Individualism Sociology

We’ve all heard it: the strong academic record, proficient in three sports, president of a few clubs, vibrant social life, and still getting at least 7 hours of sleep every night. The idealistic belief of a student, a goal to continuously strive towards. As students in a stressful, sometimes competitive atmosphere, we evaluate ourselves often and notice our flaws, but often miss our strengths. The idea of an idyllic description of the proper student forces down the general individualism often treasured in a learning environment. Rather than pushing down a student’s personal identity, it is necessary to express yourself and be your true self in public.

‘Few matters in this nation has more myths and stereotypes surrounding them that poverty’ (Mark, 2013). This occurs because the issue is politicized distorting the truth that is presented on this subject. Firstly, it is a myth that the rate of poverty in this nation is down and that those affected by this are not many. The fact is that there are a good number of poor people in the country and have been subjected to advent poverty for a long time now, and most of them stay in the inner city. The author presents his research whereby he claims that the population in contact with poverty is overwhelming. His hypotheses are that more than 40 percent of Americans will have experienced poverty at some point in their lives between the ages of 25 to 60. Similarly, 54 percent of Americans could have experienced poverty for at least a year in their lives. However, though many will experience poverty, the experience is short-lived. Another important thing from the article is that povertyis widely distributed with respect to time and place. He disputes the notion that those who are poor are non-white and backs it up with research findings that established two-thirds of the poor to be

In this week’s assignment, we were asked to read Herbert J. Gan’s The Uses of Poverty: The Poor Pay All, and to discuss the following areas. First we will discuss Herbert Gan’s perspective on poverty. Then we will look how Gan’s provocative insights help explain the tenacity of poverty in America. Finally we will discuss how Herbert Gan demonstrates that theory can be used to understand modern social problems.

“When the poor or newly poor are asked to define poverty, however, they talk not only about what’s in the wallet but what’s in the mind or the heart” (Shipler 10). The United States of America is a place which has an enormous population filled with foreigners and immigrants. Many enter America to get a better job, a fresh start, and to live the American Dream. In the 21st century, the gap between the rich and the poor has greatly widened even though America’s economy has skyrocketed as the years go by. Poverty has been a major issue due to various occasions but people who are in the middle and higher classes do not know the hardships these poor workers go through just so that they could have a chance to own valuables. Although America has millions of people working hard to have a roof above their heads, the status of the working poor and poverty level at this juncture seems to be a dilemma that should be taken into serious consideration which would put an end to the competition between the rich and the poor.

Poverty is nothing new in the eyes of the United States. The homeless ravish the streets of New York City in simple cardboard homes, the trailer park down the street from me in Birmingham, Alabama is filled with people struggling to make ends meet, and multitudes of Americans flood the sides of streets begging for an extra dollar or a scrap of something to eat. We see it everyday, and we wonder why these people do not just get up and get a job. We wonder why the homeless do not get up and find a spot in a homeless shelter. We wonder all these things without considering how the poverty truly and deeply affects a person’s life. Sherman Alexie addresses this affect on his on life in his article, “Why Chicken Means So Much to Me”, as he briefly describes how growing up as a poor Native American raised on the Spokane Indian Reservation allows him to be

Poverty negatively influences how the minds of people work in the world. The fact that poverty exists itself, obstructs people from changing their circumstances in what is known as “the cycle of poverty.” The lower class is incredibly disadvantaged in that it lacks the necessary social and economic resources needed to increase chances of social mobility. In return, the absence of these resources may increase poverty. Therefore, the lower class is unable to change its situation because the majority believes that any efforts to climb the social ladder is highly inefficient. In the novel 1984, George Orwell illustrates a classic example of why the proles are reluctant to change their lifestyle-simply because the costs outweighs

It is common knowledge that the United States and Latin America can be compared to one another on many scales. Several Latin American countries are currently in an ongoing transition from authoritarian regimes to democracy. Although, the United States is seen as the idea democracy, in which others shall transition towards, it is healthy to apply strict scrutiny. It is also healthy to acknowledge that due to the transatlantic slave trade, many Latin American countries were built upon the same slavery tactics that the United States were. This caused displacement of dark skinned Africans throughout the region. As history prevailed much like here in the U.S. a systematic oppression of dark skinned persons began. Despite it being built upon democratic

“Social Darwinism is an extension of biological evolution to human social systems.” Essentially, it is the survival of the fittest in social circumstances among the human race. Social Darwinism was used to justify racism and social inequality (Social Darwinism). It supported the idea that if someone was born poor, they would die poor and depressed, and if someone was born wealthy, they would live a first-class and die wealthy and in good spirits. Social Darwinism is shown in Frank Norris’ McTeague through the triumphs of Old Grannis and Miss Baker, and the downfalls of Trina and McTeague.

