actions affect society or how society affects our personal lives we will be more capable to make changes in the world. -creating institutional change will be more successful than provoking individual changes. We use our sociological imagination to figure out how to make sense of the world by using our own personal stories. Therefore, we use our own personal stories to find meaning in the world. Brooks uses a story about Major Hasan to give an example of someone who was faced with conflict but did not attempt to use his sociological imagination. I believe this is a great example of people who have the capabilities of making change in the world but do not truly look within to find the meaning. If Hasan would have used his sociological imagination to find a way to use his responsibility in a positive way then the circumstances would not have ended so drastically. I recognize that what happens in our lives is beyond our control but that awareness of the relationships between the social and the personal is necessary for change to occur.
1.Xaipe 2.Abort Lobby: Health insurers are docile about Stupak amendment. Here’s Why. 3.Timothy Noah 4.Slate Magazine 5.November 10, 2009 6.http://www.slate.com/id/2235120/
The ability of government politicians to influence the types of medical care that is publicly funded is an explicit form of power known as authority. The ability of the government to determine the type of health care people receive is a symptom of the centralization and enlargement of political power due to the economic crisis North American people are currently facing. Since people trust their government, this change was allowed to occur. The power of the government to determine the types of services allowed for citizens was legitimated by the people and will be followed by them because of their loyalty and obedience to their government structure and its leaders. The government now has the power to manage and manipulate the consent of citizens through the types of medical services they receive. The oppressed cannot identify specific oppressors because they assume the government as a whole is to blame instead of the people managing government’s decisions namely, its politicians. Therefore, politicians are removed from the conscience and reason of the people they govern.
1.Peaches 2.Obama Salutes Fallen Americans on Veterans Day 3.By Brian Knowlton 4. New York Times 5.Published: November 11, 2009 6.http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/us/12obama.html?_r=1&hp
Habermas
The Afghan war has been going on for quite some time now. Some people still question what are we really fighting for? And how many more lives must be lost to see we do not belong there. Had it been left to me I would have been part of the group of people completely disagreeing with this war. I do not believe that revolt or revolution is needed to occur in order for change to happen. This war is irrational. We as a society should be rational but this kind of society is only possible if it is to be constructed of free communication where our ideas are weighed on their merits and unaltered ideologies. This cannot be said of the Afghan war because we would have not needed to be saluting fallen soldiers of this Afghan war this Veterans day if the American people’s minds weren’t brainwashed through the rationalization of purposive-action. At first societies individuals were upset with what this war has done to our economy and would fight to have it stopped. Now we just sit and listen to the news about what is going on as our economy depletes even more because government institutions have manipulated our minds to believe that we are fighting for our freedom, but everyone has failed to see that in this society we lack freedom. This is the legitimation crisis. We also express the concept of communicative action because some 20-40,000 additional troops may be sent out to Afghanistan, but of course Obama will speak to the people with cunning words in order to get them to agree and accept the decisions he is making and then have more children sign up to fight for their country in order for justice to be served and our society be changed back to what it used to be before the first attacks. Therefore supporting whatever he has said to have merit and an unaltered ideology. Freedom is really something.
1. Footlocker 2. 9/11’s Delayed Legacy: Cancer for Many of the Rescue Workers 3. Ed Pilkington 4. Common Dreams 5. 11 November 2009 6. http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/11-3
Mills In my book, “Sociological Imagination”, I define this term as the ability to connect “personal troubles” and the “public sphere”. In doing this, individuals start to see the conflicts in their personal lives as interconnected to the social constructs of their society. In this article, the 9/11 Rescue Workers have used their sociological imagination, supported through groups such as The 911 Police Aid Foundation, in order to connect their specific personal troubles- illness, to the greater social context- the hazardous materials at the Twin Towers site. Essentially, their work in the 9/11 tragedy and clean up has lead to terminal illnesses. “Neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both.” On 9/11 the history of our society was forever changed, what is important to understand is that the lives of all Americans, but especially the lives of these rescue workers are also forever changed. Their health and thus every aspect of their lives is inextricably linked to their participation in the aid on 9/11. The Legislation being presented to Congress would set aside enough money to provide for the health monitoring and treatment of 15,000 rescue workers. The monitoring would be related to specific health risks related to the worker’s exposure to the debris during 9/11 including: jet fuel, asbestos, lead, mercury, and the by-products of burning plastic and chlorinated chemicals. This legislation is the epitome of the connection of personal troubles being related to the greater social context in which the worker’s exist.
1. SEAZER 2. College grads must work even harder to find jobs 3. Gregory Karp 4. The Buffalo News: Business Today 5. Nov. 8th 2009 6. http://www.buffalonews.com/410/story/854327.html?imw=Y
Mills,
Recent college graduates are experiencing unemployment rates at levels that have not been seen in quite some time. Those who are graduating in December and May will likely face unemployment levels in the double digits as well. Graduate hiring has dropped by 22 percent in the last year and there is a lot of stress being placed on these college do to this dilemma. According to Mills??? sociological imagination, the fact that college graduates are having extremely hard times finding jobs isn???t due to personal factors. It is, however; due to larger social institutions and current sociological trends. Recent college graduates may feel like they are failures and that the reason why they are unemployed and living at home is entirely their own fault. Mills on the other hand, would say that this is not true. Although there could be some personal factors in play, like the fact that the graduate???s GPA was a little low, Mills would argue that social factors are more to blame on a large scale. One of the biggest reasons for this current problem is the fact that companies are simply not hiring the amount of college graduates that they once were. Many companies are also down sizing and laying off employees due to the recent recession of the economy. So therefore, college graduates should not blame themselves entirely for struggling to find a career that requires a college degree. Although they might be down on themselves for having to move back home after college, all is not lost according to mills. The use of the sociological imagination can actually be quite beneficial. Once college graduates understand that their private issues are also due to larger public issues, they can begin to make themselves more employable. This could be done by furthering one???s education by going to graduate school or doing an internship as mentioned in the article. In fact, graduate school???s have recently been receiving numbers of applications on a never before seen level. So overall, Mills??? advice to recent and future college graduates would be to sit back, take a deep breath, analyze the situation, and understand the entirety of it.
K94 UN: 200 Million Kids Have Stunted Growth Maria Cheng Common Dreams November 11th, 2009 http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/11-5
Mills, This article discusses the importance of addressing the problem of malnutrition in the children of Asia and Africa. UNICEF wants to put more money into lessening this problem that affects almost fifty percent of these countries children. The problem is there are people who feel that UNICEF's efforts cannot help these children. They do not see a light at the end of the tunnel of this problem and do not see the need to pour more money into the problem. These people have become apahetic towards these problems because they do not trust the people of UNICEF to do anything about the problem since only a slight improvement has been shown in the past years. With this apatheic perspective to the problem they assume that the country's development will be the only thing that helps the problem of malnutrition. They feel UNICEF should step back and allow the people of the country to take care of their own problem. By being apathetic of this problem though they are stepping back from the problem and ignoring what needs to happen.
1. Mohawke 2. "Is 'Buy American' Bad for America?" 3. Marc Gunther 4. GreenBiz.com 5. November 11th, 2009 6. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/11/11/buy-american-bad-america
As Mills:
The Obama initially instilled a provision within the economic stimulus package that aimed to increase jobs in America by essentially focusing business production within the United States more. In response, a large group of big-name corporations participated in writing up a letter addressing the complaints they had with this 'Buy American' provision. A sociological examination of this article highlights the power structures within our society, leaving the reader unsure as to who truly dictates what in our so-called democracy.
From my three types of power & authority used by society, this article clearly depicts two of them. Authority, which is the basis of bureaucratic structures, was employed by government, one of three power elite institutions. The positions held by Congress are strengthened by the faith that citizens have in their leaders, thereby legitimizing their authority. Using it they helped to enact a provision that would effect the masses more than it would themselves.
Following the initiation of the 'Buy American' provision, another power elite institution, the economy--represented primarily by hundreds of big and small businesses--utilized manipulation to attempt to undermine the authority of the government. Without the consent or knowledge from the powerless citizens, a handful of strong companies appealed to the Obama administration first with a letter, then later on with petitions for exemption for certain businesses. Regardless of the benefit or detriment, the point here is where the power lies within society due to its structure. Those workers and other citizens with no voice had no direct say in what was done, leaving them powerless.
Finally this article perfectly portrays the role of the media this day in age. The author makes a clear point of emphasizing his stance on this issue, eliminating any possibility for the reader to form their own opinion. In addition, the lack of weighing out both the cons to the 'Buy American' provision as well as the pros, leads citizens to take the article at face value. Meanwhile, there is no mention of why corporations would be so invested in finding loopholes out of the 'Buy American' provision, such as the fact that it forces businesses to pay a more decent wage found within the United States as opposed to the dirt cheap wages offered to the poor inhabitants of developing nations.
1. Banana 2. Obama War Council Weighs Afghan Troop Boost 3. Matt Spetalnick 4. Common Dreams 5. 11, November 2009 6. http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/11-7
Habermas President Obama is going to make a decision soon about the United States’ next course of action in Afghanistan. According to the article he has to choose between four options and has declined to let the public know what they are. By not allowing the American people to at least know what the options the people in power are limiting their freedom. The dominant individuals are attempting to manipulate the masses by keeping them in the dark creating a legitimation crisis. In addition, the article continues to speculate that the only options President Obama even has are to either send 15,000, 30,000 or up to 40,000 more troops into Afghanistan. These are not his only options. We need to come together and have a public and open dialogue about our options in Afghanistan- then and only then can we reach a positive solution. War and conflict are not necessary to solve problems-even on a global scale, we can come together and talk about our issues and reach consensus together; without thousands of people having to die. Communicative action is the only action we should be taking, so that we, as human beings, may come together to understand each other, agree, and make plans for a common action.
1. Beaner 2. "Financial Firms Fight Giving Government Breakup Powers" 3. Silla Brush 4. Common Dreams.org 5. November 12th, 2009 6. http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/12-0
C. Wright Mills
The American government has always struggled with the idea of interfering with matters of big business. Historically, there have been efforts on the part of government officials to break up corporations that have garnered too much power in order to encourage competition and allow smaller companies to emerge.
In the past few decades, however, many large corporations have executed mergers and been allowed to become more and more powerful under minimal regulation. This was made painfully obvious with the economic meltdown which was largely caused by poor business decisions on the part of large companies like AIG, JP Morgan, and Citigroup who virtually controlled the entire banking industry.
C. Wright Mills would have understood this phenomenon, as he was claiming in the 1950's that the corporate sector was the most powerful of the "power elites." Many believe that government officials were manipulated by these large corporate entities, thus resulting in a lack of regulation and governmental oversight.
This complete economic collapse has ushered in a new era of public involvement. When companies began going under and the market came to a standstill, many individuals began to gain "sociological imagination," meaning that they were effected financially by job losses, foreclosure, lack of credit, etc. and began understanding how their personal troubles were connected to structural issues.
Mills suggests that the best solution to economic inequality involves a reopening of political debate and citizen participation in politics. It seems that this recession has ushered in a new era where the American people are holding their governmental officials accountable for their decisions. This is made apparent with the current efforts of legislators to exert their power to break up large Financial Firms. The article states that the nations biggest firms are putting forth a great deal of effort to block such legislation, but one can only hope that the voice of the people will overcome the manipulation by the Corporate sector.
