What Is A Sociological Imagination Affect Social Life?

Social science is the scientific study of human society and social relationships. Social science definitely helps us make the connection with our personal situations in everyday life. The two topics that interested me were sociological Imagination and politics. In this essay I will explain what I have learnt from these two topics and how they apply to my personal life as a member of society.

Sociological Imagination is being aware of relationships between personal experience and the wider society. Sociology takes a unique, astounding, and enlightening viewpoint on social events. Suicide is known as a supremely antisocial individual act. When people think about individuals committing suicide their more likely to look at their individual state of mind rather than the state society has on them. French sociologist Emilie Durkheim showed that suicide is more than just an individual act, suffering from psychological disorder but are also influenced by social forces. Durkheim believed people with a high degree of agreement are more likely to not be suicidal compared to those who had a low degree of solidarity. To support this argument Durkheim expressed that married couples are likely to live a happy life with no suicidal feelings rather than those who were unmarried as marriage creates social ties and moral cement which bind the individuals to society. We do not only live in society but society also lives in us. For example Social relations affect us all in many different ways. It plays with our

thoughts, feelings, influence our actions and help us shape who we really are. Sociology imagination is social outcomes which are based on what we do.

Things we do are dependent on what situation we are in, our values and the way people act around us. In 1838, Auguste Comte a French social thinker created the term sociology. He wanted to see the social world as it is not what people imagined it to be. He was a conservative thinker and motivated by people who were strongly against him to quickly change French society. Comte argued for slow change as rapid social change was destroying what he valued. It is easy to see someone or experience something where you are continuously blaming yourself for certain things in your personal life problems. These problems relate to the bigger world called society. People look at their own issues as social issues. Personal problems are related to societal problems like unemployment, marriage and war. With the understanding of sociological imagination I began to notice the certain choices I make, the way I was raised by my parents, the group of people I choose to hang out with and the choices I make are all influenced by society and what they seem to think is right. Many parts of my life are affected by sociological theories. Another social science that has a major influence on our everyday life is politics.

Hearing the word politics people usually think about the government, politicians and their policies. The word politics came from an Ancient Greek word “polis” which literally meant city-state. Polis was an ideal state which came from great political thinkers. Aristole, a student of Plato was a great example of a political thinker. His novel “The Republic” clearly describes the ideal state and the means to achieve it. The word politics has connotations in ways which create society which is very difficult to aim and impossible to achieve. Politics imply measures that could and should be implemented to create a better society than it was. Aristole saw imperfections in societies that he lived in which gave him the idea to write his own political philosophy which provided the first recognition of politics. In the writing “The politics” Aristole states “Man is by nature a political animal” (Macmillan 2009 P8). According to his nature men should think through and understand his role within the “polis”. According to Aristole, politics is not a dreamt up notion but a natural piece of mankind. If men were allowed to act on and achieve his own selfish interest which he desires, a society will quickly become under rule of violence. Politics is a way to fight such harmful or dreadful conditions of society into a violent mess by decreasing it to be ruled by the original nature of man in order to resolve conflict. Therefore politics can be defined as resolving conflict through various ways. Resolving conflict opinions an agreement must be agreed by all parties who are affected. Members of society must have the power to apply civil discussions and even those who have power are immune to the effects of achieving their own goals. Politics could then be defined as a power struggle between people who are in influential positions (Macmillan 2009). Without power politics is not possible. Politics has made me consider opportunities or options for a civil society and individuals within today’s political culture. Solutions to problems lie in our hands. It made me rethink about how I use my time, the goods and services I use, my family life I live in and the values of equality I am able to put into practice not only for myself but for society. For example voting opens up opportunities for me to have my say and what I think is right. It gives me the opportunity to express how I feel and have my voice heard about issues that concern me in society. It gives me an opportunity to vote for things that affect my life.

Social science affects society in many different ways.

Social science helps society bond our personal situations with our everyday life. This is shown through many topics such as sociological imagination and politics. Sociological Imagination is all about knowing the connection between personal experiences and society. Politics is what creates society. Studying these topics had brought a better idea of what social science is and how it impacts on me as a member of

society.