The question of social theory

• Fiddle with the sliders for speed of ether v. speed of light to understand the brilliance of the Michelson-Morley experiments. Is there an "ether" in your sociology? Is is greed? Need? Fitting in? Love? Can you measure it?
• Why do geese fly in a "V"? 1. conservation of energy (aerodynamics) 2. keep an eye on everything and everybody. Fighter pilots do it. 3. avoid getting something in the eye because the V "lifts" 4. rotate leadership for sustainability more on geese.
• What is our question in Sociology? what is our "V"?

Me I

• Can you describe the imagined "me" and "I" moments of a famous person - say, Barack Obama or Judge Sotomayer or some other hero? Once you describe some of the person's "me" and "I" moments of note as imagined from the "inside" of these persons, describe, also the implicit Marxian or Durkheimian or perhaps Weberian forces that structured that me-I self.
• The self according to Mead is a dance of the me-I and the individual according to Marx or Durkheim or Weber is an entity made of of social and intellectual organization that exists "outside" the individual.
• Spice: Would Dubois or Simmel have anything to add to your sketch of the famous person you pick?
• Your essay will not be judged on its politics, so be careful that you are not slavishly "pro" or "anti" the person you select and simply repeat the mantras of the left or the right. It will be judged, instead, on its attention to detail, subtlety, selection of significant character-defining moments and incorporation of both popular culture "left" and "right" summaries.

Lifestyle Laws

The California Supreme Court upheld discrimination by not "legalizing" gay marriage. I'm really frustrated with the laws that we have in the U.S. that govern lifestyle choices. It is reasonable to say that people are uncomfortable with homosexual men getting married because of the type of sex they perform with each other? If marriage is good or society, why does the gender of the people getting married matter? They are being discriminated against because of their lifestyle.
It's legal for me to use a recreation drug (alcohol) that requires chemical processing and can kill me if I overdose. It's illegal for me to use a recreational drug (marijuana) that grows naturally and will only put me to sleep if I overdose.
Prostitution is another target of lifestyle regulation. If a women goes on a date, and the man pays for everything, and the women decides to have sex with the man that paid for everything, isn't she a prostitute? In popular culture, a women is viewed as a whore if she sleeps with a man who hasn't spent money on them.
Neighborhoods that regulate what color your house can be improves society how?
What and/or who are these laws suppose to protect society from? Society should have laws to protect life, not laws that attack how you live your own life.

So does this mean our summary paper is not due this wed the 27

Topic for Summary Paper

Dr. T when will you be posting up the topic for our Summary Paper? I was unable to attend class on Monday so ...

my I or my me?

if someone calls you up and asks if you want to go out and you sort of do and you sort of do not, which is your I and which is your me? Your decision creates your path. Your self is your perpetual mix and re-mix of I and me.
Simmel says everything starts with the pattern and form of our associations. The me and the I of Mead are part of our associations. Can these terms and distinctions assist us today in creating our lives?

The Hap Holladay Scholarship

Write a 1000 word essay to try for a $500 against tuition. See this link.

Marraige and Society

I've started to wonder why theorists have not addressed marriage and it's impact on society. Our societies are made up of one type of animal, with two distinct behaviors. I general, couldn't we say that in order for both sexes to be truly happy, society would have to be designed and adapted to meet the specific needs of each sex. Marriage is a societal institution created by men, for men. Today's culture has made marriage into something that probably hinders more men than it helps. If there was super computer that could simulate the future of a society given certain factors, I wonder if the overall success of a society would be better without marriage. Given the emotional and financial strains marriage causes, I would bet society would be better without marriage. Marriage is an institution that goes against our very human nature. Societies should be built with institutions that allow individuals to flourish, not ones that suffocate them. Why do we worship marriage?

Student Achievement

See this link if you have a candidate for an award and recognition for a deserving CSULA graduating senior or MA candidate

see me if you have a candidate - or comment here. I'll ask you to complete all the steps of admission for my review. Congratulations to all upcoming grads!

Curve - Scantron

grades posted by CIN. See website.

TESTING....

I DONT KNOW IF YOU GUYS AGREE BUT TEST ALWAYS MAKE ME SOOO NERVOUS. I BELIEVE WHAT MAKES ME NERVOUS IS TRYING TO MEMORIZE SO MANY THINGS AT ONCE.. TEST TAKING FOR ME IS NEVER GOOD. MY HANDS TEND TO SHAKE AND MY STOMACH HURTS.. I HAVE TRIED MANY WAYS IN WHICH TO CONTROL IT. I TRIED LISTENING TO MUSIC RIGHT BEFORE, I TAKE DEEP BREATHS AND GO OVER MY NOTES BUT NOTHING WORKS. CAN ANY ONE "HELP" ESPECIALLY WITH FINALS COMING UP.

Post Midterm Exam

So for those of you who came back to class after the exam, did staying and discussing the midterm helped to clarify questions that were "muddy" on the exam? Or did they further confuse you? I personally, when taking the exam, felt as if I was taking a test on something that I felt unprepared for. I think the first question threw me off for a number of reasons. One being that the whole subject of Manny Ramirez and steroids was subject to interpretation. While in class we did come to a final conclusion to the answer, I felt that that was what we had to do for most of the questions. While I feel fine and content after our exhaustive discussion of the questions on the exam, for the most part, and I don't think I'm alone on this, the questions asked on the exam were subject to interpretation and perhaps needed some refining. However, for the most part, when discussing these questions and explaining the possible answers to these questions, I feel more than confident that I have taken away important and central ideas/arguments that our three theorists brought forth in their work.

Hey everyone

Just wanted to ask you guys: how  are you guys preparing for the quiz? ive been trying to study the material but it just seems like too much info....any good advice on how to study the material?

Fetishism

Does anyone remember the section of Fetishism?

Males & Females: Typical Sterotypes of Gender Roles

I was watching this video and I couldn't help to laugh at the animation. It is funny, but unfortunately at times we do shape our mentality around such sterotypes! Take a look for yourself and comment what you think were your thoughts on this video! ENJOY!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIwWS2atEmc

Agree

I also agree with over population but we cannot control people with government intervention. People can go on birth control but that would be the person's own choice. We cannot force them to do so. Maybe if sex was more open in discussion between young people in school then it may help. Sex has grown so much in our days and old fashioned people still think that this subject should be kept hush hush. We need to get over the ignorance and realize that our little ones our seening this in our media and from others and that they will more likely join in the trend. WE need to step up the conversation of safe sex and i think we will see change not only in population but also in health and awarness!!