1. Luna 2. Privacy Looms Over Gay Rights Vote 3. WILLIAM YARDLEY 4. The New York Times 5. October 31st, 2009 6. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/us/01petition.html
According to Habermas:
Currently there is a debate whether or not to release publicly the names of those who signed a petition that encouraged same-sex marriage. If this measure passes the courts and becomes laws, all of the 138,000 people who signed this petition will have their names placed on the internet so that the general public can know they signed the petition. This seems to me unlike a rational society. A rational society needs to include free communication, where ideas are weighed on their merits and not altered by ideology. If this measure was passed, free communication could be affected and hindered! This would be a legitimation crisis: modern society would not be meeting the needs of individuals, and institutions (here, the courts and government) would be manipulating individuals for fear of backlash. In order to solve this problem, communicative action should be used. It would allow for a group of people to understand each other so that agreed-upon plans could be made. In order to have a society based on social justice and equality, communicative action must be employed. It is the vehicle for change. A revolt is unnecessary, and instead communicative action should be demonstrated through groups of solidarity at places such as coffeehouses and philo-cafes.
Speedy Red Cross Says Millions of Displaced Are Neglected Agence France Presse Dreams.org 11/12/09 http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/12-6 Mills Many displaced people are suffering due to inadequate support. When displaced people go to a camp they are not necessarily looked at and cared for. More resources go to camps because that is where agencies send their relief aid. Those people in camps have to come to the understanding that it is not their fault that they cannot resume their normal lives right away. If they had gone to a host family then they would be more likely to resume their normal lives because they would still be continuing to live in their community. The camps are meant to be used as a last resort and the agencies know this fact yet do nothing to change that truth. Displaced people in hosting families are most often neglected or forgot about all together. One may think that it is their fault or their own personal problem to deal with. In actuality it falls in the hands of the aid agencies and organizations like the International Red Cross. These aid agencies know what the problem is and they know that displaced people are falling through the cracks of the system. They also know that it is better for displaced people to go to host families because then there are more likely to resume their normal lives compared to those displaced individuals who went to camps. Families that host these displaced individuals also have to realize that it is not their fault that they may be impoverished. The agencies need to take some responsibility for this social issue and take the burden of the host and the displaced people. Using their sociological imagination the displaced people should realize that their current state of displacement is due to greater social issues beyond their control. Being displaced affects their lives on a daily living basis because it determines their living situations. The displaced people also need to distinguish between the living situations and the troubles these situations cause in their everyday lives and also see the connection between the two.
1. Seymour 2. "India’s third gender gets own identity in voter rolls" 3. Harmeet Shah Singh 4. CNN 5. November 12, 2009 6. http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/11/12/india.gender.voting/index.html
Habermas:
In India, the election authorities have granted for a third category to be placed on voter lists. This category is “O,” which stands for other, as a possible response for gender identification on voter forms. Indian election authorities did so to provide an alternative option for intersexual and transsexual individuals. This occurred after the landmark ruling in India that legalized the consensual sex between gay partners, an act that had previously been considered a criminal act.
India does not meet the needs of its entire people. This is seen in the marginalized status of intersexual people as well as in India’s recent past of criminalizing gay sex between consensual adults. The result is legitimation crisis, where modern society was failing to meet the needs of all its individuals. However, change is occurring in India. This change is happening not as a result of revolution, as Marx predicted, but rather as the result of communicative action. Communicative action is the interaction between individuals in response to legitimation crisis.
Communicative action is the vehicle for social change and this is seen in the changes being made in India to better represent marginalized groups in their society. These changes are not in response to violent uprising by groups of solidarity but are the result of the growing understanding and communication between different groups. Through communicative action society is moving into a new era, one based on social justice and equality. Although the steps toward such a society are small, the acknowledgement and acceptance of groups previously marginalized are promising.
Hiatus Is Nadal Malik Hasan a “Terrorist”? Juliet Lapidos Slate.com 11/11/09 http://www.slate.com/id/2235361/?from=rss
Our society fails to be a true democracy and thus it also fails to meet the needs of dissidents. Nadal Malik Hasan, the Ft. Hood shooter, was clearly going through a legitimation crisis. This man had attempted to communicate his hatred and disgust towards the United States military, yet he still did not have the freedom to hold a merit-based, rational discussion regarding our current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. His communication was distorted under the weight of our deceptively bipartisan government-corporation-media complex. This tragedy simply serves as a means for them to further hold our society back from partaking in rational, free communication. Republicans want to draw out the subconscious connection between labeling this tragedy as terrorism and terrorism happening on Obama’s watch - solely for the sake of slandering a (popular) Democratic president. This is not a rational discussion based on ideas of pragmatic and utilitarian value; rather, our massive complex of those wielding the powers of law, money, and information dissemination acts like a bunch of children constantly pointing fingers at one another (with no one ever shouldering the blame).Us as citizens simply can not take part in communicate action under such direly oppressive conditions unless we take back what is rightfully ours – the right to an honest, rational, and merit-based discussion.
Gorgoron 11 year olds lunch trip to Hooters causes a stir over tweens and sex Amy Hatch ParentDish.com November 12th, 2009
Charles Wright Mills is known for coining the "Sociological Imagination", and in regards to the term Mills would have been able to easily identify with Bob Elson, the father featured in the news article. Elson effectively acknowledges the core principals of Sociological Imagination, but in not so many words. First of all, Elson himself belongs to a particular society, that of a stay at home parent, therefore his main role in the social order is concerning himself completely with his children. His sole job is to properly parent and raise his child while balancing what he views as the proper way to rear a child and the social norms in childrearing. Elson is aware of his role as a parent and is also aware that society may not look upon his parenting with favor, in this regard, he treaded the border of the socially accepted and the socially shunned. Evidence that Elson is aware of this line appears in the article when he stated that "I don't regret it. It was a pretty harmless situation in my view. He was there not only with his own dad, but his grandparents, a friend from the neighborhood and that friend's father. I called my wife and got her approval. We were there at lunchtime with a lot of other families. If the situation was different -- say, if we went late at night when there is no kids and the beer is flowing freely -- then I wouldn't so much as regret it but not do it in the first place". Elson is not only defending the action by using socially acceptable circumstances but also pointing out that he knows what a "bad" or socially unacceptable situation to place his son in was, and proving that he knows his role in his particular society and understands which borders he can cross, and those better left alone.
An aspect Mills would find interesting about this situation in a much larger sense would be the questions of where does this society stand in human history and what is it's place within and it's meaning for the development of humanity as a whole? After an analysis of the situation Mills would easily see that although this seems like a small, rather mundane event it is actually part of a much larger and complex picture. The particular society of stay at home parents shape the personalities, actions, and ultimately lives of their children. The men and women the children of our society grow up to be, affect everything from music, art, and culture to government, wars, and peace. The social norms that affect how a stay at home parent raises their children, and the parents intrepretation of the borders of these social norms not only affect their children, but their grandchildren and great grand children as well. It is a slowly changing, slowly evolving and devolving social role that has far reaching consequences, the social norms surrounding child rearing shape entire generations which in turn shape nations.
Gorgoron 11 year olds lunch trip to Hooters causes a stir over tweens and sex Amy Hatch ParentDish.com November 12th, 2009 http://www.parentdish.com/2009/11/12/lunch-trip-to-hooters-raises-tweens-and-sex-issues/?icid=main|main|dl2|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.parentdish.com%2F2009%2F11%2F12%2Flunch-trip-to-hooters-raises-tweens-and-sex-issues%2F
Charles Wright Mills is known for coining the "Sociological Imagination", and in regards to the term Mills would have been able to easily identify with Bob Elson, the father featured in the news article. Elson effectively acknowledges the core principals of Sociological Imagination, but in not so many words. First of all, Elson himself belongs to a particular society, that of a stay at home parent, therefore his main role in the social order is concerning himself completely with his children. His sole job is to properly parent and raise his child while balancing what he views as the proper way to rear a child and the social norms in childrearing. Elson is aware of his role as a parent and is also aware that society may not look upon his parenting with favor, in this regard, he treaded the border of the socially accepted and the socially shunned. Evidence that Elson is aware of this line appears in the article when he stated that "I don't regret it. It was a pretty harmless situation in my view. He was there not only with his own dad, but his grandparents, a friend from the neighborhood and that friend's father. I called my wife and got her approval. We were there at lunchtime with a lot of other families. If the situation was different -- say, if we went late at night when there is no kids and the beer is flowing freely -- then I wouldn't so much as regret it but not do it in the first place". Elson is not only defending the action by using socially acceptable circumstances but also pointing out that he knows what a "bad" or socially unacceptable situation to place his son in was, and proving that he knows his role in his particular society and understands which borders he can cross, and those better left alone.
An aspect Mills would find interesting about this situation in a much larger sense would be the questions of where does this society stand in human history and what is it's place within and it's meaning for the development of humanity as a whole? After an analysis of the situation Mills would easily see that although this seems like a small, rather mundane event it is actually part of a much larger and complex picture. The particular society of stay at home parents shape the personalities, actions, and ultimately lives of their children. The men and women the children of our society grow up to be, affect everything from music, art, and culture to government, wars, and peace. The social norms that affect how a stay at home parent raises their children, and the parents interpretation of the borders of these social norms not only affect their children, but their grandchildren and great grand children as well. It is a slowly changing, slowly evolving and devolving social role that has far reaching consequences, the social norms surrounding child rearing shape entire generations which in turn shape nations.
1. mother 2. .Gloomy Energy Report Sets the Stage for Climate Talks 3. Jad Mouawad 4. The New York Times 5. 11-10-09 6. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/business/energy-environment/11oil.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Habermas: It is obvious that environmental policy would benefit from an ideal speech situation in which policy makers could debate about possible ways to reduce energy expenditure or switch to alternative sources of energy with anticipation that the most rational conclusion to the energy crisis would be the plan implemented into current energy policies. Unfortunately, major oil companies have sufficient amounts of power to control policies on energy sources, which has kept the goals of rational communication from triumphing in the creation of energy efficient solutions that may curb the effects of global warming. Although the major companies arose from individual’s desires for more affordable and universal sources of energy, the individuals and the system have become decoupled from one another allowing the complex companies to colonize the lifeworld. As a result, major complex systems such as oil companies undermine the process of communication that lead to mutual understanding and communication in favor of an authoritarian approach that utilizes external control and power to pursue its own agenda.
Bernie Small Business Guide-Marketing Your Business with Facebook. Kermit Pattison New York Times 11/11/2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/business/smallbusiness/12guide.html
Habermas: Small businesses using Facebook as a marketing tool to bring in customers is a good example of the legitimation crisis. Facebook is an institution that maipulates individuals into using technology to communicate with people. It also allows businesses to use another way to reach out to people. It is a great modern tool of techonology for billions of people to communicate. It also shows the dominance of technology in our society. The Facebook strategy for small businesses also allows for businesses to target certain demographics of people. This is a great tool for businesses to sell their products to the type of people that would buy them. Facebook allows the freedom to exchange ideas however may still be dominated with capitalism idealogoy, now that businessses are involved. Communicative action wold be a great way to stop this and the exchange of ideas may help the society change to a more developed one, where this communication through facebook is not dominated by any institution, but just the freedom of ideas.
Shorty Will Reid Tax the Rich?The Senate majority leader develops a case of House envy. Timothy Noah Slate Thursday November 12, 2009 http://www.slate.com/id/2235460/?from=rss
Mills Senate leader Harry Reid is reconsidering tax options for families whose income is over $250,000. Mills would understand this reconsideration as that humans are being understood by their social status and the amount of money that they make is forming the assumption and notion that tax increases need to be applied. Mills also supports the idea that a vast number of changes in society occur due to increased institutions. The increase that is set in place to occur is that a tax investment is set to be applied to the wealthier people in society as a structural change to help the Senate’s finance committee stay within their means. The change of a more expensive health insurance policy for a job position that is considered high risk is an example of how changes are occurring for all the people who are the subjects, as well as the entire organizations. The raise in the health insurance demonstrates that things happen in our lives beyond our control. Reid would be considered as a power of authority because he’s placed the basis taxing the rich on several taxes such as the Cadillac plan, or the Medicare taxes. He’s attached the rich to the position of raising more money and its being justified by the White House budget director as saying that this basis would structure a lot more money to be raised as it would peg as a tax increase and it isn’t a rate increase. The key people that are considered elite in this circumstance would be the government. One of Mills conflict is exemplified in this situation because the tax rate increase extending to the Medicare tax would cause conflict. Even though the increase would not target the elderly, the elderly would give reason to become angered because people over age 65 would likely become the new targets of the Medicare tax due to unearned income that could be earning more than $250,000 yearly, so hence this would be viewed as a conflict between bureaucratic rationality and human reason. Overall, the study of the political point of view has been directed to the kings (the senate), and the publics (the people of the tax increase).
