An Ideal Society: Detailed Outline folder.

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What Makes an Ideal Society?

Department of Sciences; Red Rocks Community College

Name

Introduction to Sociology

Laura Howe

November 6, 2021

Introduction and Key Components:

Under the umbrella of Sociology, we are able to study patterns, and use methods and research to try to explain and understand the interactions that exist in the world we live in. However flawed or perfect the relationships are, through the lens of sociology, we can accurately describe and predicts the direction an entity is heading without bias. In this paper, I will attempt to explain the diverse key components of a society per the field of sociology. I will also be contrasting the components of an ideal society and a real society. I will also be attempting to explain how the theories and research portray what an ideal society is and how they can assist with developing a healthy society. We will also see in this paper the different perspective regarding society and describe which fits an ideal or a real society. And finally, I will show how society impacts the way people behave and interact and the impact society has on individual and community behaviors (Bankston, 2000 and Hammond et al., 2015)

Every aspect of our society is interwoven into the other, there is no aspect of our society that stands on its own and with that interaction what we have is multilayer of action and response creating an unending circle called life (Bankston, 2000 and Alexander, 2016). The society influences the people, their way of life and its entirety, in turn the people define the society, rules and laws created become, guiding principles and those become value systems of the society and culture is born (Alexander, 2016).

This makes all areas of our behavior and life a potential avenue to be looked at and investigated. This life we create and exist in are the specimen to which Sociologist question and investigates. Drawing a conclusion of systems, methods, patterns etc. by utilizing systemic research to interpret what is observed as humans transition from generation to another, and seasons of life to another. The result from this life investigation cuts across all aspect of life, economic, religious, education, family pattern and structure. The discoveries are then used to better life and improve knowledge of the world we live in (Hammond et al., 2015)

What are the components of society?

1) Culture: What people will consider and their heritage, this is peculiar to different society. And most society hold this strongly and it creates one of the strongest images of a society.

2) The guild of the society, which in most cases are abstract or conceptual. This is how our society is including the customs and laws by which the society is governed and ruled.

3) Society means similarity. Most society have uniformity in more than one area of life, so this predicts society.

4) Diversity is key, as much as similarity initiates a society, diversity is a major character of a society. This can be seen in multiple areas of life and interests.

5) Diversity gives birth to dependency. Just because we all enjoy and like same things forces the society to rely on each other to survive. The very core of family is born from this dependency of different genders “can do”.

6) Because of the dependency on each other, cooperation is forged, to progress and to benefit from each other’s differences, the agreement and cooperation is a must for the society to thrive. Now this might also lead to some level of conflict while society keep working on their progress.

7) Finally, Maclver defined Society as a Social relationship system. Humans are known as a social being, and with that they will cultivate relationships that allows them to express this.

To mention the components of an ideal society, we must first understand what an ideal society means. An ideal society put a finality to the extent of a society and create goal for the society to pursue. A society described as ideal is such that has not conflict or challenges, where everyone tend to get what they want and live however they please. Meanwhile in a real society, people don’t always have their way. Societal structures put in place; sometimes inhibit the way we want to live in the society. Also, Ideal society is predicated on a believe that you have all you need to live however you wish. Which does not exist in a real world. Resources are not in infinity quantity in any society, and with that, there must be an equitable process of distribution which might not fit the picture of and ideal society. General knowledge that governs are made public in a real society, and the equitable way resources are distributed are established, this prevents conflict and fosters cooperation which are component of a society.

Theory and Research:

A theory is an assumption or hypothesis, a system or process that tend to shed light to problem or explain a complex subject. Most theories passed on to become policies that structure society that is better habitable (Hedström & Wittrock, 2009).

Positivism-Comte's held and ideal that believed only the positive things or such that when it cannot be scientifically proven then it holds no truth. This did not give room for gut feelings, intuition or even religion (Hedström & Wittrock, 2009).

Spencer held the believe and defined sociology as an evolution of the society govern by happiness and harmony. A believe that a simple organism will develop to a more complex one. A conclusion that human, held the cards of morality (Hedström & Wittrock, 2009).

Marx’s’ theory looked at society through the lens of two worlds, where you have the lower class, performing the labor and the higher class, how lead and managers the lower class. This is called the Marxism system. And in this system, the government will do all it can to shield and protect the higher class. Marx theory seem to fit the real society today as this is what we have in existence and that’s how our society operates. People are mostly described and categorized by the economic status. The car and the house you drive are dependent on which of the classes you belong to, and certain houses are built in certain neighborhoods. With this alone, there is differentiation, and this is what Marx theory describes (Hedström & Wittrock, 2009).

People:

Just will the definition of the theory and with the one that mostly apply to the real, world we already see a separation and with that, remember we talked about allocation of resources. These resources, affects numerous areas of the society and just like we mentioned at the beginning of the paper, this in an unending circle, where the society affect the people and the people keep creating and defining their society. Life in general is impacted, education, jobs, available of funds for development, infrastructure. And all these will affect how the society is both perceived and received and invariably how they thrive. Without education, or access to good education, decadence will be the order of the day, unruly behavior cannot be controls, “streets” will teach kids rather than qualified professionals (Ferri, 1996). And because parents are so busy trying to satisfy the needs of the upper class and work and to put food on their table, they are also not available to teach the kids. Furthermore, because of this, lawlessness will grow. And because the society prides itself with unachievable uniformity, more law enforcement will be focused in those area, in a bid to bring them to and “ideal” state of things, and this usually in a real world fail face down, because the small things that become big are not handled (Ferri, 1996).

References

Alexander, S. (2016). Sociology. Bookdepository.com. Retrieved November 7, 2021, from https://www.bookdepository.com/Sociology-Stephanie-Alexander/9781622755554.

Bankston, C. L. (2000). Sociology basics: V. 2, Modernization and world-system theories- workplace socialization. Salem Press.

Ferri, E. (1996). Criminal sociology. University of Virginia Library.

Hammond, R., Cheney, P., & Pearsey, R. (2015). Introduction to sociology.  http://freesociologybooks.com/Introduction_To_Sociology/01_History_and_Introduction.php

Hedström, P., & Wittrock, B. (2009). Frontiers of sociology : The annals of the international institute of sociology - volume 11. BRILL.

OpenStax. (2014). Introduction to sociology 2e.  https://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]:TrIRM88K@5/Introduction-to-Sociology