According to Kenneth Gergen, the theory of social construction suggests that how individuals conceptualize the world depends on how they approach it, and how they approach it depends on the relationships that they are a part of ( Manning, 2001) . Consequently, all individuals may see and experience the same things but interpret it differently based on their perspective on life. This concept explains why people take different courses in life. For example, I chose to drop out of school at the high school level and pursue business ventures that proved successful. According to society, this is not the ideal path of life because education in classrooms is essential and thus children are encouraged to complete the school system and then get a good job. However, in my opinion, there was no need to follow this point of view yet I was making money even before going to college. Therefore, social construction by Kenneth Gergen helps me explain my theory that college education is a societal pressure and social requirement that I did not require.
Social construction is the idea that any definition of reality is done from a specific standpoint. Therefore, if an individual were to describe death, education, or success, they would have to reference social idea or tradition that was instilled in them. As a result, human beings must have relationships that inform their definition of what is around them. These relationships could be with others or experiences in their lives that help them conclude. For instance, in the common reference that someone is dead; the reality of death is from a biological which defines death as the stop of all bodily functions. Therefore, all notions in life are influenced, and without this influence or standpoints, nothing would exist as it is. Notably, due to the varying backgrounds and experiences, nobody has the same perspective in life.
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In reference to social construction, the aspects of relationality and suppression are evident and applicable in my life. One example of relationality from society is that education leads to financial success. This conclusion stems from a tradition that people must finish school before they can even find a source of income. However, my experience prompted me to go against this view thus suppressing it. I am informed by my experience why I started a business during my high school years and generated income before joining college. Therefore, I do not relate education with success as a majority of people in society do. Evidently, my life and experience are not in line with the social trend that requires everybody to go to school before they can start earning and supporting themselves. For this reason, I strongly believe that college education is a social pressure informed by traditional approaches to the work environment.
Social construction is applicable in my life because it helps me explain my standpoint to others. Many people strive for social acceptance, and thus they adopt the social traditions that are acceptable. These long supported constructs have a significant impact on the conclusions people draw and thus the decisions they make. For instance, teachers regularly emphasize the importance of education. The communicate that it is a source of esteem by giving tokens to those who score higher or promoting students to a higher grade depending on their performance. Consequently, these individuals grow up associating success to the level of education and relating life satisfaction with a higher level of education. Ultimately, this repeated reinforcement had many people passionate about education and determined to see that their children make it through school. As a result, people stay in school to make their parents happy and live up to societal expectations.
My influences were different from most children. My parents owned a small shop that sold a variety of items such utensils, food, clothes, beauty products and grooming products. They were very aggressive business owners and ensured that their shop offered any product needed within a household. From a very young age, I helped them around the store and watched my parents dealing with customers, bargaining and bringing in the income. In their eyes, understanding the clientele and finding a way to benefit from it was a priority. They supported me through school as normal parents would but all my free time was spent at their business learning how the system worked. My parents motivated me to get involved in whatever way I could. Thus, when I created an online presence that allowed customers to order goods and have them delivered, it caught their attention, and they encourage me to keep it up.
As a result of my life experience, it is evident that the notion that college education is a social pressure was attained through habituation. The love and appreciation for business or choosing my path was instilled through repeated stimulus within my social environment. For instance, I drew more satisfaction from interacting with clients at the shop on a daily basis than going to school. Also, my parents always motivated me to be innovative and think outside the box. As a result, I felt the school structure, and the schedule was limiting and not exciting. Starting my business and experiencing the thrill and satisfaction of generating income to support myself gave me a repeated appreciation for finding my path instead of going to school as everyone expected. Consequently, I am mentally conditioned to seeking achievements that are beneficial to personal growth even though they are not in line with societal expectations.
Socialization and universe maintenance played a significant impact on my construction. Socialization refers to the process of inheriting and disseminating norms, ideologies, and customs. Evidently, I inherited the norm that success in business does not rely on education but thrives on understanding consumer needs and designing ways to meet them. It was through watching my parents and interacting with them regularly that I learned how to stay aggressive and innovative as well. In reference to universe maintenance, it was crucial for me to find an alternative because the symbolic universe did not serve it purpose in my life. Ideally, the school was supposed to fulfill my desire for achievement and success. However, participating in business overwhelmed me with self-satisfaction. As a result, being in school was draining and with no purpose. This informed my decision to focus on business alone. The fact that I succeeded was enough proof that college was not a necessity. Notably, after I left school, many people wrote me off and suggested I would not amount to anything because I was not educated. This negative response led to the stand that college education is societal pressure.
In conclusion, social construction helps put the world and instilled traditions into perspective. Evidently, people’s view on life is as a result of the cultures they relate to. These traditions rely heavily on interactions with the immediate family, friends, and experiences as well. Therefore, this Kenneth Gergen’s theory teaches us not to judge others. It embraces the need to understand where others are coming from and what influences their lives. It motivates constructionists to reflect on some of the traditions that impact their lives and determine if they are positive or negative with an aim to grow and take on a new attitude to life.
Reference
Manning, P. (2001). An Invitation to Social Construction.
