Essay On Symbolic Interactionism

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There are many cultures throughout the world. Just as well as there are many opinions and ways of life in our own country. An individual can posses a completely different view than the society they live in. Many times this is only possible if they are able to avoid judging the people 's views on things, this is also known as cultural relativism. However, sometimes people can be the opposite. In this case they are considered ethnocentric; they judge another society based on their own values, norms, and sanctions. These are examples of symbolic culture, they are the belief and rules, and how they are enforced in a society. Although laws and other rules may seem like the most important part of society, forms of communication are above them. Without …show more content…

Before the SI theory came about, sociologists studied society in order to understand individuals. However, SI, or symbolic interactionism, takes a small-scale view by focusing on the relationships and interactions between individual people. Many of my teachers helped me to realize that if I wanted to get out of the small town I grew up in, I had to focus on my education. By focusing on the individual, symbolic interactionism can explain society as a whole. Education is one of the most important aspects of our society, and it is clearly shown by acknowledging the relationship between a student and a …show more content…

Similar to peer pressure, what they see going on around them, will tend to influence their actions. However, because people are different, the same object may have a different meaning. This explains why my teachers ' opinions varied from my own. Just as people change, the meanings objects hold, can change as well. I went from not realizing that I was learning, to not caring, and finally to understanding the importance education has in our society. My forced interactions with teachers and support staff swayed my opinions about education and its meaning.
Symbolic interactionism offers a different perspective that is necessary to understand a society and the people that make it up. It gives the individual the same importance as the group. Overall, SI has three major characteristics: a persons actions depend on an objects meaning, meanings can vary between people, and meanings can change. In our society, education and knowledge are symbols for success. I will always remind myself to be open minded about what I am learning throughout my life, whether I am at Basic Training this summer, college next fall, or my career in the near

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