M_Luther Gloomy Energy Report Sets the Stage for Climate Talks By Jad Mouawad The New York Times November 10, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/business/energy-environment/11oil.html
Based on Habermas (although I hope that’s evident): This article portrays a particular promising premise: cooperative talks of many people, from many different places, with different languages, and yet they gather over a common concern. The concern shared amongst them centers around the future of energy consumption and global warming. In essence, this shared concern makes them a group of solidarity. They are meeting with a desire for common action, and doing so in a manner that they can all understand, and yet at the same time involves multiple languages. Communicative action involves all ways of human thinking, and this is an excellent example. It is the vehicle for change, and they have recognized it. They have recognized it, and they are attempting to use it to actively support change. The current energy usage in modern society is not meeting individual needs: it will harm them in the long run. As a result, these people are getting together to discuss the issue, they are enacting communicative action. Efforts like these are what is needed to cause change, and efforts like these are what WILL cause change.
Cat Bill Clinton Urges Fast Action by Senate Democrats Sheryl Gay Stolberg New York Times November 10, 2009 http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/bill-clinton-urges-senate-democrats-to-move-quickly/
Habermas:
There is currently a legitimation crisis in the United States - health care is not meeting the needs of individuals and insurance companies are trying to manipulate individuals to participate in the dysfunctional health system. Interaction is taking place on Capital Hill as legislators engage in communicative action to reform healthcare. Unfortunately, the rivalry between the Republican and Democratic parties has stalled effective communicative action. As a result, President Obama and Bill Clinton have tried to form a group of solidarity between all party members in order to pass health care legislation in a timely manner. Specifically, Clinton urged Democrats to put their differences aside and appease American citizens by taking action instead of endlessly arguing over details. Clinton warned that there would be unintended consequences, but that no bill is perfect and negative consequences are inevitable. Unlike Marx’s prediction that society would have to revolt to produce change, legislators are showing that effective change is possible through collaboration. While the United States is clearly not entirely a rational society, the free flow of ideas through communication between groups of people is becoming increasingly prevalent.
ImSaari24 UN Investigator Accuses US of Shameful Neglect of Homeless Chris McGreal Common Dreams November 13, 2009 http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/13-0
Mills: I chose to analyze and reflect on this particular article from the perspective of C. Wright Mills because I’m sure he would have wanted to shed some light on the fascist agenda of the power elite within the United States, as well as the authoritative exploitation attributed to being a very poor individual in such a robust society. Mills claims the power elite commands the majority of resources within large bureaucratic organizations in an effort to dominate industrial societies, and this particular case is no different. The only groups within such a society that obtain the financial resources to make a drastic difference are the power elite. Unfortunately for United States citizens, assisting the homeless is pretty far down the list of important matters to address. Mills might also criticize the alienation of the poor and homeless by the rest of society, which ultimately pushes their struggles farther away from reality. The power elite within the United States would have to make radical changes in order to rebuild the faith and trust of the homeless within every community, drawing individuals with similar complications closer together. Mills would also encourage the lower working class to become more involved in political proceedings in order to inflict positive change on their struggle to survive. After all, Mills wanted individuals to observe the social world from a critical point of view, but people can only be understood through consideration of the social and historical structures within which they interact and develop. We cannot relate to the impoverished without getting down on their level and taking a look around.
Eastside US and Japan to renew alliance No specific author credited BBC News November 13, 2009 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8357561.stm
Mills
This article discusses the efforts of the United States to renew their alliance with Japan. President Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama have now both agreed to take the steps to restore the strained alliance of their presiding countries. It is interesting to note that Hatoyama acknowledges that after many years the alliance has had to adapt to many changes. While the new world order is rapidly emerging in Asia, the U.S. is trying to remain a power and keep their supremacy. Although there have been many factors both personal and economical that have strained the relationship of the U.S. and Japan, I thought it was interesting that both sides were recognizing the social issues and circumstances that caused this rift. The essential goal of the sociological imagination is to develop and keep the capability to participate in social life while analyzing and interpreting the broader meanings of what is happening around us. Both President Obama and Prime Minister Hatoyama used their sociological imaginations to look at the broad context of their issues, while tying them to social causes and a change in the times. By using this corporate form of the sociological imagination (on behalf of their respective countries) these two leaders have salvaged a weakened relationship and taken positive steps in forming a strong alliance.
Lucas Invest in Nature Now, Save Trillions Later: Study Marlowe Hood Common Dreams.org Friday, November 13, 2009 http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/13-3
C.Wright Mills
Our ecosystem is has been deteriorating at a faster pace than normal. However, these changes are not visible in our everyday lives but we do see and feel some of the consequences. Paris has used their “sociological imagination” to foresee the future and have decided to invest to protect threatened ecosystems and dwindling biodiversity. There is a strong connection with our ecosystems and individuals that do affect each other on a daily basis. Although there is a lot of spending involved currently, they have come to the conclusion that they would be saving trillions as a result. In our everyday life it difficult at times to sit back, reflect, and use our sociological imagination. We live in a world where we don’t think about our personal troubles and societal issues and how they connect. Spending billons on their ecosystem, aka “natural capital” will save many issues to the future. The consequences they see to be detrimental and perhaps interrupting the food chain. The Power of the Elite in most case scenarios are not involved about the possible effects their corporation may be doing. They are really the ones that have the power and resources to shift our ways of consumption to make bigger difference. There are some of the five overarching social problems involved in this societal issue: bureaucratic rationality and human reason, Moral insensibility, and threats to human freedom. It’s difficult to stop and reduce the effects caused to environment when the market isn’t providing it.
This article is the perfect remedy for any apathetic souls out there, we do have people who care and we don’t have to give up we can join them to make a difference.
Miyagi UN Investigator Accuses US of Shameful Neglect of Homeless Chris McGreal CommonDreams.org November 13, 2009 http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/13-0
Habermas: Raquel Rolnik is right on the matter of homelessness in America. It has not been brought to the attention of the greater society in the United States, and a visit through some of the areas where the homeless dwell taught Rolnik this fact. He feels that it’s a problem of inadequate housing. If this is the truth then one might see the problem as a “legitimation crisis” due to the fact that the modern society in the United States is failing to meet the needs of the individual homeless. There is also some manipulation going on by major communication hubs. The fact that this huge problem is mostly unknown and has no time devoted to it shows that society does not see this as a major problem and sometimes socialize others to see homeless people as deviant. The socialization of not caring about homeless people on a major scale and stigmatizing them is how the greater society manipulates individuals into a position that works for the greater society. What Rolnik wants to do is help cure this problem by going to the US State Department and the United Nations to start a “communicative action” which will bring this problem into light and hopefully gain enough support from people who share the same view of homelessness. Maybe after a few meetings between organizations as large as these the problem will get more exposure and time devoted to it and with that will come with more individual participation in helping the homeless instead of illegitimatizing their problem.
RMUSTANG US and Japan to Renew Alliance Anonymous Author (BBC) BBC News Friday November 13, 2009 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8357561.stm
Habermas:
President Obama's meeting with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, with the purpose of renewing the bond of the alliance between America and Japan, presents the implication that communication between the two countries may grow to be more open. Japan is only one of several stops within Asia that await the president. Visits to South Korea, China and Singapore are designed to increase the positive relation between the U.S. and these governments. China in particular, will be asked to “open its markets to U.S. goods” and “spend more”. These diplomatic agreements are examples of the influence that the system and its structures, here economy, have on the lifeworld. However, this influence is not necessarily cancerous to the lifeworld. With friendly relations and open markets, citizens of these countries will gain more access to each other, resulting in less restricted communication. This more open and free communication may lead to further consensus between these states, producing agreements such as the Afgan pledge.
1. Skittles 2. My So Called Life Without Parole: The Supreme Court looks at life sentences for teen offenders 3. Dahlia Lithwick 4. Slate 5. November 9, 2009 6. http://www.slate.com/id/2235052/
Mills: After reading this article I must give recognition to the chief justice whose ideas are completely in harmony with views of my own. Regarding sentencing juveniles with life without parole he makes the claim that you must incorporate the “consideration of the juvenile’s status into the proportionality review.” From this assertion it is clear to me that the chief justice would also bring into question a “grand theory” as I have done in my works. You cannot draw a “categorical line”, as proposed by some judges, when dealing with adolescents and their crimes. It is imperative that you consider the context of their actions, and treat each case as their own separate entity, in other words a case-by-case basis. You must recognize that each adolescent’s situation will be different, and the historical and social structures that provide the context are just as important as the crime itself, as it can better explain the reasons for their actions. Failing to do this can easily lead to moral insensibility on the part of American citizens as they become apathetic towards the justice system. If judges fail to use their sociological imagination when sentencing their children, brothers, sisters, or themselves then how can they expect to receive justice?
The answer to the proposed question is that we cannot. By failing to use the sociological imagination under these circumstances leads to yet another overarching social problem, threat to human freedom. By not taking into consideration the context of these crimes these juveniles will lose the opportunity to ever be “returned to civil society”. All chances of freedom are eliminated before one even reaches adulthood. Is this fair if we do fully understand the context of their actions? By seeing the connection between one’s personal troubles and the social troubles that relate to them a judge may see that taking away someone’s freedom forever may be too harsh of a punishment for that particular crime, with that particular teenager. I will forever be persistent in that the sociological imagination be put into practice with these adolescents as it is my responsibility to ensure that these leaders and the people make use of my findings.
Rainpda Clinton:The Rise Of China is Inevitable Video Interview Slate V/ Charlie Rose Wednesday November 11, 2009 http://www.slatev.com/ch_charlierose.html
Habermas:
The United States and China both know that their is a very huge ecomonic problem and they are both trying to do things that can improve things for the people of their country. They could do it alone but they realize that it would be more effective if they teamed up to do it together. Secretry of State Clinton stated that the the United States and China are trying to be peaceful and want to have a good understanding with each other on the issues so that they can work together to make things better. This is an example of communicative action where the countries are responding to a crisis by interacting with each other to tackle the issue. China and the United States are agreeing that there is a problem that needs a solution and they are working together to see that it gets solved without any conflict. Both sides understand the others position and they respect each other so it can work so that both sides can benefit. The countries both have something to bring to the table so they are moving towards a rational society where there is free communication between the two and they are not trying to work off of who can give more to the situation. Even though it is two very different cultures working together, They do have something in common which is wanting to make a better life for the people of their country so they are working together to try and do this.
OxMan UN Investigator Accuses US of Shameful Neglect of Homeless Chris McGreal Commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/13-0
Mills
UN investigator Raquel Rolnick has accused the United States, after and in-depth study of seven American cities, of becoming desensitized to the struggles faced by the very poor. She states that "wealthy US is ignoring the deepening homeless crisis while pumping billions into bank rescues". This is a clear case of the power elite using their dominant status over our industrialized country to better their own situations and fulfill their selfish agendas. It is very difficult for a country as wealthy as ours to justify billions of dollars being pumped into top companies (in which top executives are reaping the benefits), when a family on welfare receive $221 a month. this is less than half what it takes for one person to survive for a month, much less an entire family. The homeless have been alienated by our country and it has been made perfectly clear, based on dollars spent, that they are on the bottom of the totem pole. It is refreshing that someone has come forward to bring this to light. Ms. Rolnick's findings, though grim, are a step in the right direction.
