Question

The sociological imagination encourages the idea to look at the world and its situations through a wider lens. Consider a social problem that you, your family, or maybe your close friends have experienced. To look at the problem through a wider lens than your own perspective, apply the sociological imagination to the problem:

In order to do this, look past your previously constructed rationale, explore other possible reasons, on the micro (individual) and macro (political/systems/global) levels that may have impacted or perpetuated this social problem. Describe how using your sociological imagination helps you see the social problem. Does it widen your view?

Answer 1

A social problem that me,my family and my close friends have experienced is unemployment. I have myself experienced unemployment for a few months after graduating. I have seen my friends going through years of unemployment and poverty.

At a micro or personal level, I personally believe that we need to give our best to find a suitable employment opportunity. But that does not really happen most of the times. At times many macro(political/systems/global) issues come into play and we do not get what we deserve.

For example, I graduated in 2002 when there was a huge economic recession that started in 2001. To add fuel to the fire was Laden attack on World Trade Center and other places followed by Afghan and Iraq wars. So, the world economy was completely down and comparies started firing people in millions, forget about finding a new job.So, many things are decided at a macro or geopolitical level and we need to work extra hard to make a living for us.

Social imagination has really helped me to widen my views on the same. It has helped me to see things wholistically and interact with society,influence each other by sharing thoughts, ideas and processes. Issues like unemployment is now becoming a social problem everywhere in the world. Eonomic crisis, pandemics like COVID etc. can happen anytime. However social imagination has widened my view to solve these issues. We need to keep on working hard diligently, persevere our goals and keep trying until we succeed. I have myself done the same and I was employed in top companies after just a few years of hard efforts and struggle. I convey these same ideologies to anyone who comes to me for advise in my society and that is how I use my social imagination and interaction to solve my problems and that of my friends and others in my society.