Fragmentation of Society

Fragmentation of Society In “The Fragmentation of Social Life” by D. Stanley Eitzen, he explains how at this moment many people are at their prime. Everything is going well for them but what they don’t realize is the problem the society is facing as a whole; that problem being the fragmentation of social life. He categorizes the way society is fragmented, into four parts. First, being the excessive individualism, followed by heightened personal isolation, widening income and wealth gap and the deepening racial/ethnic/religious/sexuality divide.
Although his argument toward society is very true, what he does is he generalizes the society as the whole. He especially doesn’t consider the alternative factors for someone who is has excessive individualism and heightened personal isolation.; but his argument towards the widening gap between poverty and wealth and the divide is very true and fragmented because it is at times inevitable.
The first factor that contributes to fragmentation is excessive individualism. Individualism is considered to independent and at times self-fish; only thinking about what can benefit us and not considering how others would be affected. Eitzen states how as Americans, it is in our economic system to be individualistic, “we are self-reliant and responsible for our actions” (564) and concludes how being individualistic promotes inequality towards the disadvantage. Excessive individualism doesn’t necessarily completely promote inequality; I agree that with individualism the advantages only think of themselves and now how those below them are affected. Eitzen argues how Republicans wanted to lower the rates of taxes so more individuals would benefit and the government would receive less; but in doing so he states how if that happens the disadvantages end of receiving less benefits. From my understanding, I concluded that he states how the advantages would receive more when the disadvantages are actually the one who