Society Affects the Individual
What is our world the way sociology looks at it? We don’t exist
in a vacuum: some of our choices in life may be purely individual,
but most are heavily influenced by our society. To a sociologist, there
is no true freedom; all aspects of our lives are social in one way
or another.
A better understanding of ourselves is only one reason students study
sociology. If you want to find out why the crime rate is so high, how
to reduce population growth or why health-care costs are skyrocketing,
knowledge of our society’s values and social institutions is
vital. How can policies and programs to improve our society and solve
social problems succeed if we do not understand the origin of these
problems?
Thus, sociology is an ideal liberal arts subject. By examining how
society affects the individual, on one hand, and how human beings run
societies, on the other hand, sociology involves students as individuals
in the largest and most pressing social issues of our time.
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