J32828 Insurer Enlists Employees to Fight Health Reform Dan Eggen Common Dreams November 13, 2009 http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/13-5
Mills There are many things being said of the economy lately. Many are simple accusations and misleading theories. There are Americans on both sides of the arguement, both who firmly believe their standing. Recently there is news out that an insurance company has sent emails and letters in support of their employees "writing their Senators" and even going to Washington to defend their insurance coverage. The emails apparently held alot of bias information,urging their employees to take a stand and fight back against the threat of Government taking their insurance coverage. There is so much complexity to this story. First, it is wonderful that companies are urging workers to employ their sociological imagination and realize that they are able to change their personal problems by confronting public issues. To the insurance company, having its employees see the problem might lead to empowerment of conciousness and thus could create change. However, I disagree when only one side of the arguement is being spoken. For change to happen, people must understand all aspects and come to a conclusion or a compromise. In this context the company trying to empower its workers is only representing one very bias view of social issues. In the article it was addressed that the Insurance company had not specifically told its employees to write their senators, it was strictly "voluntary". However the company is using manipulation as power and authority over their workers. They are not necessarily saying that the workers must comply, but implying what would happen if they did not cooperate.
RAWR! For Abortion Foes, a Victory in Health Care Vote David Kirkpatrick and Robert Pear The New York Times November 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/us/politics/09abortion.html?scp=2&sq=November+9+2009&st=nyt
Habermas:
Last Saturday, restrictions were passed on abortion coverage in the health care bill passed by the House. The addition will prevent the use of federal subsidies for insurance that covers elective abortions. This victory for anti-abortion activists is widely credited to Roman Catholic bishop lobbyist and conservative members of the democratic party in the House of representaives. The passing of this bill has huge ramifications for the future of health care in America. It is disturbing to think that such a llarge issue was not ultimately settled by the logical and public discourse of the people, but by the iron handed will of powerful social institutions and people. In our legilative body, there is little room for the people a law will actually affect to have an honest and thought provoking debate about he issue. The powerful social institutions (like the Roman Catholic Church) and powerful individuals are able to manipulate and twist the truth and the bill until their agenda is pushed through. It is not the best, most well reassoned, or most logical argument that wins the day in congress, it is the argument that has the most powerful backers, the most skillful manipualtors that eventually gets passed into law. To have a truly legitamate and democratic society, the people must be allowed to have free and honest discourse about a subject and engage in communicative action once consensus has been reached. A government where the few and powerful can ignore the voice of the people is not a legitimate form of government at all.
tundra Forty Years' War Gina Kolata The NY Times 11.12.2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/health/research/13prevent.html?_r=1
Habermas He would have been concerned with the medicaliation of modern day culture. The article discusses how today's americans are not being given the best nor most effective drugs. It is difficult for everyone to gain access to all the same information when there is so much information to be had. The internet lends itself to those who seek knowledge, but it doesn't distribute its information without conscious effort. Information needs to be made more availble so to become truly free communication. Ideas and concerns that people have would be understood and real consensus would be attainable. Habermas was more fearful of how impersonal the modern drug industry is. It is about turning out a profit, and not about making humans more functional. It is that rationalization of purposeive-action that we are sort of in control of: the juggernaut. As a global culture, we have some sense of what should be accomplished, but there is no time scale applied to the goal. Yes, drugs are one of humans favorite things, but better reflection on what outcomes we are creating needs to take the forefront of our thoughts. If we do not, the juggernaut will continue to decimate undaunted. In the article they say, "A scientific discovery that is very clear cut and that is not implemented by the public is a tragedy." Habermas would want us to see the reality of the situation more importantly, that we are all involved in creating the monster.
Codeword Remembering Veterans by Working to Repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t tell” Michael A. Jones Change.org 11/11/09 http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/remembering_veterans_by_working_to_repeal_dont_ask_dont_tell
Habermas:
Communicative action is the deliberate grouping of individuals who seek to improve the world by fostering a mutual understanding. The concept is to communicate through argumentation and rationality and form salient values throughout a group, so that that group may recognize goals that need to be set and achieved. A congregation of enlightened groups, afterward, would be able to reach a uniform initiative: creating social change. This is the fundamental principle of what is now grassroots activism: the activism that progresses the movement to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT). Habermas’s communicative action catalyzes social change. It creates an environment for people from different backgrounds who traditionally don’t have access to activist communication. Habermas idealized a setting in which all people would have a vessel through which they could argue and mature. This setting is now found on different blogs, various sites such as change.org, as well as in community and campus organizations. Through communicative action, a concrete step toward the repeal of DADT has been taken and more steps are being called for through this article. The author points out the importance of being “impatient” with the Obama administration, which will only happen if the nation stands united in its empathy and awareness, the latter of which can only be brought upon by communicative action.
bigtyma Hannity to Address Protest Video Questions Bill Carter New York Times November 11, 2009 http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/hannity-to-address-protest-video-questions-tonight/?scp=1&sq=jon%20stewart%20on%20fox&st=cse
Mills
This article is an example of the media purposely trying to manipulate peoples knowledge by falsifying a segment that showed a crowd protesting the health care bill in congress. Mills says "it is the political task of the social scientist -- as of any liberal educator -- continually to translate personal troubles into public issues, and public issues into the terms of their human meaning for a variety of individuals." When one watches the media he must use his sociological imagination to discipher between factual based documentation and video, and falsified ambiguous information being disseminated to the public and creating common knowledge. The media needs to be highly responsible when broadcasting information and in this article, it shows FOX news deliberately altering video footage of a protest of around 10,000 people so that it looks more crowded and popular.
7138 Brazil and France in Climate Deal BBC News November 14, 2009 News.bbc.co.uk
Habermas:
Both France and Brazil have decided to help the environment by lessening pollution emissions by 50% by the year 2050. The UN (United Nations) is causing a legitimation crisis becase they are not meeting individual needs are are manipulating people. To change these occurences, citizens need to practice communitive action so that they can make a change in society. If they do not act, nothing will change. Most disputes have been between rich and developing countries over the issue of funding the project. If the populations of the countrries can utilize language and speak about these problems, then change might occur. Brazil successfully agreed to the new emmission because their citizens began having small philo-cafes where they could voice their concerns on the pollution issue. Eventually they gathered the support of more around the country and had many philo-cafes and coffee houses where citizens could meet to advocate change. Many that participated were the upper and middle class members of society whom created groupd of solidarity and who saw how high emissions impacted their community. If the other countries in the UN follow this model of group solidarity, they will see the effects and eventually agree to the new emision laws.
Bob Marley Take Care Using the Word “Sustainability” Roberto Piccioni GreenBiz.com November 13, 2009 http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/11/12/take-care-using-word-sustainability?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Greenbuzz+(GreenBiz+Feed) Habermas
Society has continued to advance and I’m happy to see that my concepts are present. Within the article the author points out how a large institution has effectively helped the environment and accepting responsibility for doing so. The legitimation crisis came about when it was brought to Coca Cola’s attention that in the production of their products they are adding to the water problem. Communicative action occurred when Coca Cola set a goal to return to communities and nature an amount of water equal to what they use in all their beverages and their productions. They have made plans for common action to help society. Communication is the vehicle for change; I wish Marx could see this.
At the top of each post you must list the following information: 1. Your Codeword 2. Title of the news article you choose (see suggestions below) 3. Author of the news article 4. Source of the news article 5. Date of the news article 6. Link (url) to the news article
Those six lines should be followed by your reflection from the perspective of the social theorist you choose from the list of options for each due date. A reflection is not a summary. Instead, what you are expected to do is to thoroughly read the news article of your choice and reflect on it from the perspective of one of the assigned Social Theorists. Note that your reflection may include a bit of summary, but it must not consist entirely of summarizing the article. Good reflections will analyze the issue discussed in the article from the perspective of one of the assigned Social Theorists; outstanding posts will even take the voice (write in the tone and style of) the Social Theorist. Reflections should be a minimum of one paragraph. They must be posted no later than 4pm on the due date below and the article you choose must have been published within two weeks of the due date. There are 10 points possible for each post.
#1 - W. 9/30 - Marx, Engels, Durkheim #2 - W. 10/14 - Weber, Gilman, Dubois, Cooper, James, Cooley, Mead #3 - W. 10/21 - Popper, Parsons #4 - W. 11/13 - Mills, Habermas #5 - W. 11/18 - Berger & Luckman, Garfinkel, Goffman
Mnk86
ReplyDelete“Is the U.S. News Media Failing to Do Its Job on Climate Change?”
Michael B. Mercier
GreenBiz.com
November 9, 2009
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/11/09/us-news-media-failing-do-its-job-climate-change
Mills:
The media is a dominant institution in America today that holds so much authority and influence that it can significantly affect the mindset of the masses and deter them from social action. The corporate media presents the news so that people passively accept it and never question what is reported or how it is reported. It is a form of control manipulated by the power elite for several purposes including governmental control and economic gains. The corporate sector is the most powerful sector in running the country and its organizations. The masses below this sector remain unorganized, ill informed, and powerless to counteract the far-reaching affects of the media corporations.
An example of this is the current debate on climate change and the lack of information disseminated to the public. According to this article, “the Pew Center has found that only 57 percent of Americans, down from 77 percent, believe that global warming is occurring, and that 55 percent have never heard anything about cap and trade” policies concerning carbon emissions. The media is responsible for spreading important information and there has been relatively little recent discussion on climate change when it should be emphasized and made a priority. This leaves the American public in the dark and unconcerned about such matters. The media purposely leaves climate change out of news reports because they do not want to advertise a problem that could negatively affect corporations. If the media stressed the importance of new climate change regulations, the public would support it, and the corporations would not only have to fund more environmentally friendly equipment, but also possibly lose money based on production capabilities. The fact that climate change is so underrepresented in the news represents how the media manipulates what they cover to suit their own agenda and keep the American public ill informed and powerless.
Greece
ReplyDeleteLack of Health Care Worsens Women's Life Quality:WHO
Laura MacInnis
CommonDreams.org
November 10, 2009
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/10-3
Habermas:
Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) have united to discuss the effects of a lack of health care on women across the world. Although women typically live longer than men, they are not receiving proper health care. The WHO reported that women around the world are “denied a chance to develop to their full human potential” because many critical medical needs are not properly accessed and cared for. Members of WHO are advocating for improved health care for women all over the world. WHO provides a group of solidarity whose mission is to recognize health care problems in the world and to take action to improve the treatment and health of those individuals in the world who are disadvantaged. The communicative action taken by the organization has been to first study the source and cause for the inefficient health care experienced by women and then to build awareness through articles such as this one. "The obstacles that stand in the way of better health for women are not primarily technical or medical in nature. They are social and political," Margaret Chan said. The legitimation crisis recognized by WHO centers on these social and political obstacles. Childbirth is the most significant contributor to the difference between the health of men and women. Women who are pregnant or who have children and have violated traditional social norms regarding pregnancy and childbirth are less likely to have access to proper childcare assistance. WHO categorizes these marginalized women as unmarried, teenagers, and/or sex workers. Poverty plays another role in the lack of health care received by women. The report by WHO also stated that women are more likely than men to experience depression and anxiety, to be victims of sexual violence, and to catch sexually transmitted diseases. The important thing to recognize is that awareness of this health care problem has come from the use of communicative action by a group of solidarity, the World Health Organization.
