Post #2

In my everyday life, I follow many routines, and I don't really think to much into why I do them.  Each day, I dress a certain way, make sure I am clean, that I smell a certain way.  I do my hair in a certain style and wear a certain pair of shoes.  But, until we discussed the ideas of sociological mindfulness, and sociological imagination, I never gave much thought as to why I do these things so "certainly."  Sociological imagination is being aware of the way our biography (who we are) is shaped by our history (when and where we live).  Because I live in an affluent suburb of Chicago in 2014, I find myself dressing a certain way, because I want to be considered in fashion with current trends.  I wear my hair short and straight as opposed to long and feathered because I live in 2014, not 1984.  Having a sociological imagination allows me to understand why I do the things I do, or why I try to achieve the look I do.


Along with having a sociological imagination, one has to develop sociological mindfulness.  Sociological mindfulness is being aware that we are part of society, and that we each have influence in the way society runs, and in how society views us.  An example of this from class is from the show Freaks and Geeks.  In the show, one of the main characters Lindsay Weir is working to make the transition from a "brain"- a kid who gets good grades and is a "Math-lete"- to a "freak"- a cool, go with the flow, burnout.  One way she goes about this is changing the way she dresses.  She goes from conservative blouses and long skirts to cropped t-shirts, baggy jeans, and, most strikingly, her dad's old army jacket.  She hopes that the jacket will help to symbolized her transition from overachieving good-girl to uncaring and chill "freak."  This demonstrates Lindsay being sociologically mindful, as she is aware of society using certain factors to form judgements, and alters her appearance to force society to view her a certain way. 

Lindsay Weir also puts to work one of the three founding perspectives of sociology.  The three founding perspectives of sociology are as follows: 1) Functional Analysis, 2) Conflict Theory, and 3) Symbolic Interaction.  Functional Analysis was studied by Emile Durkheim, and is the study of the large scale patterns of society, and how certain groups interact with each other.  Conflict Theory was studied by Karl Marx, and is the study of the power structure in society, mainly decided by economic standings.  Third is Symbolic Interaction, which was studied by Max Weber, and is the study of the use of symbols in everyday life.  The founding perspective demonstrated by Lindsay is Symbolic Interaction, and it is her army jacket that works as a symbol to illustrate to everyone around her her new personality and what image she wants to portray.