According to C. Wright Mills, thinking sociologically demands that individuals relate their personal experiences with what is happening in the society. Through sociological thinking, students in the university get a rare chance of applying sociological theories to the daily happenings. In their case, sociological thinking does not mean they should see themselves as their fellow students, but the idea is to ensure that they understand the way their relationships fit within the societal structure. In that sense, the ensuing discussion will utilize three class readings to expound on the aspect of thinking sociologically and its benefits to students during their time at the university.
By thinking sociologically, JMU students can benefit during their time in the university by avoiding being in trouble with the university management. According to Goffman (2009), individuals tend to maintain a decent and respectable identity while they are around close people because they know they are likely to tell on them. Fellow students are the potential informants. In that sense, one should be keen while in their company. In that sense, students can end up employing a coping strategy of maintaining less interaction with their colleagues and friends in the university (Goffman, 2009). By thinking sociologically, students should strive to observe unpredictability. Such a strategy ensures that individuals close are not aware of the plans one has (Goffman, 2009).
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In the article ‘ The Iconic Ghetto’ by Anderson (2012), it is clear that, sociological thinking demands that one should always do what is right, race notwithstanding. In the university, students should always strive to do the appropriate and right thing, without a care what the rest will think. For instance, while controlling the flash mob, policemen and other security guards find it difficult to restore order. Although the flash mobs are a combination of both whites and blacks, the blacks are orderly, decent and they obey the law. However, despite being good people, the blame still lies on them. The flash mob incidence influences the sociological thinking among the university students in JMU in the sense that, they should always strive to do what is right. In their case, black community living in the United States are followed by the ghetto shadow in schools, hospitals, and in medical practice among other places. In short, the racist card always comes up whether in class or outside, and students should remain fully aware that the situation cannot change.
Finally, students in JMU would benefit by thinking sociologically while in the institution because as seen in Adler & Adler (1989), too much glory is destructive. In that case, students should never allow the gloried self to detach them from the reality. Whether in class work or in other activities, students should remember that they have to work as a team with fellow students. They should shun the single-mindedly approach of doing things, as it can only lead to arena of glory, and before they realize it, they are swept away by fame and stardom. During their time in the university, students should avoid situations likely to subject them to centrality and power, as it can lead to dangerous levels prone to gloried self.
In overall, the three class readings have rich information beneficial to university students in terms of sociological thinking in the sense that, it warns them against being too open to other students, always striving to do the best in the most difficult circumstances, and the acts of avoiding self gloried.
References
Adler, P. A. & Adler, P. (1989). The Gloried Self: The Aggrandizement and the Constriction of Self. Social Psychology Quarterly , Vol. 52, No. 4, 299-3 10
Anderson, E. (2012). The Iconic Ghetto. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 642: 8. DOI: 10.1177/0002716212446299
Goffman, A. (2009). On the Run: Wanted Men in a Philadelphia Ghetto. American Sociological Review, 74: 339. DOI: 10.1177/000312240907400301
