Different Types of Houses

Description

This is a picture of a house in London many of the houses look very similar.

Sociological Imagination

Throughout the world, there are many different sizes, styles, and types of houses. This picture of a house in London which shows one style of the type of house a person will find in London. The houses are small and many look identical to each other. London is such a big country and has many people living there causing the houses to be smaller than houses you would see here.

In Canada and the States, many people are buying houses much bigger than what they need especially actors and singers who buy houses so big that it is impossible for them to use the entire house. In London, people are more realistic about the size of their home. Some actors and singers tend to relate to the concept the looking-glass self which is a concept developed by C.H. Cooley to illustrate how our self-image and the behaviors that emerge as a result actors and singers try to impress people with their money by the size of their houses. For many people being able to have their own home is a challenege because the economy is getting much more expensive. The houses in London are so much money already for the house in the picture that it is hard for people to be able to afford a much bigger home.

In Marxian's theory of labour power which is the capacity of ability of human beings to engage in work and be able to have a fair income will determine the type and size of a house they will be able to purchase. In London people are more realistic and do not try to impress people with the size or houses they have and are more concerned about being able to have more room for people to live. If somebody from Canada was to move to London they would have to get used to the smaller space in the houses in London. Throughout the world there are many different things to get used to and sizes of houses is definatly one.

Licence plates in different countires

Description

This picture is of different licence plates from different counties such as are Las Vegas, New Mexico, Africa and Saskatchewan.

Sociological Imagination

These licence plates are from different countries and they stand for "symbols" for different people. A symbol is defined as "a gesture or sign that has an arbitrary, cultural, learned meaning opposed to one that is species wide"(Knuttila 49). The licence plates classify people into different groups. Since everyone in the world does not all live in the same way, dress in the same way, eat the same food or even speak the same languages. We are all taught different behaviours and are raised differently from other people in the world. "Agents of socilization" is defined as "institutions, groups, social situations and locations within which we are socialized"(Knuttila 97). We are all raised in different cultural and social situations which helps us act and react to different situations with which we are faced with.

For instance if we are raised in a small city such as Regina and move to a bigger place such as Africa it would take us awhile to adjust to their values. Knuttila defines a "value" as a "general abstract principle or idea related to what is appropiate and inappropriate"( Knuttila 66). If we learned to drive in Regina and moved to Africa it would be very difficult for one to learn how to drive in a much bigger and busier place then learing to drive in a small city. Also we would have to understand the "Generalized other" which is "understanding the attitudes, values, norms, expectations and actions of others in different communities"(Knuttila 117). Everyone has their own ways of living and if we were to move somewhere we would need to learn how their society funtions. What behaviours are appropiate and which are not. We would have to learn how to adjust to another countries surroundings and be able to accept their way of life.

Troubled Youth

Description

A 16 year old was found burning in an alley in the North Central area of Regina. The police are investigating the crime scene.

Sociological Interpretation

Two teenagers are being investigated for the murder of the 16 year old boy. In a situation like this, many wonder why kids of this age are turning to such violence. Kids need social structure or goals to develop socially. Family life plays a major role for the development of children's social skills, moral behavior and expectations of them. Many youth who do not have the support of a family are desperate in search of support from others. At a young age many kids are drawn to gangs because they are desperate for acceptance to a "family" and they have no where else to go. Many times youth are also drawn into gangs because of peer pressure or social norms of their friends and acquaintances. Gangs replace the family values taught to youth and instead lead to immoral and criminal behavior. The role model of a parent is replaced by the social group of the gang.

If youth are taught proper values at a young age then they might be able to overcome the pressures of joining a gang or leading a life of crime. Kids can be given good influences by staying in school and having good teachers as their role models. Another alternative would an activity such as sports or music. This gives an opportunity for children to accomplish something or set goals. A musical instrument would teach kids how to achieve goals by learning to play music. Team sports are very good because they teach youth how to work as a team. Coaches can also be a positive role model for youth

The hiring process in Regina is Bias

Description:

This is a photo of a random sign that advertises an opportunity of employment available in Regina located on Albert St. In Regina, Sask. The sign contains large, colourful font and indicates a wage range to draw in the attention of all potential applicants and job seekers.

Sociological Interpretation:

Employment methods in Regina, SK are extremely bias to the people that apply for jobs. Regina has a pre made formula of an unbalanced economy, caused by many reasons and results in poverty and crime. Regina employers will hire a select group of people that are of a specific social class, culture, age group, and racial background. Observing this from a “materialist approach”(Knuttila, 153) concludes that the major cause of this process is an instilled model of capitalist mentality. One problem with employment is the set levels of personal requirements for these positions. The education or experience levels required to get the desired position are usually set at an incredibly high standard. For example, a majority of retail positions require a grade 12, previous customer service experience, post secondary training or dealing with the public courses. Many students, fresh out of high school, do not have these specific trainings. Nursing positions require post secondary education and one must have 85% GPA or higher to qualify for the training.