1. Charlie
ReplyDelete2. “One Lost Job, Two Lost Jobs, Three Lost Jobs …How does the government keep track of employment numbers?”
3. Brian Palmer
4. Slate.com
5. November 7, 2009
6. http://www.slate.com/id/2234925/
Mills:
This article takes a look at the unemployment rate in America right now. A problem which is a huge for many Americans currently. Not only the lesser educated people of America, but those who have just worked their way through the many hardships of college are still unable to find jobs in the marketplace. For those who have just spent a lot of time working on their degree to take them on to the real world and their next step in life this can be disheartening. They may believe this is there problem, but they must also see that this is not only a problem for themselves, they are not inadequate but simply this is a problem sweeping America currently. As the article states the unemployment rate has hit double digits. I think this article is important for all those unemployed to read to see that it is not just them suffering from unemployment but many Americans currently. If they are out in the world trying to get a job and not succeeding it is a bigger issue than them. It is part of the recession we are currently going through. This article also explains how the numbers we hear for the unemployment rate can sometimes be inaccurate, which is also important to keep people from getting to discouraged by the growing numbers of unemployment. If you are unemployed currently and received the proper education, attempted a job search and come up empty handed, do not be discouraged, but know it is bigger than you. America needs to come out of the slump before everyone can. I am not saying to be lazy until then, but maybe take a chance to further your education, so when we come out of this social problem it is possible to enter into the job force in a better position you could be in now.
GraffitiDrk
ReplyDeleteLack of Healthcare Worsens Womens Life Quality: WHO
Laura MacInnis
Commondreams.org
November 10, 2009
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/10-3
MILLS:
The key issue must be analyzed through my sociological imagination. One must use it to understand society and ones self as separate entities. Upon understanding such a concept one will further see that the issue is not something that is ones fault but a result and a symptom of society itself. The situation must be analyzed away from our view and bubble.
For instance within the current article, women expressed a sense of despair when focus was given to married women when trying to setup care for their babies or pregnancies. Furthermore the articke reinforced the stance of women by saying that although they lived longer they were more likely to experience abuse, depression, and even catch sexually transmitted diseases. Upon a clear analyses one can say that these women are failing to analyze their surroundings and are not using my sociological imagination. They seem to be blaming their existence as women and their desire to remain unmarried for the way they are currently being accepted by the medical system. They must understand that society sets preferences to married women and due to the close mindedness if past morals and ideals. These unmarried mothers are not at fault but must deal society itself. It is truley sad that the WHO fails to realize that care should be adminitered fairly and equally as we are all humans living in the same society.
Howard
ReplyDelete“The Rush to Therapy”
David Brooks
N.Y. Times
November 9, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/opinion/10brooks.html
Mills:
I, C. Wright Mills, believe that context is important. It is my belief that sociological imagination is the ability to see our individual experiences as they are related to and influenced by macro level social, cultural, and historical processes. Additionally, I believe that understand ones’ issues can be empowering to create change. David Brooks understands the world similarly to me and displays that in his article. A lot of what is personal is political, which means that our personal troubles are affected by public issues and public issues affect our personal troubles.
He recognizes that humans are motivated to seek an understanding. Brooks points out that we learn about the macro world by applying our own personal stories to it. Additionally, when we experience different situations in life, whether on a macro or micro level, we learn about ourselves as individuals, as well as our place in society. If we recognize how our actions affect society or how society affects our personal lives we will be more capable to make changes in the world. -creating institutional change will be more successful than provoking individual changes. We use our sociological imagination to figure out how to make sense of the world by using our own personal stories. Therefore, we use our own personal stories to find meaning in the world.
Brooks uses a story about Major Hasan to give an example of someone who was faced with conflict but did not attempt to use his sociological imagination. I believe this is a great example of people who have the capabilities of making change in the world but do not truly look within to find the meaning. If Hasan would have used his sociological imagination to find a way to use his responsibility in a positive way then the circumstances would not have ended so drastically. I recognize that what happens in our lives is beyond our control but that awareness of the relationships between the social and the personal is necessary for change to occur.
1.Xaipe
ReplyDelete2.Abort Lobby: Health insurers are docile about Stupak amendment. Here’s Why.
3.Timothy Noah
4.Slate Magazine
5.November 10, 2009
6.http://www.slate.com/id/2235120/
The ability of government politicians to influence the types of medical care that is publicly funded is an explicit form of power known as authority. The ability of the government to determine the type of health care people receive is a symptom of the centralization and enlargement of political power due to the economic crisis North American people are currently facing. Since people trust their government, this change was allowed to occur. The power of the government to determine the types of services allowed for citizens was legitimated by the people and will be followed by them because of their loyalty and obedience to their government structure and its leaders. The government now has the power to manage and manipulate the consent of citizens through the types of medical services they receive. The oppressed cannot identify specific oppressors because they assume the government as a whole is to blame instead of the people managing government’s decisions namely, its politicians. Therefore, politicians are removed from the conscience and reason of the people they govern.
1.Peaches
ReplyDelete2.Obama Salutes Fallen Americans on Veterans Day
3.By Brian Knowlton
4. New York Times
5.Published: November 11, 2009
6.http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/us/12obama.html?_r=1&hp
Habermas
The Afghan war has been going on for quite some time now. Some people still question what are we really fighting for? And how many more lives must be lost to see we do not belong there. Had it been left to me I would have been part of the group of people completely disagreeing with this war. I do not believe that revolt or revolution is needed to occur in order for change to happen. This war is irrational. We as a society should be rational but this kind of society is only possible if it is to be constructed of free communication where our ideas are weighed on their merits and unaltered ideologies. This cannot be said of the Afghan war because we would have not needed to be saluting fallen soldiers of this Afghan war this Veterans day if the American people’s minds weren’t brainwashed through the rationalization of purposive-action. At first societies individuals were upset with what this war has done to our economy and would fight to have it stopped. Now we just sit and listen to the news about what is going on as our economy depletes even more because government institutions have manipulated our minds to believe that we are fighting for our freedom, but everyone has failed to see that in this society we lack freedom. This is the legitimation crisis. We also express the concept of communicative action because some 20-40,000 additional troops may be sent out to Afghanistan, but of course Obama will speak to the people with cunning words in order to get them to agree and accept the decisions he is making and then have more children sign up to fight for their country in order for justice to be served and our society be changed back to what it used to be before the first attacks. Therefore supporting whatever he has said to have merit and an unaltered ideology. Freedom is really something.
1. Footlocker
ReplyDelete2. 9/11’s Delayed Legacy: Cancer for Many of the Rescue Workers
3. Ed Pilkington
4. Common Dreams
5. 11 November 2009
6. http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/11-3
Mills
In my book, “Sociological Imagination”, I define this term as the ability to connect “personal troubles” and the “public sphere”. In doing this, individuals start to see the conflicts in their personal lives as interconnected to the social constructs of their society. In this article, the 9/11 Rescue Workers have used their sociological imagination, supported through groups such as The 911 Police Aid Foundation, in order to connect their specific personal troubles- illness, to the greater social context- the hazardous materials at the Twin Towers site. Essentially, their work in the 9/11 tragedy and clean up has lead to terminal illnesses. “Neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both.” On 9/11 the history of our society was forever changed, what is important to understand is that the lives of all Americans, but especially the lives of these rescue workers are also forever changed. Their health and thus every aspect of their lives is inextricably linked to their participation in the aid on 9/11. The Legislation being presented to Congress would set aside enough money to provide for the health monitoring and treatment of 15,000 rescue workers. The monitoring would be related to specific health risks related to the worker’s exposure to the debris during 9/11 including: jet fuel, asbestos, lead, mercury, and the by-products of burning plastic and chlorinated chemicals. This legislation is the epitome of the connection of personal troubles being related to the greater social context in which the worker’s exist.
1. SEAZER
ReplyDelete2. College grads must work even harder to find jobs
3. Gregory Karp
4. The Buffalo News: Business Today
5. Nov. 8th 2009
6. http://www.buffalonews.com/410/story/854327.html?imw=Y
Mills,
Recent college graduates are experiencing unemployment rates at levels that have not been seen in quite some time. Those who are graduating in December and May will likely face unemployment levels in the double digits as well. Graduate hiring has dropped by 22 percent in the last year and there is a lot of stress being placed on these college do to this dilemma.
According to Mills??? sociological imagination, the fact that college graduates are having extremely hard times finding jobs isn???t due to personal factors. It is, however; due to larger social institutions and current sociological trends. Recent college graduates may feel like they are failures and that the reason why they are unemployed and living at home is entirely their own fault. Mills on the other hand, would say that this is not true. Although there could be some personal factors in play, like the fact that the graduate???s GPA was a little low, Mills would argue that social factors are more to blame on a large scale. One of the biggest reasons for this current problem is the fact that companies are simply not hiring the amount of college graduates that they once were. Many companies are also down sizing and laying off employees due to the recent recession of the economy. So therefore, college graduates should not blame themselves entirely for struggling to find a career that requires a college degree.
Although they might be down on themselves for having to move back home after college, all is not lost according to mills. The use of the sociological imagination can actually be quite beneficial. Once college graduates understand that their private issues are also due to larger public issues, they can begin to make themselves more employable. This could be done by furthering one???s education by going to graduate school or doing an internship as mentioned in the article. In fact, graduate school???s have recently been receiving numbers of applications on a never before seen level. So overall, Mills??? advice to recent and future college graduates would be to sit back, take a deep breath, analyze the situation, and understand the entirety of it.
K94
ReplyDeleteUN: 200 Million Kids Have Stunted Growth
Maria Cheng
Common Dreams
November 11th, 2009
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/11-5
Mills,
This article discusses the importance of addressing the problem of malnutrition in the children of Asia and Africa. UNICEF wants to put more money into lessening this problem that affects almost fifty percent of these countries children. The problem is there are people who feel that UNICEF's efforts cannot help these children. They do not see a light at the end of the tunnel of this problem and do not see the need to pour more money into the problem. These people have become apahetic towards these problems because they do not trust the people of UNICEF to do anything about the problem since only a slight improvement has been shown in the past years. With this apatheic perspective to the problem they assume that the country's development will be the only thing that helps the problem of malnutrition. They feel UNICEF should step back and allow the people of the country to take care of their own problem. By being apathetic of this problem though they are stepping back from the problem and ignoring what needs to happen.
1. Mohawke
ReplyDelete2. "Is 'Buy American' Bad for America?"
3. Marc Gunther
4. GreenBiz.com
5. November 11th, 2009
6. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/11/11/buy-american-bad-america
As Mills:
The Obama initially instilled a provision within the economic stimulus package that aimed to increase jobs in America by essentially focusing business production within the United States more. In response, a large group of big-name corporations participated in writing up a letter addressing the complaints they had with this 'Buy American' provision. A sociological examination of this article highlights the power structures within our society, leaving the reader unsure as to who truly dictates what in our so-called democracy.
From my three types of power & authority used by society, this article clearly depicts two of them. Authority, which is the basis of bureaucratic structures, was employed by government, one of three power elite institutions. The positions held by Congress are strengthened by the faith that citizens have in their leaders, thereby legitimizing their authority. Using it they helped to enact a provision that would effect the masses more than it would themselves.
Following the initiation of the 'Buy American' provision, another power elite institution, the economy--represented primarily by hundreds of big and small businesses--utilized manipulation to attempt to undermine the authority of the government. Without the consent or knowledge from the powerless citizens, a handful of strong companies appealed to the Obama administration first with a letter, then later on with petitions for exemption for certain businesses. Regardless of the benefit or detriment, the point here is where the power lies within society due to its structure. Those workers and other citizens with no voice had no direct say in what was done, leaving them powerless.
