Sports Teams

Description:

This is a photo of a boys broomball team from my hometown, the Estevan Raiders.

Sociological Interpretation:

Social groups can be defined as two or more people who identify with one another, share common goals and values, and accept expectations and obligations as being members of this group. Social groups are found basically everywhere, but there are different levels of them. For example, society can be considered a large social group, and a team of any sport or recreational activity would be a smaller social group. People in social groups hold a sense of unity with the other members, and while apart from these groups they may be involved in groups separate from teammates, or some may be in many different groups together, but once they all join on the team they find some common ground with each other. They share similiar goals, values, and loyalty is expressed between them.

A team of any kind is an example of an in-group. Members of an in-group are loyal to eachother, and they will create boundaries between themselves and others who may be competitively threatening. Out-groups are the groups to which the in-group sees competition and provokes. The members of the in-group usually dress alike to distinguish themselves from the out-groups (jerseys, jackets, hats, etc.), they compete against the out-group (which usually strengthens the unity in the group) and the members usually look negatively to the out-group but see themselves as positive.

You can definately see all of the above when watching sports games. There always seems to be some kind of tension between the two teams (sometimes there is little tension, but oftentimes it is very visible and can be felt throughout the crowd). In physical sports such as hockey and broomball, the teams often fight with eachother, defend their teammates, and retaliate in a negative way (penalties, etc). All teams wear some kind of distinguishing clothing or items that show what team they are a part of, be it a certain color, a jersey, nametags, jackets, etc. When these people are wearing their uniforms, there is a definite sense of belonging and unity between them all, and anyone who has played on a sports team is sure to have felt that feeling before. Often, once the jerseys come off, the in-groups and the out-groups leave the competitiveness with their jerseys and they may form other social groups with eachother.

Social groups are important in society, as they can shape who we are and give us a sense of belonging. Everyone is involved in social groups, and most are involved in a wide variety of them; on teams, friends, family, study groups, close co-workers, etc.

Different Sizes of Houses

Description

This is a picture of two different types and sizes of houses. On the left side, the picture shows a smaller house and the right side is a house of which a celebrity or a richer person would be able to own.

Sociological Interpertation

There are many different forms of a houses a person could have from a trailer to ones like in the picture above. Many people are unable to afford a home, which brings us to the idea of dimensions of inequality in Canada. In 1973 Statistics Canada estimated that 60% of Canadians earned income that put them into the middle class lifestyle. By 1996 only 44% of Canadians could be classified in the middle class lifestyle category. (Web posting of Dimensions of Inequality in Canada) The income of many people in Canada are so low they are unable to afford a home so many must turn to the option of renting. Comparing them to many of the celebrities today who can afford homes like the one in the picture above on the right side.

Celebrities are part of the richer population because they are able to have anything they would like and many have more than one house. Relating this to the Conflict Theory which means that there are two type of people in the Conflict Theory. There are the people who don't have and are fighting for their share and then there are the people who do have but are struggling to keep what they do have. Many people in Canada are trying to fight for their share by trying to get better jobs so they can afford a home for themselves. Lots of people must have two jobs in able to have a decent lifestyle to afford to live with the prices increasing in the economy.

Many celebrities buy houses because they want to show off their success. By purchasing big homes and many of the celebrities infact do have more than one house throughtout different places in the world. It is sad that many people are even unable to have their own home and there are celebrities who can have more than one home much bigger than what other people would dream to have.

In conclusion there will always be inequality throughtout Canada relating it back to the Conflict Theory. There will always be people who don't have and try to fight for there share and people who will have that try to keep it. Celebrities will always have an advantage compared to a lot of the other population in the world.

Conforming to Brand Clothing

Description

This is a picture of Nike shoes.

Sociological interpretation

These Nike shoes demonstrate the need to fit in due to norms of our culture or a specific subculture by wearing brand clothing.

People are very influenced by what others think of them “Much of our conduct is influenced, structured, and prescribed by what we know about how we are expected to act.”(Knuttila, 61). The norms of a culture are usually obeyed because there can be consequences if they are not met. The violation of not wearing brand clothing would be considered a folkway “The violation of a folkway can draw attention to a person’s action or personality.”(Knuttila, 60). People would rather wear what is considered normal and conform than to draw attention and to be thought of as inferior.

