Analysis Of Sociology As A Life Or Death Issue By Robert Brym

“Sociology as a Life or Death Issue” is a beautifully written article by Robert Brym (2012). He eloquently states that even though death is inevitable many are afraid to admit it. Brym recounts his childhood absence of death until the age of fifteen, at which point the deniability of death was introduced to him. He recalls a strong desire to understand why people lived if the only purpose they have is to die. This dark period of enlightenment caused Brym to seek answers from those closest to him and, when they couldn’t provide one, “death became a source of anxiety for [him].” (Brym, pg. 4) The article continues on to say that there are institutions that feed off of people’s denial of death and their wishes to remain young and as far away from the reminder of mortality as possible. Brym states “the denial of death is a trap,” and the only way to be happy is to forget about your fear of death and live your life as though you want to achieve meaning while you are alive. Brym’s positive tone on death …show more content…
“The sociological approach to improving human welfare is based on the idea that the relations we have with other people create opportunities for us.” (Brym, pg. 7) The idea that social relations help shape us as human beings is not a new concept, however, Brym’s approach to freedoms is. Brym explains that there two distinct types of freedom; positive freedom and negative freedom. Negative freedom is defined as the absence of external constraints, meaning freedom of speech and the freedom to vote are both forms of negative freedom. Positive freedom, on the other hand, is the ability to grow and develop as an individual. Brym argues that positive and negative freedoms are not rivals; he states that they can be compatible. It is obvious that in order to understand human welfare, it is important that we understand the forms of