The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism - Assignment Example

? Sociology affiliation Sociology Social imagination Social imagination refers to the ability of a person or the society to relate a thought, a happening or an object of change in the context of a society. The society has its default settings from which other factors and settings are developed. To develop the default setting on the society, social imagination is needed to develop other means by which other factors are incorporated in social circles. In an argument by Wright-Mills (2000), social imagination is voluntary way in which society members are enabled to embrace new ways in which they could make their lives more comfortable. The author further points out that, the society relies on social imagination to embrace change and modernization (Wright-Mills, 2000). Any aspect of change detected in the society is further enhanced through imagination to fit the current need or requirement in the society. In relating social imagination to mobile phones, one can easily point the need to communicate as an influencing factor. The introduction of mobile phones in the society was embraced with great pleasure and hope. The society detected the importance of the mobile phone from the first interaction (Wright-Mills, 2000). In the society, communication is an important factor. It enhances relationship and interactions. For this reason, ay form of communication under the influence of social imagination is significantly developed to cater to this particular need. Through social imagination, the evolution of the mobile phone has undergone significant changes. Each stage is based on developing a more advanced model of the mobile phone that would make communication easier. Wright-Mills (2000) points out that through social imagination; the society was able to forecast on the importance of the mobile phone. Additionally, the mobile phones created a hope of communication ease and effectiveness. It is also through social imagination, more products are generated from the original default model of the mobile phone. Social construction All existing matter in the society must have an origin. Existing matter and objects have two possible sources of origin. They may originate from nature or from construction by human beings. There is a significant difference between naturally existing matter and constructed matter in terms of importance and relevance in the society. Constructed matter or objects are created to provide satisfaction to a need, want or requirement by a society or a person. On the other hand, naturally existing matter or objects exist from a default setting of nature and may serve a more general purpose. While defining social construction, Bauman & May (2001) argue that social construction is way in which the society realizes the importance or significance of a particular object or matter and come up with material that would create the matter. Social construction may also refer to the act by which the society originally comes up with objects or matter that did not exist after realization their importance in society. In an argument by Bauman & May (2001) social construction is more like a society duty in which there is a requirement to create things that were absent in the original society. The authors further point out that the relationship between social construction and the society is based on need, requirement and appropriateness (Bauman & May, 2001). Newspapers, money and citizenship are examples of results from social construction. Social constructed object may be in any form. They may occur in tangible or intangible forms. For instance, citizenship is intangible while money is tangible. While analyzing social construction, Bauman & May (2000) point out that the act is effective in the continuity of the society. Social constructed things or object have significant importance to the society. In most occasions, the created objects improve the comfort of life. On other occasions the creations may be a mandatory requirement for survival. Social structures The society is divided in different paradigms that govern the organizations that exist in the societies. Social structures are defines as organizations in the societies that are responsible of creating social circles. Social structures create boundaries and shapes from which society groups are formed. In a society, there exist many social structures that are create to contain different social circles that posses characteristics required in a particular social structure. Giddens & Sutton (2013) define social structures as formal organizations that govern the creation of social circles in the society. The authors further point out that some structures may be voluntary while other may be involuntary (Giddens & Sutton, 2013). For instance, the family social structure is an involuntary social structure while religion is voluntary as a person has the ability chose the preferred religion affiliation. Examples of social structures include family, religion, law, class and economy. From these examples, one may point out that it is a mandatory requirement to at least belong to one of the social circles. For instance, everyone in the society must be governed by the legal system as a social structure. Agency refers to the ability of a person to make their own decision based on their own judgment. In the perception of an agency, socialization should be influenced by anatomy not by affiliation to a social structure. In an argument by Giddens & Sutton (2013) agency is the ability of a person to have freedom in the selection of the decision or judgment to follow. However, the significance of the agency is disregarded due to the importance of social structures. Social structures are responsible for creating most decisions people tend make. For instance, a person affiliated to Christianity religion may be governed by the religion teachings. This is an example of the importance of an agency being undermined. However, Giddens & Sutton (2013) argue that an agency is an important aspect of the society since the compactness of social structures is greatly dependable on personal judgment. References Bauman, Z., & May, T., 2001. Thinking sociologically. London: Wiley-Blackwell. Giddens, A., & Sutton, P.W., 2013. Sociology. New York: Polity Press. Wright-Mills, C., 2000. The Sociological Imagination. Boston: Oxford University Press. Read More