What Mills (2000) referred to as ‘ Social imagination’ is based on the concept that what happens in an individual’s life might appear personal, but it has social consequences. Additionally, it is a reflection of the broader issues affecting the public. This means that society is shaped by human behaviors and biography and vise-versa, which are two interrelated concepts that cannot be understood without the other. This is also something I have personal experiences from my cousin, John, who graduated six years ago, but he is yet for secure formal employment. John has admitted to feeling discouraged, depleted, and defeated. He has revealed to me that sometimes he blames himself for not having enough a job and is always pointing the accusing finger to himself.
Mills argues that these kinds of challenges are persistent and that John should not perceive unemployment as a personal issue, but instead, unemployment should understand it as a societal problem with its roots cause intertwined to the societal fabrics. In the United States, over 6.8M or 4.4% are unemployed, with the figure projected to rise to 4.9% by 2029 (Duffins, 2019). Job creation is affected by the number of factors, among them demographics; automation leads layoffs, levels of education, economic conditions, and global competition. These factors directly affect the duration of unemployment and the number of employed individuals at any given period.
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As Mills has advised, these kinds of problems are not personal, but rather it affects millions not only in the U.S. but also in other parts of the world. Unemployment is a social problem, and John must understand that he is not the only unemployed person but so others are not only in the U.S. but also in other parts of the world. Also, it is crucial to understand that unemployment has been there from the past, and it is a way of life and not everybody can get employed in their areas of desire; hence it is wrong to think that this situation is unique to him.
References
Duffins, E. (2019). The unemployment rate in the U.S.-forecast 2018-2029. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/217029/forecast-to-the-unemployment-rate-in-the-united-states/
Mills, C. W. (2000). The sociological imagination . Oxford University Press.
