soc essay

Running head: THE DEVELOPMENT OF MYSELFMidterm Assignment -Sociological AutobiographyIntroduction to Sociology (SOC1) October 20, 2019

THE DEVELOPMENT OF MYSELF2The Development of MyselfSelf-development is a continual process over time and can come in many different forms.As societal individuals, humans often experience a great amount of developmental growth through various social aspects that impacts each person in a different way. To be specific, there are six social aspects that play a key role in our lives as they help us shape who we are. Culture, the roles we play in our groups, technology and social media, social class status, race and ethnicity, and gender are six important social aspects that play a significant role in our lives as they influence our self-identities throughout our lifetimes.CultureTo start off, it is important to acknowledge the important role that culture has had throughout my life. My parents were born in Mexico and made a big decision when they decided to leave the comfort zones of their homeland and families to move to California in search of opportunity. This resulted in them carrying over their Mexican culture into a new home. Years later, I would be born here in California. As a result, I have always had a strong connection with Mexican culture, as well as American culture. I have spoken Spanish my entire life, in fact, it was the first language that I learned at home and is what I continue to primarily speak when I am at home or with my parents. My family also celebrates Mexican traditions and holidays and we accompany this with delicious Mexican food. I continue to stay connected with the Mexican culture that I grew up with, however as I grow older, I have noticed that I have also involved myself with a lot of American culture and its diversity as well. Due to this, I believe that my experience with culture has influenced me in a positive way because it has allowed me to be open and accepting of new people, places, and things. It also allows me to have a deeper

THE DEVELOPMENT OF MYSELF3understanding of the concept of symbolic interactionism. Author Dalton Conley describes this sociological concept in his book, You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist. Here, Conley (2019) describes that symbolic interactionism “can be very useful in understanding cultural differences in styles of social interaction (p. 145). I believe that I understand this concept fairly well due to having a good understanding of two different cultures, since there are some things that Mexicansand Americans do differently in their respective social environments as I have noticed throughout the years.Groups/RolesAnother social aspect that has influenced my self-identity is the roles that I have within groups that I am involved with. While there are many groups that I am currently involved in and have been involved with in the past, one group that has always remained as a primary group is my family. My relationship with my parents and my siblings will always remain closer than many other groups, therefore I believe that this group specifically has played a large role in shaping who I am. Throughout my life, I have played the role of always being there for them and helping them out whenever they need me. Even if it is a small task, I have been there for them because I understand how much they all really do for me. However, while I still continue to do this, lately I have taken a lot more time for myself and have been focusing on what I need to do to grow as an individual so that I can move forwardwith my personal goals. Sometimes, it is necessary to take time to focus on yourself so that you can later help others around you better. I realized this when I began to feel stuck in place for some time and not progressing my self-development in any significant way, and so I understood that it is necessary to be selfish at times so that you can then offer more later in life to the people that you care about.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF MYSELF4Technology/Social MediaMoving on, technology and social media is a social aspect that has played a major part in developing who I am today. Today, we live in a world where technology presents us opportunities that were not available to billions of other people before us. Since I was young, I had always been interested in creating an online presence where I could share the things that I am passionate about with others. I did not always have the tools to do it, but once I finally did, I began to work towards pursuing this goal and it has definitely altered my life. I have met so many people and have made a lot of friends through online interactions and I even consider a few of these people to now be my close friends that I will one day meet in person. Through technology and social media, I have also been able to earn money and have been exposed to new opportunities that would not exist without technology. What was once my favorite hobby now has the potential to become something that I will be able to do long-term if I continue to work at it. Without technology and the online world that we have, I do not know where I would be today as I would be living a completely different life.Social Class StatusSocial class status is another social aspect that influences my everyday life. My family would be considered to be somewhere in the middle or working class area in terms of social hierarchy. My dad works difficult labor jobs such as landscaping and construction and has been since before I was born. My mom is always putting others before herself and takes care of household duties to make our lives easier (referring back to culture, this is an example of traditional Mexican culture). My two sisters work in hospitals as registered nurses and now own their own homes. I mention this because it goes to show how hard my parents have worked in order to create opportunities for their children and it makes me really appreciate what we have,

THE DEVELOPMENT OF MYSELF5even though we may not have had much at times. Our social class status and the position that we are in reminds me to keep pushing to make the best out of everything that I am given because I know how lucky I am to be where I am today. It also motivates me to reach my potential and be successful so that I can one day repay my parents as much as I can for allowing me to have the life that I live.Race/EthnicityAnother social aspect that has transformed me into who I am today is race and ethnicity.I live in Rowland Heights, so due to having lived in this city for my entire life, I am extremely comfortable with being around people from different cultures and backgrounds, as it is a heavily populated Asian and Latino area. Also, since my parents were born in Mexico and moved to the United States, I believe that it has allowed me to be naturally understanding and accepting of those around me with different ethnic backgrounds. I should also add that, as far as I know, I have never been personally discriminated against or treated unfairly due to being Mexican.Conley (2019) describes the idea of discrimination as “an act” against an ethnic or racial group (p. 379). It is different from the idea of prejudice, which refers to thoughts and feelings, while discrimination relies on action. While I am certainly thankful that I have not been discriminated against, I do realize that this is an unfortunate reality that some people face and am glad to be aware and informed of what happens in the world.GenderFinally, gender is the last social aspect that has factored into my self-identity today.Personally, I do not think that my gender has played as much of a role as the other five on this list. However, I do know that gender has undoubtedly affected my life in some manner. I suppose that by being a male, I am expected to help around the house with chores that require

THE DEVELOPMENT OF MYSELF6physical tasks and such. On top of this, society may place certain gender roles, expectations, and stereotypes on each gender. While I do not think that my gender specifically has been too important, I find myself to be understanding of the struggles that others may face with their gender in today’s world due to the information and awareness being spread throughout the recent years. For example, the author describes the idea of feminism, which has gained significant traction in recent years due to a new wave of popularity. Conley (2019) describes that feminism “embodies real powers and privileges” to all genders (p. 307). I believe that having an understanding of these concepts has helped shape who I am as it allows me to step into the shoes of those that are heavily affected by their gender in their daily lives.In conclusion, culture, the types of groups and roles that I associate with, technology and media, social class status, race and ethnicity, and gender have all contributed a valuable amount towards the development of my individual identity. One may not realize it, but there are so many factors that aid in making them who they are to this day, whether it be through nature or nurture. Throughout our journey of life and self-growth, it is essential to take some time to look around and acknowledge the factors that are responsible for making us who we are, as having an understanding of our life on a greater scale will only benefit us and progress us forward as individuals.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF MYSELF7ReferencesConley, D. (2019) You may ask yourself: an introduction to thinking like a sociologist. NewYork, NY: W.W. Norton.