ESSAY 1 <#>

Critical Thinking Essay - Chapter 1

Jacob A. Hahn

John Tyler Community College

SOC-200-N27B

Professor Hoeser, M.S.

 ESSAY 1 <#>

I have no prior experience with sociology. I do have experience with psychology seeking

help dealing with my older sister’s passing and the anxiety that developed from that in tandem

with learning disabilities. It is my understand of psychology is based around examine the

behavior of individuals. How dose this rudimentary understanding help me figure out a working

definition for socially? Let me ask another question. How do we understand the patterns of

behavior in a large group of people? This is where I believe sociology come into play. As I

understand it psychologist looks at an individual’s internal system. In contrast a sociologist will

look at how the individual interacts with external systems.

Now that I have a working idea of what sociology is what social forces have imparted me

on a personal level. Looking back to my days in public school I was classified as special needs

due to delay in developing language skills, illegible handwriting, and acting out in the wake of

my older sister’s death. These personal issues place me in the world of special education.

Provided an education to special needs students is a challenge because each student has unique

circumstances that. Given the amount of time and resources it takes to address this issue I believe

it is a macro sociological issue. On the micro level in terms of how the policies they greatly

impacted my academic performance and social development. I got extra time and resources that

did help me accel academically. Socially I felt isolated. Being held back for a year and constant

attending meetings make me internalize a sense internal dysfunction. That compare to other

students I was broken, It was only until high school when I got a part time job I realize that yes, I

have problems, but the majority of people outside of the controlled environment of school have

issues.

Since I am going to the field of law enforcement, I looked up Sociological Images post

pertaining to that field. One of the firsts results is titled “Officer Friendly’s Adventures in
 ESSAY 1 <#>

Wonderland” (URL: https://thesocietypages.org/socimages/tag/crimelaw/). The blog itself

compares two images, Norman Rockwell’s The Runaway and its parody by Richard William The

Militarization of the Police Department (Gascón, 2020). In the original there is a undertone of

harmony, in the parody there is an theme of fear. By comparing art Gascón is examining the

macro issue of police militarization.

One theory that I have about the social world is one concerning introverts. I believe that

introverts are often demonized and falsely accused of being predators due to popular media

normalizing extroversion as well as promoting the “loner psycho” stereotype. Do I have any

evidence backing this theory up? I do not, this is just my belief developed over the course of my

life. I am confidant if I wanted to gather data in attempt to confirm this theory I could start with

the r/introvert subreddit.

The only way any sociological theory can be confirmed must be done through empirical

observation and experimentation. Social science is not something you can measure by heart rate

or blood sugar levels. The only way gather data on how humans interacting with their

environment is to observe them in their environment. It isn’t too different observing animals in

the wild. Are there added challenges due to a much more complex animal being observed, yes.

At this point however observation is the only option sociologists have.

I believe there is a downward shift our level of social interaction with the proliferation of

the internet. I keep hearing from my mother and grandmother how people have gotten uglier.

They both grew up in Martinsville Viriginia, it was a typical small factory town. They have since

moved to lager suburbs where they are statistically more likely to encounter rude people. Though

I do believe they have a point. Technology makes a lot of things easier, behind a compute it is

easy to say rule and vile things without fear of repercussions. Though is a concerning thrent it is
 ESSAY 1 <#>

just an inevitable byproduct ot the technological revolution of the 21st century. I believe just like

with the industrial revolution society will learn to adapt to the new environment.

Working at Walmart I did feel like I experienced alienated. Often the computer generated

schedule would out me on closing which meant I was the last man in the whole lawn in garden

department. It was frustrating but I held out until my restraint opened back up. In retrospect I

think most of my personal misery from that period came from putting two of my dogs down and

not having Jiujitsu as an outlet. Marx spoke of alienation as a side effect of capitalism. This can

just be a natural byproduct of the culture shock that came with the industrial revolution. Before

factories became the norm supply chains were often local. You knew the man that made your

boots. Now with factory work you make a pair of boots you had no idea who would buy them.

You get no money from the sale of the boot but what your boss thinks your labor is worth. To

farmers or otherwise independent craftsmen this can be a jarring experience.

Two institutions that can effect a large number of individuals if they are dysfunctional,

education and law enforcement. Poor preforming schools hare a sociological concern on a macro

level because of the number an individual it affects. Hypothetically lest say there is one teacher

at a school that is so terrible at their job students that haver the are often struggle in the

proceeding years. This one teaches has 30 kids a year for 30 years. By the time this teacher

retires 900 ill prepared students have been released into the world. These students go out into the

world and possibly cause dysfunction in other systems. In the field of law enforcement there can

be dysfunction in policy. For example in the wake of George Floyd's death many departments

have changed their use of force tactics. If these tactics pace too match emphasis on suspect safety

it could put officers at risk. If policies meant to address the macro issue of police brutality

handicap officers ability to arrest criminals it also becomes a public safety issue. If one
 ESSAY 1 <#>

department adopted this practice then it might only be classified as a micro dysfunction. As

dozens of departments are making policy changes it could turn into a maco dysfunction.

In many poor communities, whether they be in the inner city or a trailer bark in the

boonies, resources from education and employment can be limited and if available lacking.

Many people give up attempting to secure resources though legitimate means and decide to take

what they want for themselves. Marx ,one of the first major prepones of conflict theory, belived

that if too many do not have what they need they will inevitably take from those who have it

(Benokraitis, 2019, pg.10). If you want an expel of this in America look at the riots and looting

in Spring and Summer of 2020. There was not natural disaster that compelled people into stores

search for food. It was a group of angry people and opportunist that took what they wanted.

Many people were injured and even murdered in these riots.

Violence is not always caused by inequality and scarce resources. Most people do not

become violent if they have had a bad day or are starting to have trouble paying the bills.

Violence is often a learned though watching others. In 21st Century America violence is

everywhere from the fiction of television to the sensitization of the news. Often young boys are

exposed to some form of violence or aggression from their male role models. This I believe this

Symbolic-Interaction between the generations. Of the old making the choice to reinforce the

traditional gender role of the tuff, strong, and if necessary violent man of the house to the young.

Through my 15 years of martial arts training I have been exposes to physical violence in a

control setting. I have also been taught that violence is a last resort to defend yourself or

someone else. Many are not taught to use violence as a last resort, some are taught to use

aggression as a valid tool to get what they want.

ESSAY 1 <#>
 ESSAY 1 <#>

References

Benokraitis, N. V. (2019). Soc 6: introduction to sociology. Cengage.

Gascón, D. (2020, September 16). Officer Friendly's Adventures in Wonderland - Sociological

Images. Sociological Images Officer Friendlys Adventures in Wonderland Comments.

https://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2020/09/16/officer-friendlys-adventures-in-

wonderland/.