After reading “The Promise”, I have really started to see the importance of the social imagination in today’s society. According to Mills, it is the responsibility of scholars to differentiate between the individual’s personal troubles and public issues in society. And it’s only once that we can differentiate between these two things, that we can then find solutions to these issues. A personal trouble affects only one person directly. While it may affect people close to them, it doesn’t affect society as a whole. An example of this may be alcoholism, while a man may be an alcoholic; this is only his direct issue and personal struggle. It may have an effect on his family and friends; it doesn’t however affect society as a whole. On the other
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In fact, I think that public issues often start out as personal troubles. Furthermore, it is because people are not properly trained or supported to cope with these personal issues, which then often leads to the development of public issues. Mills even said “ordinary men do not usually know what this connection means … they cannot cope with their personal troubles in such ways as to control the structural transformation that usually lies behind them.” For example, I feel that obesity is a personal problem that then lends itself to become a public issue. A man or a woman can be severely overweight because they have a genetic predisposition to obesity or because they don’t take proper care of themselves. I would at first consider this a personal issue. And as was seen a few years ago, obesity levels were at an all-time high. At this point it then becomes a public issue, which causes many social problems that affect everyone. Obesity often will lead to diabetes. And with diabetes comes increased spending in hospitalization and pharmaceuticals, dwindling the places where healthcare dollars can be spent. As a result, this affects not only those with diabetes, but all Americans who rely on the health care
In fact, I think that public issues often start out as personal troubles. Furthermore, it is because people are not properly trained or supported to cope with these personal issues, which then often leads to the development of public issues. Mills even said “ordinary men do not usually know what this connection means … they cannot cope with their personal troubles in such ways as to control the structural transformation that usually lies behind them.” For example, I feel that obesity is a personal problem that then lends itself to become a public issue. A man or a woman can be severely overweight because they have a genetic predisposition to obesity or because they don’t take proper care of themselves. I would at first consider this a personal issue. And as was seen a few years ago, obesity levels were at an all-time high. At this point it then becomes a public issue, which causes many social problems that affect everyone. Obesity often will lead to diabetes. And with diabetes comes increased spending in hospitalization and pharmaceuticals, dwindling the places where healthcare dollars can be spent. As a result, this affects not only those with diabetes, but all Americans who rely on the health care