Finally this article perfectly portrays the role of the media this day in age. The author makes a clear point of emphasizing his stance on this issue, eliminating any possibility for the reader to form their own opinion. In addition, the lack of weighing out both the cons to the 'Buy American' provision as well as the pros, leads citizens to take the article at face value. Meanwhile, there is no mention of why corporations would be so invested in finding loopholes out of the 'Buy American' provision, such as the fact that it forces businesses to pay a more decent wage found within the United States as opposed to the dirt cheap wages offered to the poor inhabitants of developing nations.
1. Banana
ReplyDelete2. Obama War Council Weighs Afghan Troop Boost
3. Matt Spetalnick
4. Common Dreams
5. 11, November 2009
6. http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/11-7
Habermas
President Obama is going to make a decision soon about the United States’ next course of action in Afghanistan. According to the article he has to choose between four options and has declined to let the public know what they are. By not allowing the American people to at least know what the options the people in power are limiting their freedom. The dominant individuals are attempting to manipulate the masses by keeping them in the dark creating a legitimation crisis. In addition, the article continues to speculate that the only options President Obama even has are to either send 15,000, 30,000 or up to 40,000 more troops into Afghanistan. These are not his only options. We need to come together and have a public and open dialogue about our options in Afghanistan- then and only then can we reach a positive solution. War and conflict are not necessary to solve problems-even on a global scale, we can come together and talk about our issues and reach consensus together; without thousands of people having to die. Communicative action is the only action we should be taking, so that we, as human beings, may come together to understand each other, agree, and make plans for a common action.
1. Beaner
ReplyDelete2. "Financial Firms Fight Giving Government Breakup Powers"
3. Silla Brush
4. Common Dreams.org
5. November 12th, 2009
6. http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/12-0
C. Wright Mills
The American government has always struggled with the idea of interfering with matters of big business. Historically, there have been efforts on the part of government officials to break up corporations that have garnered too much power in order to encourage competition and allow smaller companies to emerge.
In the past few decades, however, many large corporations have executed mergers and been allowed to become more and more powerful under minimal regulation. This was made painfully obvious with the economic meltdown which was largely caused by poor business decisions on the part of large companies like AIG, JP Morgan, and Citigroup who virtually controlled the entire banking industry.
C. Wright Mills would have understood this phenomenon, as he was claiming in the 1950's that the corporate sector was the most powerful of the "power elites." Many believe that government officials were manipulated by these large corporate entities, thus resulting in a lack of regulation and governmental oversight.
This complete economic collapse has ushered in a new era of public involvement. When companies began going under and the market came to a standstill, many individuals began to gain "sociological imagination," meaning that they were effected financially by job losses, foreclosure, lack of credit, etc. and began understanding how their personal troubles were connected to structural issues.
Mills suggests that the best solution to economic inequality involves a reopening of political debate and citizen participation in politics. It seems that this recession has ushered in a new era where the American people are holding their governmental officials accountable for their decisions. This is made apparent with the current efforts of legislators to exert their power to break up large Financial Firms. The article states that the nations biggest firms are putting forth a great deal of effort to block such legislation, but one can only hope that the voice of the people will overcome the manipulation by the Corporate sector.
1. Luna
ReplyDelete2. Privacy Looms Over Gay Rights Vote
3. WILLIAM YARDLEY
4. The New York Times
5. October 31st, 2009
6. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/us/01petition.html
According to Habermas:
Currently there is a debate whether or not to release publicly the names of those who signed a petition that encouraged same-sex marriage. If this measure passes the courts and becomes laws, all of the 138,000 people who signed this petition will have their names placed on the internet so that the general public can know they signed the petition. This seems to me unlike a rational society. A rational society needs to include free communication, where ideas are weighed on their merits and not altered by ideology. If this measure was passed, free communication could be affected and hindered! This would be a legitimation crisis: modern society would not be meeting the needs of individuals, and institutions (here, the courts and government) would be manipulating individuals for fear of backlash.
In order to solve this problem, communicative action should be used. It would allow for a group of people to understand each other so that agreed-upon plans could be made. In order to have a society based on social justice and equality, communicative action must be employed. It is the vehicle for change. A revolt is unnecessary, and instead communicative action should be demonstrated through groups of solidarity at places such as coffeehouses and philo-cafes.
Speedy
ReplyDeleteRed Cross Says Millions of Displaced Are Neglected
Agence France Presse
Dreams.org
11/12/09
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/12-6
Mills
Many displaced people are suffering due to inadequate support. When displaced people go to a camp they are not necessarily looked at and cared for. More resources go to camps because that is where agencies send their relief aid. Those people in camps have to come to the understanding that it is not their fault that they cannot resume their normal lives right away. If they had gone to a host family then they would be more likely to resume their normal lives because they would still be continuing to live in their community. The camps are meant to be used as a last resort and the agencies know this fact yet do nothing to change that truth.
Displaced people in hosting families are most often neglected or forgot about all together. One may think that it is their fault or their own personal problem to deal with. In actuality it falls in the hands of the aid agencies and organizations like the International Red Cross. These aid agencies know what the problem is and they know that displaced people are falling through the cracks of the system. They also know that it is better for displaced people to go to host families because then there are more likely to resume their normal lives compared to those displaced individuals who went to camps. Families that host these displaced individuals also have to realize that it is not their fault that they may be impoverished. The agencies need to take some responsibility for this social issue and take the burden of the host and the displaced people.
Using their sociological imagination the displaced people should realize that their current state of displacement is due to greater social issues beyond their control. Being displaced affects their lives on a daily living basis because it determines their living situations. The displaced people also need to distinguish between the living situations and the troubles these situations cause in their everyday lives and also see the connection between the two.
1. Seymour
ReplyDelete2. "India’s third gender gets own identity in voter rolls"
3. Harmeet Shah Singh
4. CNN
5. November 12, 2009
6. http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/11/12/india.gender.voting/index.html
Habermas:
In India, the election authorities have granted for a third category to be placed on voter lists. This category is “O,” which stands for other, as a possible response for gender identification on voter forms. Indian election authorities did so to provide an alternative option for intersexual and transsexual individuals. This occurred after the landmark ruling in India that legalized the consensual sex between gay partners, an act that had previously been considered a criminal act.
India does not meet the needs of its entire people. This is seen in the marginalized status of intersexual people as well as in India’s recent past of criminalizing gay sex between consensual adults. The result is legitimation crisis, where modern society was failing to meet the needs of all its individuals. However, change is occurring in India. This change is happening not as a result of revolution, as Marx predicted, but rather as the result of communicative action. Communicative action is the interaction between individuals in response to legitimation crisis.
Communicative action is the vehicle for social change and this is seen in the changes being made in India to better represent marginalized groups in their society. These changes are not in response to violent uprising by groups of solidarity but are the result of the growing understanding and communication between different groups. Through communicative action society is moving into a new era, one based on social justice and equality. Although the steps toward such a society are small, the acknowledgement and acceptance of groups previously marginalized are promising.
Hiatus
ReplyDeleteIs Nadal Malik Hasan a “Terrorist”?
Juliet Lapidos
Slate.com
11/11/09
http://www.slate.com/id/2235361/?from=rss
Our society fails to be a true democracy and thus it also fails to meet the needs of dissidents. Nadal Malik Hasan, the Ft. Hood shooter, was clearly going through a legitimation crisis. This man had attempted to communicate his hatred and disgust towards the United States military, yet he still did not have the freedom to hold a merit-based, rational discussion regarding our current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. His communication was distorted under the weight of our deceptively bipartisan government-corporation-media complex. This tragedy simply serves as a means for them to further hold our society back from partaking in rational, free communication. Republicans want to draw out the subconscious connection between labeling this tragedy as terrorism and terrorism happening on Obama’s watch - solely for the sake of slandering a (popular) Democratic president. This is not a rational discussion based on ideas of pragmatic and utilitarian value; rather, our massive complex of those wielding the powers of law, money, and information dissemination acts like a bunch of children constantly pointing fingers at one another (with no one ever shouldering the blame).Us as citizens simply can not take part in communicate action under such direly oppressive conditions unless we take back what is rightfully ours – the right to an honest, rational, and merit-based discussion.
Gorgoron
ReplyDelete11 year olds lunch trip to Hooters causes a stir over tweens and sex
Amy Hatch
ParentDish.com
November 12th, 2009
Charles Wright Mills is known for coining the "Sociological Imagination", and in regards to the term Mills would have been able to easily identify with Bob Elson, the father featured in the news article. Elson effectively acknowledges the core principals of Sociological Imagination, but in not so many words. First of all, Elson himself belongs to a particular society, that of a stay at home parent, therefore his main role in the social order is concerning himself completely with his children. His sole job is to properly parent and raise his child while balancing what he views as the proper way to rear a child and the social norms in childrearing. Elson is aware of his role as a parent and is also aware that society may not look upon his parenting with favor, in this regard, he treaded the border of the socially accepted and the socially shunned. Evidence that Elson is aware of this line appears in the article when he stated that "I don't regret it. It was a pretty harmless situation in my view. He was there not only with his own dad, but his grandparents, a friend from the neighborhood and that friend's father. I called my wife and got her approval. We were there at lunchtime with a lot of other families. If the situation was different -- say, if we went late at night when there is no kids and the beer is flowing freely -- then I wouldn't so much as regret it but not do it in the first place". Elson is not only defending the action by using socially acceptable circumstances but also pointing out that he knows what a "bad" or socially unacceptable situation to place his son in was, and proving that he knows his role in his particular society and understands which borders he can cross, and those better left alone.
An aspect Mills would find interesting about this situation in a much larger sense would be the questions of where does this society stand in human history and what is it's place within and it's meaning for the development of humanity as a whole? After an analysis of the situation Mills would easily see that although this seems like a small, rather mundane event it is actually part of a much larger and complex picture. The particular society of stay at home parents shape the personalities, actions, and ultimately lives of their children. The men and women the children of our society grow up to be, affect everything from music, art, and culture to government, wars, and peace. The social norms that affect how a stay at home parent raises their children, and the parents intrepretation of the borders of these social norms not only affect their children, but their grandchildren and great grand children as well. It is a slowly changing, slowly evolving and devolving social role that has far reaching consequences, the social norms surrounding child rearing shape entire generations which in turn shape nations.
Gorgoron
ReplyDelete11 year olds lunch trip to Hooters causes a stir over tweens and sex
Amy Hatch
ParentDish.com
November 12th, 2009
http://www.parentdish.com/2009/11/12/lunch-trip-to-hooters-raises-tweens-and-sex-issues/?icid=main|main|dl2|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.parentdish.com%2F2009%2F11%2F12%2Flunch-trip-to-hooters-raises-tweens-and-sex-issues%2F
Charles Wright Mills is known for coining the "Sociological Imagination", and in regards to the term Mills would have been able to easily identify with Bob Elson, the father featured in the news article. Elson effectively acknowledges the core principals of Sociological Imagination, but in not so many words. First of all, Elson himself belongs to a particular society, that of a stay at home parent, therefore his main role in the social order is concerning himself completely with his children. His sole job is to properly parent and raise his child while balancing what he views as the proper way to rear a child and the social norms in childrearing. Elson is aware of his role as a parent and is also aware that society may not look upon his parenting with favor, in this regard, he treaded the border of the socially accepted and the socially shunned. Evidence that Elson is aware of this line appears in the article when he stated that "I don't regret it. It was a pretty harmless situation in my view. He was there not only with his own dad, but his grandparents, a friend from the neighborhood and that friend's father. I called my wife and got her approval. We were there at lunchtime with a lot of other families. If the situation was different -- say, if we went late at night when there is no kids and the beer is flowing freely -- then I wouldn't so much as regret it but not do it in the first place". Elson is not only defending the action by using socially acceptable circumstances but also pointing out that he knows what a "bad" or socially unacceptable situation to place his son in was, and proving that he knows his role in his particular society and understands which borders he can cross, and those better left alone.