Individualism and collectivism are on opposite sides of the fence, so to speak. Individualistic cultures have an independent view of themselves and consider themselves separate from others. On the other hand, people from collectivistic cultures view themselves as being connected to others. Collectivism involves cohesion while individualist societies are those societies that have weak connections between individuals. In such societies, individuals are expected to focus on themselves or their immediate loved ones. Within collectivist societies, individuals are incorporated into sound, united in-groups starting from birth such as extended families. These ties are often guided by security and loyalty (Hofstede, 1984).An analysis of the US shows the US society is individualistic, given its 91 scores on this dimension. This cultural dimension is evident in “The American Dream” goal. The dream depicts the citizens hope for a superior quality of life and a better living standard than that experienced by their parents or guardians. It is the view that any other individual can hitch their wagons to prosper without help from any sources (Cardon, 2013).

In the essay “Representing The Poor” by Bell Hooks, the author includes many different views of poverty. The essay uses many true facts and real life experiences of both Hook’s childhood and current families.

What if you and your family lived off of two dollars a day or less? How would you guys afford the basic necessities to live? Well half of the world, nearly three million people live in this way. This is called Poverty, it 's the state of which you 're extremely poor and are unable to purchase food, clean water, clothing, and shelter. Poverty is the principal cause of world hunger due to the people living on those two dollars many are scavenging food. World Hunger and Poverty is a massive issue in today’s society. I want to bring awareness and tell you guys what we can work together or as individuals to help eliminate or minimize poverty and world hunger.

The effects of World War I on America were wide-ranging covering both political and economic impacts the Great War had on the United States. From 1918 to 1932, the Republican Party proved to be the dominant political party in part because of a profound cultural alienation Americans had towards the rest of the world. This “American Individualism” also became one of the main reasons for the party’s fall in the 1932 Presidential Election. After World War I, people were tired of war, tired of Woodrow Wilson’s reforms and terrified of the spread of Bolshevism (later called Communism). Americans were ready for a return to “normalcy”, a phase coined by one of the first Republican leaders of this time, Warren G. Harding. The Republicans of this era stood for isolationism, protectionism, anti-government activism and the promotion of business interests - true capitalism.

Nonetheless, structural factors interact with and condition individual characteristics. Within the culture of poverty many individuals adapt to a subculture that leaves them feeling marginalized and vulnerable, as well as dependent on the government, non-profit organizations, faith-based groups, and individual residents of the community in order to survive. Since human behavior, social skills, and identity are enabled and constrained by the meaning people give to their actions, individuals unconsciously acquire self-defeating behaviors. Although the burdens of poverty are systemic and imposed on society, children born into poverty are socialized into behaviors and attitudes that perpetuate their inability to escape the underclass. Growing up in poverty, children acquire feelings of inferiority and personal unworthiness that make them feel powerless and oppressed. Prevalent feelings of marginality lead individuals to feel that they do not fit in with the norms of society. In return, society rejects these individuals because of their self-perpetrating cycles of learned behavior and value system that leads to the culture of

Liberal contractarianism and libertarianism are big advocates for the individual. They believe the states primary goal is to protect these individual rights and help people flourish through their individually chosen goals. “Liberalism adds the corollary that the state should remain neutral regarding values, goals, and actions that do not directly interfere with anyone’s autonomy.” What Wenz was suggesting is that liberalism strives to make the state a neutral party and not have the state take sides in individual matters. Both of these theories focuses in on individualism as the most important part of society. This is because individualism only has two obligations. First, there are obligations owed to everyone, these are called universal obligations.

This is different from individualism, which expects individuals to only care for their own selves and immediate families, which can decrease their contribution to the overall society. Thornhill and Fincher (1) explain that many societies require the support, collaboration and partnership of its citizens and various stakeholders in order to advance and prosper, and that this is encouraged mostly by collectivism, not individualism. The reason for this is that collectivism promotes a very tight social interaction, where there is widespread respect, loyalty and support to members of the wider social group, not just the immediate