In the case of buying brand shoes, you could decide to buy $20 walmart shoes, or you could buy the priciest of $200 or more. The $20 shoes are going to be sufficient, but people feel the need to try and fit in with norms and will spend the extra money. You can see from this example that following norms has a very powerful affect on how we act. People would be willing to spend up to 10 times more on shoes just so they can fit in to the norms. Showing that you wear brand clothing can be a sign of wealth, or that you are fashionable/cool and this is a big reason why people conform to these types of clothing. Normally brand clothing comes at a high price, and if you wear it you will be showing your wealth. People also are drawn to buying brand clothing because of their peers. If a few of people are rich and they buy the top of the line clothing they might influence the rest of the group to keep up with their standards. Peers will also be the ones to judge the clothing you wear. If you are wearing something that isn't conforming to the norms, then your peers might think of you negatively.

McDonald's

Description:

This is a picture of the McDonald's on 51st Street in Saskatoon

Sociological Interpretation:

In our society today, the media is effectively telling us either to be thin or to consume large amounts of fast food. McDonald’s advertises their toys on television to draw the kids in, so they go back and forth between being told to not gain weight and to eat happy meals because they can get a free toy. The toys are also quite gender specific and I remember that when I was little I received a “Barbie” doll instead of the “Hot Wheels” car that I truly wanted. The workers assumed that since I was a girl I would naturally want the Barbie doll. It is interesting how the Barbie doll symbolizes what an “ideal woman” should look like and McDonald’s are selling them at fast food place where the fries are made of potatoes that have been altered so completely that they do not even decompose over time. By looking at just the happy meal we find out a little more about our culture that shapes us so greatly.

McDonald’s has been finding fresh ways to promote their food. For instance, the franchise on 51^st Street in Saskatoon has renovated and now looks like a stylish restaurant. There is also an advertisement on television with a model who is dressed up in a clown costume and holding a burger. In my opinion, this is telling young girls that they can look gorgeous and slim, and eat McDonald’s at the same time. The influence that the media has on our community is to swing us from one extreme to another. Fast food places such as McDonald’s are successful in capturing the eyes and stomachs of our society, but then the other side of the media comes into play. Right after you eat your delicious Big Mac, you walk past a magazine stand with advertisements of how to keep those few extra pounds off and pictures of women with slim figures. This shows very clearly how our culture throws us back and forth between eating fast food and then not eating fast food or hardly eating anything at all.

Class and Gas Companies

Description

A gas pump found in Regina.

Sociological Interpretation

Gas companies have commonly been said to be sneaky, cunning, and cutthroat. For an example of this, one only has to look to the Enron debacle to see that this statement is at least somewhat true. Class paradigms; specifically elite and conflict theory, explain this phenomenon fully. Gas companies and the people that run them use their considerable economic and political power to further their own position, to the detriment of the consumer.

Because of North America’s dependence on oil and gas, gas companies can easily set the price at whatever will sell. This ensures that money flows out of the consumer’s pocket, and into the company’s. In exercising this economic power however, the companies create conflict with the consumers, who are understandably angry about the high prices. In dominating the economically less favored using their substantial monetary means, gas companies keep themselves in a favorable position, to the detriment of the groups below them. Conflict theory states that ruling classes “have attempted to impose their views and ideals about the world on the entire society” (Knutilla, pg343). From this statement, it is clear that from a conflict perspective, gas companies are definitely a ‘ruling force’.

In addition to the companies’ economic means, the link to political power also comes into play. Through aggressive lobbying, as well as backing high-ranking politicians, gas companies have achieved a high degree of political power. One of the basic principles of elite theory is that the ruling class uses primarily political power in order to control the less dominant classes. This can be easily seen in the case of gas companies, as constant political dealings exploit the North American public, who most likely don’t have much of an idea some of these deals are even occurring. For an example, in the US, one politician running for congress was offered upwards of $200,000 to allow oil companies to drill. He turned them down, and made the deal public (source:http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2010/03/green-party-congressional-candidate-tells-gas-company-go-frack-yourself/) However, how many of these ‘deals’ are still going on, and how many politicians accept them? According to elite theory, a great majority of politicians would, as the top group of ‘elites’ are said to create policies that benefit themselves, even to the detriment of the lower classes.