An aspect Mills would find interesting about this situation in a much larger sense would be the questions of where does this society stand in human history and what is it's place within and it's meaning for the development of humanity as a whole? After an analysis of the situation Mills would easily see that although this seems like a small, rather mundane event it is actually part of a much larger and complex picture. The particular society of stay at home parents shape the personalities, actions, and ultimately lives of their children. The men and women the children of our society grow up to be, affect everything from music, art, and culture to government, wars, and peace. The social norms that affect how a stay at home parent raises their children, and the parents interpretation of the borders of these social norms not only affect their children, but their grandchildren and great grand children as well. It is a slowly changing, slowly evolving and devolving social role that has far reaching consequences, the social norms surrounding child rearing shape entire generations which in turn shape nations.
1. mother
ReplyDelete2. .Gloomy Energy Report Sets the Stage for Climate Talks
3. Jad Mouawad
4. The New York Times
5. 11-10-09
6. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/business/energy-environment/11oil.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Habermas:
It is obvious that environmental policy would benefit from an ideal speech situation in which policy makers could debate about possible ways to reduce energy expenditure or switch to alternative sources of energy with anticipation that the most rational conclusion to the energy crisis would be the plan implemented into current energy policies. Unfortunately, major oil companies have sufficient amounts of power to control policies on energy sources, which has kept the goals of rational communication from triumphing in the creation of energy efficient solutions that may curb the effects of global warming. Although the major companies arose from individual’s desires for more affordable and universal sources of energy, the individuals and the system have become decoupled from one another allowing the complex companies to colonize the lifeworld. As a result, major complex systems such as oil companies undermine the process of communication that lead to mutual understanding and communication in favor of an authoritarian approach that utilizes external control and power to pursue its own agenda.
Bernie
ReplyDeleteSmall Business Guide-Marketing Your Business with Facebook.
Kermit Pattison
New York Times
11/11/2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/business/smallbusiness/12guide.html
Habermas:
Small businesses using Facebook as a marketing tool to bring in customers is a good example of the legitimation crisis. Facebook is an institution that maipulates individuals into using technology to communicate with people. It also allows businesses to use another way to reach out to people. It is a great modern tool of techonology for billions of people to communicate. It also shows the dominance of technology in our society.
The Facebook strategy for small businesses also allows for businesses to target certain demographics of people. This is a great tool for businesses to sell their products to the type of people that would buy them.
Facebook allows the freedom to exchange ideas however may still be dominated with capitalism idealogoy, now that businessses are involved. Communicative action wold be a great way to stop this and the exchange of ideas may help the society change to a more developed one, where this communication through facebook is not dominated by any institution, but just the freedom of ideas.
Shorty
ReplyDeleteWill Reid Tax the Rich?The Senate majority leader develops a case of House envy.
Timothy Noah
Slate
Thursday November 12, 2009
http://www.slate.com/id/2235460/?from=rss
Mills
Senate leader Harry Reid is reconsidering tax options for families whose income is over $250,000. Mills would understand this reconsideration as that humans are being understood by their social status and the amount of money that they make is forming the assumption and notion that tax increases need to be applied. Mills also supports the idea that a vast number of changes in society occur due to increased institutions. The increase that is set in place to occur is that a tax investment is set to be applied to the wealthier people in society as a structural change to help the Senate’s finance committee stay within their means. The change of a more expensive health insurance policy for a job position that is considered high risk is an example of how changes are occurring for all the people who are the subjects, as well as the entire organizations. The raise in the health insurance demonstrates that things happen in our lives beyond our control. Reid would be considered as a power of authority because he’s placed the basis taxing the rich on several taxes such as the Cadillac plan, or the Medicare taxes. He’s attached the rich to the position of raising more money and its being justified by the White House budget director as saying that this basis would structure a lot more money to be raised as it would peg as a tax increase and it isn’t a rate increase. The key people that are considered elite in this circumstance would be the government. One of Mills conflict is exemplified in this situation because the tax rate increase extending to the Medicare tax would cause conflict. Even though the increase would not target the elderly, the elderly would give reason to become angered because people over age 65 would likely become the new targets of the Medicare tax due to unearned income that could be earning more than $250,000 yearly, so hence this would be viewed as a conflict between bureaucratic rationality and human reason. Overall, the study of the political point of view has been directed to the kings (the senate), and the publics (the people of the tax increase).
M_Luther
ReplyDeleteGloomy Energy Report Sets the Stage for Climate Talks
By Jad Mouawad
The New York Times
November 10, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/business/energy-environment/11oil.html
Based on Habermas (although I hope that’s evident): This article portrays a particular promising premise: cooperative talks of many people, from many different places, with different languages, and yet they gather over a common concern. The concern shared amongst them centers around the future of energy consumption and global warming. In essence, this shared concern makes them a group of solidarity. They are meeting with a desire for common action, and doing so in a manner that they can all understand, and yet at the same time involves multiple languages. Communicative action involves all ways of human thinking, and this is an excellent example. It is the vehicle for change, and they have recognized it. They have recognized it, and they are attempting to use it to actively support change. The current energy usage in modern society is not meeting individual needs: it will harm them in the long run. As a result, these people are getting together to discuss the issue, they are enacting communicative action. Efforts like these are what is needed to cause change, and efforts like these are what WILL cause change.
Cat
ReplyDeleteBill Clinton Urges Fast Action by Senate Democrats
Sheryl Gay Stolberg
New York Times
November 10, 2009
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/bill-clinton-urges-senate-democrats-to-move-quickly/
Habermas:
There is currently a legitimation crisis in the United States - health care is not meeting the needs of individuals and insurance companies are trying to manipulate individuals to participate in the dysfunctional health system. Interaction is taking place on Capital Hill as legislators engage in communicative action to reform healthcare. Unfortunately, the rivalry between the Republican and Democratic parties has stalled effective communicative action. As a result, President Obama and Bill Clinton have tried to form a group of solidarity between all party members in order to pass health care legislation in a timely manner. Specifically, Clinton urged Democrats to put their differences aside and appease American citizens by taking action instead of endlessly arguing over details. Clinton warned that there would be unintended consequences, but that no bill is perfect and negative consequences are inevitable. Unlike Marx’s prediction that society would have to revolt to produce change, legislators are showing that effective change is possible through collaboration. While the United States is clearly not entirely a rational society, the free flow of ideas through communication between groups of people is becoming increasingly prevalent.
ImSaari24
ReplyDeleteUN Investigator Accuses US of Shameful Neglect of Homeless
Chris McGreal
Common Dreams
November 13, 2009
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/13-0
Mills:
I chose to analyze and reflect on this particular article from the perspective of C. Wright Mills because I’m sure he would have wanted to shed some light on the fascist agenda of the power elite within the United States, as well as the authoritative exploitation attributed to being a very poor individual in such a robust society. Mills claims the power elite commands the majority of resources within large bureaucratic organizations in an effort to dominate industrial societies, and this particular case is no different. The only groups within such a society that obtain the financial resources to make a drastic difference are the power elite. Unfortunately for United States citizens, assisting the homeless is pretty far down the list of important matters to address. Mills might also criticize the alienation of the poor and homeless by the rest of society, which ultimately pushes their struggles farther away from reality. The power elite within the United States would have to make radical changes in order to rebuild the faith and trust of the homeless within every community, drawing individuals with similar complications closer together. Mills would also encourage the lower working class to become more involved in political proceedings in order to inflict positive change on their struggle to survive. After all, Mills wanted individuals to observe the social world from a critical point of view, but people can only be understood through consideration of the social and historical structures within which they interact and develop. We cannot relate to the impoverished without getting down on their level and taking a look around.
Eastside
ReplyDeleteUS and Japan to renew alliance
No specific author credited
BBC News
November 13, 2009
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8357561.stm
Mills
This article discusses the efforts of the United States to renew their alliance with Japan. President Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama have now both agreed to take the steps to restore the strained alliance of their presiding countries. It is interesting to note that Hatoyama acknowledges that after many years the alliance has had to adapt to many changes. While the new world order is rapidly emerging in Asia, the U.S. is trying to remain a power and keep their supremacy.
Although there have been many factors both personal and economical that have strained the relationship of the U.S. and Japan, I thought it was interesting that both sides were recognizing the social issues and circumstances that caused this rift. The essential goal of the sociological imagination is to develop and keep the capability to participate in social life while analyzing and interpreting the broader meanings of what is happening around us. Both President Obama and Prime Minister Hatoyama used their sociological imaginations to look at the broad context of their issues, while tying them to social causes and a change in the times. By using this corporate form of the sociological imagination (on behalf of their respective countries) these two leaders have salvaged a weakened relationship and taken positive steps in forming a strong alliance.
Lucas
ReplyDeleteInvest in Nature Now, Save Trillions Later: Study
Marlowe Hood
Common Dreams.org
Friday, November 13, 2009
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/13-3
C.Wright Mills
Our ecosystem is has been deteriorating at a faster pace than normal. However, these changes are not visible in our everyday lives but we do see and feel some of the consequences. Paris has used their “sociological imagination” to foresee the future and have decided to invest to protect threatened ecosystems and dwindling biodiversity. There is a strong connection with our ecosystems and individuals that do affect each other on a daily basis. Although there is a lot of spending involved currently, they have come to the conclusion that they would be saving trillions as a result. In our everyday life it difficult at times to sit back, reflect, and use our sociological imagination. We live in a world where we don’t think about our personal troubles and societal issues and how they connect. Spending billons on their ecosystem, aka “natural capital” will save many issues to the future. The consequences they see to be detrimental and perhaps interrupting the food chain. The Power of the Elite in most case scenarios are not involved about the possible effects their corporation may be doing. They are really the ones that have the power and resources to shift our ways of consumption to make bigger difference. There are some of the five overarching social problems involved in this societal issue: bureaucratic rationality and human reason, Moral insensibility, and threats to human freedom. It’s difficult to stop and reduce the effects caused to environment when the market isn’t providing it.
This article is the perfect remedy for any apathetic souls out there, we do have people who care and we don’t have to give up we can join them to make a difference.
Miyagi
ReplyDeleteUN Investigator Accuses US of Shameful Neglect of Homeless
Chris McGreal
CommonDreams.org
November 13, 2009
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/13-0
Habermas:
Raquel Rolnik is right on the matter of homelessness in America. It has not been brought to the attention of the greater society in the United States, and a visit through some of the areas where the homeless dwell taught Rolnik this fact. He feels that it’s a problem of inadequate housing. If this is the truth then one might see the problem as a “legitimation crisis” due to the fact that the modern society in the United States is failing to meet the needs of the individual homeless. There is also some manipulation going on by major communication hubs. The fact that this huge problem is mostly unknown and has no time devoted to it shows that society does not see this as a major problem and sometimes socialize others to see homeless people as deviant. The socialization of not caring about homeless people on a major scale and stigmatizing them is how the greater society manipulates individuals into a position that works for the greater society. What Rolnik wants to do is help cure this problem by going to the US State Department and the United Nations to start a “communicative action” which will bring this problem into light and hopefully gain enough support from people who share the same view of homelessness. Maybe after a few meetings between organizations as large as these the problem will get more exposure and time devoted to it and with that will come with more individual participation in helping the homeless instead of illegitimatizing their problem.
