Introduction
I am going to look at the connection between how a personal trouble is the result of a bigger public social issue based on C. Wright Mills’ notion of the sociological imagination. He described how the relationship between “personal troubles” and “public issues” is essential in understanding his notion of sociological imagination. For Mills, “the individual and the social are inextricably linked and we cannot fully understand one without the other” (Page 1, The Sociological Imagination). In this case, it involves a university student’s financial struggle and the pressure to achieve high academic grades in the face of adverse course content within the university system.
Thesis
The sociological imagination can provide clarity to …show more content…
In order to keep the job, they are required to work 10-15 hours per week or else they will lose that job. They have early morning classes and no time to study or to prepare for classes, and suffering from lack of sleep. They are forced to cram a lot of studying into the weekends, jeopardizing their social life because now they don’t have the time nor the energy to go out with their friends. They do not have enough time to study and write papers to their own personal standard that they are used to. In addition to not getting high grades in core program courses, they are falling behind in their general education classes because they lack the time to study. They are not happy with their work and their self-esteem starts to plummet. They worry about what their parents will say if they don’t achieve an A+ during first year because their parents have pressured them to be perfect so they can get a good education, get a high-paying job, and help out the family. They are suffering from personal failure and unable to see that their personal trouble may be part of a bigger social issue. Of course, the student intends to perform well – but that is not happening despite their efforts. According to Mills, “Not seeing such failure as partially, or entirely, the result of social forces” is what Mills describes as “quality of mind.” (Page 1, The Sociological Imagination). As Mills discusses, in order for this student to be able to see themselves in a new perspective, they need to take an internal look beyond their own situation and visualize themselves as “the product of his family, income level, race, and gender.” (Page 1, The Sociological Imagination). Once the student is able to do is, they are then able to come to an informed decision about the
I am going to look at the connection between how a personal trouble is the result of a bigger public social issue based on C. Wright Mills’ notion of the sociological imagination. He described how the relationship between “personal troubles” and “public issues” is essential in understanding his notion of sociological imagination. For Mills, “the individual and the social are inextricably linked and we cannot fully understand one without the other” (Page 1, The Sociological Imagination). In this case, it involves a university student’s financial struggle and the pressure to achieve high academic grades in the face of adverse course content within the university system.
Thesis
The sociological imagination can provide clarity to …show more content…
In order to keep the job, they are required to work 10-15 hours per week or else they will lose that job. They have early morning classes and no time to study or to prepare for classes, and suffering from lack of sleep. They are forced to cram a lot of studying into the weekends, jeopardizing their social life because now they don’t have the time nor the energy to go out with their friends. They do not have enough time to study and write papers to their own personal standard that they are used to. In addition to not getting high grades in core program courses, they are falling behind in their general education classes because they lack the time to study. They are not happy with their work and their self-esteem starts to plummet. They worry about what their parents will say if they don’t achieve an A+ during first year because their parents have pressured them to be perfect so they can get a good education, get a high-paying job, and help out the family. They are suffering from personal failure and unable to see that their personal trouble may be part of a bigger social issue. Of course, the student intends to perform well – but that is not happening despite their efforts. According to Mills, “Not seeing such failure as partially, or entirely, the result of social forces” is what Mills describes as “quality of mind.” (Page 1, The Sociological Imagination). As Mills discusses, in order for this student to be able to see themselves in a new perspective, they need to take an internal look beyond their own situation and visualize themselves as “the product of his family, income level, race, and gender.” (Page 1, The Sociological Imagination). Once the student is able to do is, they are then able to come to an informed decision about the