Midterm
1. In this essay, please fully explain—in your own words and fully cited-- what Mills means by “the sociological imagination” and then discuss how it might be used in escaping from the inequality trap. Please use a standard 5 paragraph essay format. The first paragraph should be devoted to Mills and the following paragraphs should put Mills “in conversation” with Schwalbe. I expect to see both authors fully cited in the body of your text.
The sociological imagination is being able to step outside of your normal routine and look at things from a different perspective. It is the theoretical consciousness of the link between experience and a wider society. It is also being able to view things socially, and how they connect and influence others. Using the sociological imagination helps you grasp a relationship between yourself and how you fit into society, allowing you to step outside your thoughts and put yourself in the world.
The sociological imagination can be used to escape he equality trap in several different ways. C. Wright Mills suggests that people must be able to withdraw from a situation and think from an alternative point of view. This suggestion ties directly into Schwalbe’s idea of freeing the imagination. In order to free the imagination people must learn to think of alternatives. People should also take the initiative to learn, support others when they oppose questions, figure out the components of the world, and compose a plan to recreate the world in a way that everyone can be happy and benefit.
Wright also suggests seeing things from other people’s point of view. Schwalbe touches on this a little bit in the Humanizing Others section. He thinks that if we look at other people as a member of our family we would feel some kind of compassion which would make us feel obligated to help them (Schwalbe, 2008, Pg 243). He also thinks that seeing people that are much worse off than we are suffering, might encourage us rebel (Schwalbe, 2008, Pg 244).
The sociological imagination is being able to step outside of your normal routine and look at things from a different perspective. It is the theoretical consciousness of the link between experience and a wider society. It is also being able to view things socially, and how they connect and influence others. Using the sociological imagination helps you grasp a relationship between yourself and how you fit into society, allowing you to step outside your thoughts and put yourself in the world.
The sociological imagination can be used to escape he equality trap in several different ways. C. Wright Mills suggests that people must be able to withdraw from a situation and think from an alternative point of view. This suggestion ties directly into Schwalbe’s idea of freeing the imagination. In order to free the imagination people must learn to think of alternatives. People should also take the initiative to learn, support others when they oppose questions, figure out the components of the world, and compose a plan to recreate the world in a way that everyone can be happy and benefit.
Wright also suggests seeing things from other people’s point of view. Schwalbe touches on this a little bit in the Humanizing Others section. He thinks that if we look at other people as a member of our family we would feel some kind of compassion which would make us feel obligated to help them (Schwalbe, 2008, Pg 243). He also thinks that seeing people that are much worse off than we are suffering, might encourage us rebel (Schwalbe, 2008, Pg 244).