RMUSTANG
ReplyDeleteUS and Japan to Renew Alliance
Anonymous Author (BBC)
BBC News
Friday November 13, 2009
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8357561.stm
Habermas:
President Obama's meeting with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, with the purpose of renewing the bond of the alliance between America and Japan, presents the implication that communication between the two countries may grow to be more open. Japan is only one of several stops within Asia that await the president. Visits to South Korea, China and Singapore are designed to increase the positive relation between the U.S. and these governments. China in particular, will be asked to “open its markets to U.S. goods” and “spend more”. These diplomatic agreements are examples of the influence that the system and its structures, here economy, have on the lifeworld. However, this influence is not necessarily cancerous to the lifeworld. With friendly relations and open markets, citizens of these countries will gain more access to each other, resulting in less restricted communication. This more open and free communication may lead to further consensus between these states, producing agreements such as the Afgan pledge.
1. Skittles
ReplyDelete2. My So Called Life Without Parole: The Supreme Court looks at life sentences for teen offenders
3. Dahlia Lithwick
4. Slate
5. November 9, 2009
6. http://www.slate.com/id/2235052/
Mills:
After reading this article I must give recognition to the chief justice whose ideas are completely in harmony with views of my own. Regarding sentencing juveniles with life without parole he makes the claim that you must incorporate the “consideration of the juvenile’s status into the proportionality review.” From this assertion it is clear to me that the chief justice would also bring into question a “grand theory” as I have done in my works. You cannot draw a “categorical line”, as proposed by some judges, when dealing with adolescents and their crimes. It is imperative that you consider the context of their actions, and treat each case as their own separate entity, in other words a case-by-case basis. You must recognize that each adolescent’s situation will be different, and the historical and social structures that provide the context are just as important as the crime itself, as it can better explain the reasons for their actions. Failing to do this can easily lead to moral insensibility on the part of American citizens as they become apathetic towards the justice system. If judges fail to use their sociological imagination when sentencing their children, brothers, sisters, or themselves then how can they expect to receive justice?
The answer to the proposed question is that we cannot. By failing to use the sociological imagination under these circumstances leads to yet another overarching social problem, threat to human freedom. By not taking into consideration the context of these crimes these juveniles will lose the opportunity to ever be “returned to civil society”. All chances of freedom are eliminated before one even reaches adulthood. Is this fair if we do fully understand the context of their actions? By seeing the connection between one’s personal troubles and the social troubles that relate to them a judge may see that taking away someone’s freedom forever may be too harsh of a punishment for that particular crime, with that particular teenager. I will forever be persistent in that the sociological imagination be put into practice with these adolescents as it is my responsibility to ensure that these leaders and the people make use of my findings.
Rainpda
ReplyDeleteClinton:The Rise Of China is Inevitable
Video Interview
Slate V/ Charlie Rose
Wednesday November 11, 2009
http://www.slatev.com/ch_charlierose.html
Habermas:
The United States and China both know that their is a very huge ecomonic problem and they are both trying to do things that can improve things for the people of their country. They could do it alone but they realize that it would be more effective if they teamed up to do it together. Secretry of State Clinton stated that the the United States and China are trying to be peaceful and want to have a good understanding with each other on the issues so that they can work together to make things better. This is an example of communicative action where the countries are responding to a crisis by interacting with each other to tackle the issue. China and the United States are agreeing that there is a problem that needs a solution and they are working together to see that it gets solved without any conflict. Both sides understand the others position and they respect each other so it can work so that both sides can benefit. The countries both have something to bring to the table so they are moving towards a rational society where there is free communication between the two and they are not trying to work off of who can give more to the situation. Even though it is two very different cultures working together, They do have something in common which is wanting to make a better life for the people of their country so they are working together to try and do this.
OxMan
ReplyDeleteUN Investigator Accuses US of Shameful Neglect of Homeless
Chris McGreal
Commondreams.org
www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/13-0
Mills
UN investigator Raquel Rolnick has accused the United States, after and in-depth study of seven American cities, of becoming desensitized to the struggles faced by the very poor. She states that "wealthy US is ignoring the deepening homeless crisis while pumping billions into bank rescues". This is a clear case of the power elite using their dominant status over our industrialized country to better their own situations and fulfill their selfish agendas. It is very difficult for a country as wealthy as ours to justify billions of dollars being pumped into top companies (in which top executives are reaping the benefits), when a family on welfare receive $221 a month. this is less than half what it takes for one person to survive for a month, much less an entire family. The homeless have been alienated by our country and it has been made perfectly clear, based on dollars spent, that they are on the bottom of the totem pole. It is refreshing that someone has come forward to bring this to light. Ms. Rolnick's findings, though grim, are a step in the right direction.
J32828
ReplyDeleteInsurer Enlists Employees to Fight Health Reform
Dan Eggen
Common Dreams
November 13, 2009
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/13-5
Mills
There are many things being said of the economy lately. Many are simple accusations and misleading theories. There are Americans on both sides of the arguement, both who firmly believe their standing.
Recently there is news out that an insurance company has sent emails and letters in support of their employees "writing their Senators" and even going to Washington to defend their insurance coverage. The emails apparently held alot of bias information,urging their employees to take a stand and fight back against the threat of Government taking their insurance coverage.
There is so much complexity to this story. First, it is wonderful that companies are urging workers to employ their sociological imagination and realize that they are able to change their personal problems by confronting public issues. To the insurance company, having its employees see the problem might lead to empowerment of conciousness and thus could create change. However, I disagree when only one side of the arguement is being spoken. For change to happen, people must understand all aspects and come to a conclusion or a compromise. In this context the company trying to empower its workers is only representing one very bias view of social issues.
In the article it was addressed that the Insurance company had not specifically told its employees to write their senators, it was strictly "voluntary". However the company is using manipulation as power and authority over their workers. They are not necessarily saying that the workers must comply, but implying what would happen if they did not cooperate.
RAWR!
ReplyDeleteFor Abortion Foes, a Victory in Health Care Vote
David Kirkpatrick and Robert Pear
The New York Times
November 9, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/us/politics/09abortion.html?scp=2&sq=November+9+2009&st=nyt
Habermas:
Last Saturday, restrictions were passed on abortion coverage in the health care bill passed by the House. The addition will prevent the use of federal subsidies for insurance that covers elective abortions. This victory for anti-abortion activists is widely credited to Roman Catholic bishop lobbyist and conservative members of the democratic party in the House of representaives. The passing of this bill has huge ramifications for the future of health care in America. It is disturbing to think that such a llarge issue was not ultimately settled by the logical and public discourse of the people, but by the iron handed will of powerful social institutions and people. In our legilative body, there is little room for the people a law will actually affect to have an honest and thought provoking debate about he issue. The powerful social institutions (like the Roman Catholic Church) and powerful individuals are able to manipulate and twist the truth and the bill until their agenda is pushed through. It is not the best, most well reassoned, or most logical argument that wins the day in congress, it is the argument that has the most powerful backers, the most skillful manipualtors that eventually gets passed into law. To have a truly legitamate and democratic society, the people must be allowed to have free and honest discourse about a subject and engage in communicative action once consensus has been reached. A government where the few and powerful can ignore the voice of the people is not a legitimate form of government at all.
tundra
ReplyDeleteForty Years' War
Gina Kolata
The NY Times
11.12.2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/health/research/13prevent.html?_r=1
Habermas
He would have been concerned with the medicaliation of modern day culture. The article discusses how today's americans are not being given the best nor most effective drugs. It is difficult for everyone to gain access to all the same information when there is so much information to be had. The internet lends itself to those who seek knowledge, but it doesn't distribute its information without conscious effort. Information needs to be made more availble so to become truly free communication. Ideas and concerns that people have would be understood and real consensus would be attainable. Habermas was more fearful of how impersonal the modern drug industry is. It is about turning out a profit, and not about making humans more functional. It is that rationalization of purposeive-action that we are sort of in control of: the juggernaut. As a global culture, we have some sense of what should be accomplished, but there is no time scale applied to the goal. Yes, drugs are one of humans favorite things, but better reflection on what outcomes we are creating needs to take the forefront of our thoughts. If we do not, the juggernaut will continue to decimate undaunted. In the article they say, "A scientific discovery that is very clear cut and that is not implemented by the public is a tragedy." Habermas would want us to see the reality of the situation more importantly, that we are all involved in creating the monster.
Codeword
ReplyDeleteRemembering Veterans by Working to Repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t tell”
Michael A. Jones
Change.org
11/11/09
http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/remembering_veterans_by_working_to_repeal_dont_ask_dont_tell
Habermas:
Communicative action is the deliberate grouping of individuals who seek to improve the world by fostering a mutual understanding. The concept is to communicate through argumentation and rationality and form salient values throughout a group, so that that group may recognize goals that need to be set and achieved. A congregation of enlightened groups, afterward, would be able to reach a uniform initiative: creating social change. This is the fundamental principle of what is now grassroots activism: the activism that progresses the movement to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT).
Habermas’s communicative action catalyzes social change. It creates an environment for people from different backgrounds who traditionally don’t have access to activist communication. Habermas idealized a setting in which all people would have a vessel through which they could argue and mature. This setting is now found on different blogs, various sites such as change.org, as well as in community and campus organizations.
Through communicative action, a concrete step toward the repeal of DADT has been taken and more steps are being called for through this article. The author points out the importance of being “impatient” with the Obama administration, which will only happen if the nation stands united in its empathy and awareness, the latter of which can only be brought upon by communicative action.
bigtyma
ReplyDeleteHannity to Address Protest Video Questions
Bill Carter
New York Times
November 11, 2009
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/hannity-to-address-protest-video-questions-tonight/?scp=1&sq=jon%20stewart%20on%20fox&st=cse
Mills
This article is an example of the media purposely trying to manipulate peoples knowledge by falsifying a segment that showed a crowd protesting the health care bill in congress. Mills says "it is the political task of the social scientist -- as of any liberal educator -- continually to translate personal troubles into public issues, and public issues into the terms of their human meaning for a variety of individuals." When one watches the media he must use his sociological imagination to discipher between factual based documentation and video, and falsified ambiguous information being disseminated to the public and creating common knowledge. The media needs to be highly responsible when broadcasting information and in this article, it shows FOX news deliberately altering video footage of a protest of around 10,000 people so that it looks more crowded and popular.
7138
ReplyDeleteBrazil and France in Climate Deal
BBC News
November 14, 2009
News.bbc.co.uk
Habermas:
Both France and Brazil have decided to help the environment by lessening pollution emissions by 50% by the year 2050. The UN (United Nations) is causing a legitimation crisis becase they are not meeting individual needs are are manipulating people. To change these occurences, citizens need to practice communitive action so that they can make a change in society. If they do not act, nothing will change. Most disputes have been between rich and developing countries over the issue of funding the project. If the populations of the countrries can utilize language and speak about these problems, then change might occur. Brazil successfully agreed to the new emmission because their citizens began having small philo-cafes where they could voice their concerns on the pollution issue. Eventually they gathered the support of more around the country and had many philo-cafes and coffee houses where citizens could meet to advocate change. Many that participated were the upper and middle class members of society whom created groupd of solidarity and who saw how high emissions impacted their community. If the other countries in the UN follow this model of group solidarity, they will see the effects and eventually agree to the new emision laws.
Bob Marley
ReplyDeleteTake Care Using the Word “Sustainability”
Roberto Piccioni
GreenBiz.com
November 13, 2009
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/11/12/take-care-using-word-sustainability?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Greenbuzz+(GreenBiz+Feed)
Habermas
Society has continued to advance and I’m happy to see that my concepts are present. Within the article the author points out how a large institution has effectively helped the environment and accepting responsibility for doing so. The legitimation crisis came about when it was brought to Coca Cola’s attention that in the production of their products they are adding to the water problem. Communicative action occurred when Coca Cola set a goal to return to communities and nature an amount of water equal to what they use in all their beverages and their productions. They have made plans for common action to help society. Communication is the vehicle for change; I wish Marx could see this.