Benefits of Studying Sociology
Hello, I hope you have been doing fine and keeping safe during these tough days as for me, I have been doing fine, although the change of life has not been easy. I am writing this letter to let you know how the sociology class has changed my view on the society and helping me understand it better in a broad sense than I did before (Alexander & Hoopla digital, 2016). The knowledge that I have gotten from the classes has enabled me to view the society from a different perspective, which has helped me to get along easily with people as now I know how to handle different people in the community.
Through sociology, I have been able to understand the concepts and makeup of society, such as the different cultures in the community. The knowledge about the different cultures that constituted in the society has enabled me to understand the different lifestyles that people lead and the activities that they engage in during their daily activities (Kornblum & Smith, 2012). I believe that with this knowledge, I no longer judge people based on how they dress, eat or do their religious functions as I have learned that people have different cultures, and that is their way of living, and it should be respected.
In the course of the class, I have also learned that social interactions are essential and should be based on a positive attitude and should be beneficial. People in the society need to interact with each other and form relationships as human beings are created as social beings and need to interact with other people to satisfy their social needs (Alexander & Hoopla digital, 2016). Through social interactions, the patterns of social relationships are formed, which results in society as we know it. Without interactions and social relationships, the society would not be I existence as it as it is through persistent interactions that a society is formed.
The Sociology class has helped me differentiate and relate the different aspects that make up the society and how they are divided, for example, social class, sexuality and gender, religion, and social stratification. Through sociology, politicians, businesses, educators, and other agencies do their research before approaching the people with new ideas, products, services, or policies, as sociology gives them an overview of what is right for the targeted society (McClelland & Fararo, 2016). it is through sociological theories, both classical and contemporary, that have elaborated more on the social structure and how the society functions.
The functionalism theory of sociology defines society as a structure made up of different organs that work together to achieve a common goal. The functionalism theory defines the social structure or the social organization touching on the norms and the institutions that incorporated to ensure the proper functioning of the society (McClelland & Fararo, 2016). The functionalism theory emphasizes on the cohesiveness of all organs that make up the society for efficiency. There is also the utilitarianism theory or the rational choice theory, which states that people in society make choices that maximize their interests. Through the application of rationalism, individuals know choices, they are of the consequences of their actions, and through that, they always prefer actions that will benefit them.
Through sociology, I have been able to know how society functions and the organs that make up the society, enhancing my knowledge on matters involving society. I would encourage other people to study sociology so that they can be enlightened about society’s facts and how it functions. I believe when a majority of people in the society know how the society functions and the structures it is made of, and then people will interact and relate with each other positively, creating a cohesive peaceful society.
References
Alexander, S., & Hoopla digital. (2016). Sociology. United States: Britannica Digital Learning.
Kornblum, W., & Smith, C. D. (2012). Sociology in a changing world. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
McClelland, K., & Fararo, T. (Eds.). (2016). Purpose, meaning, and action: control systems theories in sociology. Springer.