Looking from the sociological lenses of both conflict and elite theory, gas companies are seen to use both their substantial economic power as well as their political clout to influence the market and policies, in order to enhance/keep their position in society.

Violence in the Home

Description

A picture of a video game cover.

Sociological Interpretation

The majority of us have all played a video game at least once. We get so caught up in trying to do the task asked in the game that we do not see realize in order to do so, that there is quite an amount of violence in many of the games.

We surround ourselves with violence at school (bullying) and with the news (crime). Then, we deliberately bring it into our homes by purchasing and playing games like Call of Duty. Cleary, this is not meant for telling people they should not play video games but to realize how much violence is truly around us and how easily it is to become influenced by these every day things. This brings up Lonnie Athens’ Violentization process.

Violentization is analogous to socialization. In other words, people become the kind of people they are as a result of social experiences. Some of these are consequential and unforgettable, have a lasting impact and leave a permanent mark regardless of their wishes. The significant experiences which make people dangerous, violent criminals do not occur all at once, but gradually over time. It is a development process with discernible stages.

There are four stages to the Violentization Process. The first stage is Brutalization. This includes three elemental experiences: violent subjugation; personal horrification; violent coaching. All three add up to the coarse and cruel treatment by others with lasting and dramatic impacts. The second stage is Belligerency. Desperate to do something about the violent treatment, the decision is made to resort to violence if necessary to stop the treatment. The person resolves the use of serious violence if provoked and if it has a chance of success. The third is Violent Performances. This is the transition from a resolution to use violence to its actual use. The last and final stage is the Virulency stage: a readiness to use extreme violence to attack another with minimal or no provocation.

Not all people that play violent games actually become violent (majority of teens have not) but that is not to say that it has not happened before. People just need to be more aware of how much violence is truly in and around our society.

Beauty

Description:
A picture of a billboard in down town Regina.

Sociological Interpretation:

Mass Communication is defined as “ various modes of communication ( all print and electronic forms from radio to the Internet) that are produced and presented in an effort to communicate some message to mass audiences.” Knuttila Text, page 299. The picture shown above is an advertisement for a procedure called “awake liposuction”. The image used in the promotion is of a woman from behind in a sexually suggestive pose.

Many women in today’s society look towards the media for a proper definition of beauty. But what is considered beauty? What is considered beautiful? Is a large billboard of a woman’s behind considered beautiful, or tasteless? Furthermore, who has the authority to define beauty?

The media uses forms of mass communication (such as radio, television, internet, magazines, news papers and billboards) to promote what they view as beautiful. They use these images to promote different view on how we as a society should look, act and behave. Media has set such a high standard on what is said to be beautiful because they want you to purchase products in which are said to make this un achievable beauty possible. If we as a society buy into these products, we are only furthering the cynical cycle that the media has produced.

“In 20001, 99.2 per cent of Canadian homes had a colour television...” and “Canadians over two years of age watched an average of 21.6 hours of television per week in 2003.”Knuittila text, page 277. Out of that 99.2, how many do you think were young girls? It is proven that young children are more susceptible to knowledge than adults (Critical Period Hypothesis). It has also been proven that key figures in a child’s life (Closest Human Contacts) are key to a child’s social development, personality, and behavioural traits. If a child is watching approximately 21.6 hours of television a week, there view of their ”key figure” may be morphed. Their mothers, fathers, aunts or uncles may no longer be whom they look up to, but instead may be the super model on channel six, or the movie star that they so closely follow.

The media is well aware of the amount of television view by children, and they take these statistics and use them to their advantage. By instilling a false sense of beauty, or self worth, that child may grow up to view themselves or others inadequate to the standards of society set by the media. By instilling these thoughts of how beauty should be perceived, they are trying to guarantee that in later years, these influenced children will purchase their products.

As a society, we pay into these false advertisements of promised beauty. Sub-consciously we pay attention to new trends, fashions, and other ways of viewing this beauty. The only way for us to separate ourselves from these mass media influenced world is to stop consuming their products, and to believe only our own ideas of beauty, and what it is that makes us beautiful.