Salutations fellow people of the planet Earth. This week I am going to discuss the culture of poverty. Many of you are probably wondering "what, poverty is a type of culture?". Well yes in a sense those who are in poverty all share similar characteristics. These similar characteristics, over time, have developed into what some consider a culture.
This statement was first coined in 1961 by Oscar Lewis. In his studies of small Mexican communities he discovered that these poor communities all share similar characteristics. The characteristics they shared included: neglect of planning for the future, frequent violence, and a lack of a sense of history. All of Lewis's studies created the paradigm that people in poverty share a consistent and observable "culture". Much of what Lewis discovered about the culture of poverty remains the same today.
Today those individuals who are in poverty usually pass the unfortunate state onto future generations. It is possible but very hard for poverty stricken people to move up in class. There are many rags to riches stories in the united states but very few are seen in other countries. If you are born poor in a poor and developing country, your chances are very slim at rising to the top. America is one of the few countries that makes social mobility possible. That is why so many people migrate to the United States. These people come to escape the culture of poverty that has taken over their lives'.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Pop Culture!
Hola everyone!! Guess what? Its spring break!! Well it is for some of us in South Florida. Spring break is a great time to have fun, relax, and keep up with the latest trends and fads of today. For instance wearing the newest styles of clothing or listening to the most popular music.
What is popular culture? Well from the Marxist perspective popular culture is seen as a way to divide classes. The upper classes wear the newest styles and they can afford the latest apple products. The lower classes still strive to keep up with the newest trends but are still divided from the upper classes in many ways. The popular trends of the upper classes can also differ from those of the lower classes. Every class adopts their own popular culture that that makes them feel more connected. Over the years this gap in popular trends between classes has diminished greatly. The middle class has become more and more similar to the upper class because the mass production of popular products are now being made so that lower classes can afford them. Now many upper and middle class families have similar clothes and cars due to these company's efforts to reach out to a larger group of customers. Popular culture is a way to divide classes but also to bring the people within each class closer together.
What is popular culture? Well from the Marxist perspective popular culture is seen as a way to divide classes. The upper classes wear the newest styles and they can afford the latest apple products. The lower classes still strive to keep up with the newest trends but are still divided from the upper classes in many ways. The popular trends of the upper classes can also differ from those of the lower classes. Every class adopts their own popular culture that that makes them feel more connected. Over the years this gap in popular trends between classes has diminished greatly. The middle class has become more and more similar to the upper class because the mass production of popular products are now being made so that lower classes can afford them. Now many upper and middle class families have similar clothes and cars due to these company's efforts to reach out to a larger group of customers. Popular culture is a way to divide classes but also to bring the people within each class closer together.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The Theory of Symbolic Interactionism
Hey everyone!! I hope you all had an awesome week. This week I shall discuss the idea of symbolic interactionism. Most people out there are probably asking themselves "what in the world is symbolic interactionism?"
So what is symbolic interactionism? Well it is the theoretical approach and sociological perspective that emphasizes motives and meaning for individuals. It focuses on the importance of symbols for people, particularly language, as the core elements of all human interaction. The founder of this approach is George Herbert Mead. Many see symbolic interaction as more of a psychological theory while it is essentially a theory of socialization. The process of becoming a human is much more complex than merely being born. This process is achieved through the interactions that are between a child and his or her elders that surround him or her. The first step in an individuals journey to becoming a human being is finding his or her own social self. This is where an individual realizes that he or she is no longer a part of his or her mother, as in the womb, but that he or she is a unique and completely separate individual. After this is achieved the individual then goes onto the stage where he or she becomes a generalized other. This is where individuals learn how to operate as a member of a wider group (society).
Symbolic interactionism is clearly a sociological theory due to the complex and social process of becoming a human being.
So what is symbolic interactionism? Well it is the theoretical approach and sociological perspective that emphasizes motives and meaning for individuals. It focuses on the importance of symbols for people, particularly language, as the core elements of all human interaction. The founder of this approach is George Herbert Mead. Many see symbolic interaction as more of a psychological theory while it is essentially a theory of socialization. The process of becoming a human is much more complex than merely being born. This process is achieved through the interactions that are between a child and his or her elders that surround him or her. The first step in an individuals journey to becoming a human being is finding his or her own social self. This is where an individual realizes that he or she is no longer a part of his or her mother, as in the womb, but that he or she is a unique and completely separate individual. After this is achieved the individual then goes onto the stage where he or she becomes a generalized other. This is where individuals learn how to operate as a member of a wider group (society).
Symbolic interactionism is clearly a sociological theory due to the complex and social process of becoming a human being.
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