“Need- the basic requirements necessary to sustain human life” (Harper-Collins Dictionary of Sociology, 325). A need, in the local businesses of Regina, is the increase of employees, which in turn speed up service. 1 person is hired to do the job of 2 or 3 people, and ends up being paid a dollar above minimum. Most positions will pay minimum wage regardless of the new employee’s qualifications or education. Applicants that have no paper degree or certificate but have years of on the job experience usually doesn’t get the job. However, a person with a paper certificate that has no experience is usually the one that gets hired. Degrees, diplomas, certificates, and training from most countries are not acceptable to Canadian Standards and are considered useless to these highly educated immigrants. The population is heavily increasing in Regina and with this increase, comes the amount of people in need of a job.

Cosmopolitan Magazines

Description:

This photo is of a collection of Cosmopolitan magazines owned by a friend. I realize there is already a photo of magazines up on the blog, but this is my sociological interpretation of a certain genre of magazines.

Sociological Interpretation:

Cosmopolitan advertises fashion, how to lose weight, as well as sex positions and tips to find the perfect man. There has not been one Cosmo magazine that I have seen without the word ‘sex’ on it. This creates expectations for women to uphold in society. In the earlier days, women’s magazines portrayed women fully clothed and with a healthy amount of weight on their bodies. Women, such as Marilyn Monroe, made a healthy figure gorgeous. In the present day, our society has created a set of social and behavioural norms that an individual is expected to follow. Young women read these magazines and realize they look nothing like these females on the covers. This creates low self-esteem and impossible expectations to live up to since the subjects on the covers are air-brushed and have a large amount of make-up on.

Our culture has created a definition of what femininity is and if a woman goes outside of this norm, she is looked down upon and is defined as ‘different’ or ‘abnormal’. The pressure that is put on women of all ages is tremendous and there is a great need for resocialization. By using resocialization, our society can change into a community that does not have gender roles, gendered expectations, and is free of gender bias.

Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field

Description

This is a picture of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field.

Sociological Interpretation

In class we defined culture as “the total life way of a people”. In Regina, and throughout Saskatchewan, that is precisely what the Saskatchewan Roughrider team means to this province. Here in Regina, supporting the Saskatchewan Roughriders has become a way of life. It is amazing that something like a football team can bring an entire society together. At Mosaic Stadium, all ethnic differences seem to diminish when instead everyone is seen as the colour green. The province is often referred to as a ‘Rider Nation’. This describes a collection of people coming together and puts into perspective the numerous people standing behind this team. On both sides of the entrance, two large posters hang with the phrase, “Pride Lives Here”. One team, in one small Canadian city has the power to bring so many different types of people together.

After the 2007 Grey Cup, Albert Street was named ‘The Green Mile’ in response to the win. Although this demonstrated Roughrider pride in our city, an even bigger gesture is underway. The importance of this team has been expressed through a new stadium project. A $350 million stadium is currently in the design stages and will become the new Roughrider home. The province is clearly emphasizing its commitment to this team with the new stadium.

Although the impact of Rider Nation is significant to our society, $350 million is no small order. In a time of economic crisis, unemployment, and poverty, is this really where our money should be spent? Homelessness is a serious problem throughout Canada, and Regina is no exception. The Saskatchewan Roughriders are definitely important to the Regina way of life, however there is more to this city than just football. Other critical issues have been seemingly overlooked. Rider fans believe that our commitment and love for this team are deserving of a new stadium, but is it simply a want, not a need? Think about the number of mouths that could be fed, or the low cost housing that could be built with 350 million dollars as opposed to a new dome stadium.

Magazines and Personal Image

Description

This photo is of a magazine rack at the Moose Jaw Superstore.

Sociological Interpretation

Although we may not realize it, mass media plays a huge role in our lives and how we see ourselves. If we stop and think we can easily see what a huge impact magazines have on society, especially young women.

“North Americans spend a great deal of time with mass media” (Knuttila 78.) One popular method of this is magazines. We may see magazines and other forms of mass media as informational, a way of attaining news, knowledge, or advice. But along with this information comes advertising and imaging. Young girls look at these magazines and see no one that looks like them, only beautiful, thin, air-brushed women. What are magazines like these teaching young girls? By showing them what the ‘ideal’ way to look and act is, they can also result in low self-esteem. “As a child watches these images and messages day after day, year after year, the learning takes hold in a powerful way” (Knuttila 79.)

Magazines have a strong power over what young girls value in themselves. They teach girls that what is important is what is on the outside, on the surface. By focusing on articles that show you how to “get sexy hair” or “find the pants that best fit you” magazines are telling girls that these things are more important than how they act and their overall life long health.

These articles and images largely contribute to negative body images in youth. They look at these unrealistic models in the magazines and compare themselves to the models. For most girls these images are not only almost impossible to duplicate, but it would be very unhealthy. Trying to achieve these looks can lead young girls to extremes such as anorexia, bulimia, and intense diets or exorcises. Girls look at these magazines and see what only a very small portion of women look like. They see the models, celebrities, athletes, and other stars and think that this is how everyone looks. But in reality, how women are portrayed in magazines is not how most women look.

The use of mass media to illustrate the ideal look is not a new idea. It has been around for a long time. But it has become much more important in recent years and will continue to have a huge impact on our lives unless we realize how much control it has over us. We have to recognize that what is depicted as “social norms” in the magazines is not actually normal at all. As Knuttila states, “The sociological imagination promises ‘an understanding of the intimate realities of ourselves in connection with larger social realities’, an ability that, if developed, will allow human reason ‘to play a greater role in human affairs’ (Mills, The Sociological Imagination 1949, 4, 6, 15.)”