Sociological Imagination Analysis

Sociological imagination is a complex term. When I think of sociological imagination I conclude that it is the way someone’s actions can impact an entire society. Typically we do not take into consideration that the way we think and the way we act can effect society; however, that is what sociological imagination is proving. Sociological imagination is defined in our book as, “The application of imaginative thought to the asking and answering of sociological questions. Someone using the sociological imagination ‘thinks himself away’ from the familiar routines of daily life” (Giddens 5). When I think of this idea I feel that people do not spend time to focus on daily routines, they just do things naturally without thinking about them. Usually

people do not think that their actions in their daily routine can affect an entire society.
I found the TED talk to be very interesting and informative. He focused on taking us out of our shoes and showing us the perspective of someone else (TEDtalks). Praying is one thing that is a daily routine for some people that affects our society. We do not think of this as being something that can impact society, but praying, reading the bible, or practicing something religious influences society (TEDtalks). The Promise by C. Wright Mills expressed the idea that history has a significant influence on our daily lives (Mills 1959). This demonstrate ideas about how men do not think that history affects their current situation, but it does (Mills 1959). The TED talk and The Promise gave me a better understanding when it comes the complexity of sociological imagination.
The theme that I noticed in the TED talk was a theme of stepping outside of your shoes (TEDtalks). Sam Richards expressed the importance of perspective and looking at a particular situation from the viewpoint of someone else (TEDtalks). He talked about the very controversial issue of war, focusing on the war in Iraq (TEDtalks). When he brought this up my initial feeling was anger toward Iraqis which is normal. He challenged us to step outside of your bubble of being an American and to step inside the shoes of an Iraqi (TEDtalks). This can be difficult to see the other side of something you feel strongly about but it can help us in situations in our everyday life.
In The Promise I detected a theme of oblivion. C. Wright Mills talked about how oblivious humans are to how our history has an effect on us (Mills 1959). We do not realize that when war starts it can create a positive result for some and for others a negative result (Mills 1959). Figuring out that things that are happening or have happened in society are effecting our everyday life is a confusing thought, so I think commonly people tend to avoid thinking about it (Mills 1959). This creates oblivion from this idea.
The TED talk was actually very interesting to me and I understood the concepts that Samuel Richards was presenting. He came up with real life events that helped me step into the shoes of someone else and see their perspective. I liked that he was able to present his ideas in a way that made me feel. He not only was teaching us something but he was making us feel something. My favorite part of the TED talk was when he showed a picture of an American woman holding a flag after her husband had been killed in the war (TEDtalks). Obviously this caused me to feel sorrow for her and the people around her. Then he had picture these people to be Iraqi soldiers and my perspective changed (TEDtalks). It was the exact same situation and event but where I am from and how I think made my emotions different. However when I was thinking in the mind of and Iraqi, I no longer felt sympathy for the American woman. Perspective is an amazing concept and can help us to understand the actions and thoughts of others (TED talks). I enjoyed and understood the way Samuel Richards presented his ideas in his TED talk.
The Promise was more difficult for me to understand than the TED talk because although they used some real life situations most of the context was facts and confusing ideas. I got a grasp of the overall idea but some of the concepts were hard for me to understand. What I did like about The Promise was that C. Wright Mills gave a solid definition of what sociological imagination is. When he described that men are greatly impacted by history surrounding them this made sense (Mills 1959). I liked the way he described different parts of our history and how people are impacted by it but still oblivious to it (Mills 1959). Although The Promise was a difficult essay to read there were certain factors about it that I liked.
I connected the TED talk to real situations in my life and the first situation I considered was about my siblings.

My siblings were foster kids before they were adopted and there are many time that I get annoyed with them and I hate to admit it but there are times that I wish my family would have not adopted them. When I take a second to step out of my bubble and look into their perspective I notice that being a foster kid and going into new houses with strangers was probably extremely scary. When I consider how they feel I consider there need to feel wanted and the feeling of being an outcast in my own house. The TED talk helped me realize that I should make them feel as comfortable as possible because being a foster kid is

frightening.
Another way it connected to my life is when I think about arguments I have with my roommate in college. Usually they are pity little arguments that we get over in a matter of hours, but after watching the TED talk I think most of these issues can be resolved before they even start. For instance I cleaned our entire room top to bottom including all of my roommate’s clothes and everything on her desk. When I came in my room the next day there was candy on the futon and clothes on the floor. Obviously I got mad and told her she needs to pick up her stuff because I just cleaned it. If I would have looked at it from her perspective I would have seen that she had been having a rough week and was almost late for her class so she was going to do it when she got back. The TED talk causes you to think in a more understanding way.
My last example of a way that the TED talk made me look at a new perspective is the most difficult one for me to examine.

Recently I went to New York and I loved it; however there are various people constantly trying to get you to buy stuff and I found this to be extremely annoying. When I decided to step out of my shoes of being annoyed and step in their shoes I discovered that their intention was not to annoy me. I started to consider the fact that they most likely are not very wealthy and probably have families that they have to provide for. I imagined being in their shoes and discovered that if I was in that same situation I would act the same way they did. Instead of being annoyed I should have considered the fact that they are just doing what they need to do to get by in the world. The TED talked made me understand that they are just people trying to make a

living.
One of the ways The Promise has impacted my life is gas prices. This might be a very small thing but as a college student gas prices effect where I can go. Most of the time the reason I do not go home is because I do not feel like paying the price of gas. One day gas was very cheap so I decided to fill up and go home for the day. I did not consider that gas prices are effected by multiple things in history and in society. One of the reasons gas prices have dropped is because of the presidential debate. The Promise opened my eyes to the fact that most of the things in my life are the way they are because of something that is happening in the world.
On my trip to New York I was much more observant of the planes that flew by then I am in Bowling Green State University. I did not think that there was a reasoning behind why I was watching the planes more and kind of keeping an eye out for them. After reading The Promise I concluded that the reason for my extra attention to the planes is from something in my history which was the tragic event of 9/11. Seeing the twin towers get hit by these planes made me unconsciously keep an eye out for anything suspicious. I never have done this in Ohio but in New York I was more observant and The Promise helped me understand that this was because things that happen in the past effect how you are today.