Sociology Paper

Sociology is defined as the “systematic study of human society.” (Macionis 2) When breaking this definition down into simpler words, focus on four words: study, human, behavior, and society. The “study” of sociology refers to the application of scientific principles and methods. Sociology focuses on “humans”, not animals. Sociologists study a person’s “behavior”, not their thoughts or motivations. Finally, “society” is used because sociology is a term that is used for a social context. (Guzzo)
C. Wright Mills coined the term “sociological imagination” and defined it as “the vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and the wider society.”(Mills) Sociological imagination helps people understand their society and how it affects their own lives. (Macionis 5) It shows how society impacts people and how people are impacted by society. Sociological imagination is a quality of mind and a way of thinking. It also uses information to observe what goes on throughout the globe. Individuals and society coexist in each other to yield the realities of a given social structure. Everyone has a personal biography that is somewhat altered by the events that occur throughout their life. However, not everything in society impacts people in the same way. Sociological imagination is an intersection of a person’s life and social world. Thus meaning, people have quirks about themselves that they cannot display in the public eye in order to fit into society. (Guzzo)
Issues must have at least two sides, a “pro” and a “con”. Different perspectives may be used to view each issue, making them multifaceted. (Donovan) Based on experience or background, issues that may be a concern for one person or a group of people may not be an issue for others. On the other hand, problems usually do not have a good side. The cause and solution to a problem may vary, but in the end, something needs to change. Like issues, problems are also multifaceted.
Personal efficacy and locus of control are the two main factors that determine if issues/problems are personal or social. Personal efficacy is the control or power an individual has to correct a certain issue or problem. This can be measured on a scale from “high” to “low”. Locus of control is the scale at which an issue/problem can be solved most efficiently. This measurement can range from “individual” to “global”. Personal issues/problems can be resolved by the individual or the individuals involved. In this case, personal efficacy for change is high and locus of control is at the individual level. In contrast, social issues/problems involve a large group of people and can be resolved by multiple people. Personal efficacy for change is low and locus of control is at the society or global level. (Guzzo)
Bob Dylan wrote and performed the song “Blowin in the Wind,” which was a top hit on his album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. The song was produced in 1962 and presents a very popular issue during that time: The Vietnam War. This song represents all of the flaws associated with human nature and the world around us, so much hatred and anger. I chose this song because I believe Dylan does an excellent job in showing what this world has come to when referencing to discrimination, war, death, and despair.
The social issue that stands out the most in this song is the idea of the Vietnam War. In the first stanza of “Blowin in the Wind,” Dylan writes “How many times must the cannon balls fly before they are forever banned?” Now, decades later, war still presents social issues. Every morning, we see negativity on the news about the death toll and the unintentional bombings that are occurring in the Middle East. Some argue this is a positive thing to be there, guiding them to create a strong government for the people. It is hard to even begin to comprehend the evil and sinful acts that humans have the ability to commit against each other. Dylan says it all when he says, “The answer my friend, is blowin’ in the wind, the answer is blowin’ in the wind.” The answer is truly right in front of us, yet no one seems to notice or care. This leads to the repetition of petty emotions like jealousy and fear. These emotions cause us judge others who we don’t understand, which roots to the prejudice and evil in this world. The people we see dying around us have no effect on our compassion for one another. We never seem to learn anything from it. The human race has been killing each other off since they had the ability too. However, even after thousands of years of destruction and death, the world still uses war to solve conflicts. The lyrics of this song beg the question “How many times? How long must we continue living in the dark before we see the light? When will we learn from our mistakes?” This is considered a social problem because it affects the entire globe, not just one person. Normally, the countries involved in the war take the blunt of the affects; however, surrounding countries and allied countries can also possibly experience these affects. For example, the people in these countries can suffer economically and even physically through destruction of businesses, landmarks, and homes.

Both graphs show how Americans feel about two completely different wars that the United States was involved with. The American people did not agree with the United States involvement in the Vietnam War; however as time went on, less people believed the United States had made a mistake. (Lunch and Sperlich) The complete opposite occurred during the Iraq War. Americans were in favor of the war in the beginning; however as time progressed, Americans slowly began to think that the Iraq War was a mistake. (Poll: Most Americans Say Iraq) Bob Dylan, born May 24, 1941, is considered to be one of the most influential American musicians in the rock and roll industry. His first debut was released in March of 1962, and was produced by John Hammond, a Columbia A&R man. The self-titled album consisted of folk and blues standards and was produced when Dylan was only twenty one years old. The album contained only two original songs. Already, Dylan was making himself know by his nasally voice that made him sound older and much different than other singers (Rock and Roll Biography). Along with his nasally voice, Dylan’s unusual sound which consisted of his spontaneous vocal style with an electric band, which created a sound that was imitated throughout the country. (“Bob Dylan”) After his first release, Dylan began to write many more songs, mostly political protest songs. The release of his next album, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, in 1963 contained entirely original songs. (Rock and Roll Biography) “Blowin in the Wind” was on this album and became a top hit for Peter, Paul and Mary. Because Dylan personalized folk songs, he reinvented the singer songwriter genre. He performed suggestive and poetic songs. Dylan also gave rise to the Seventies country-rock by recording with Nashville veterans. Bob Dylan has the ability to challenge, influence and surprise his listeners, which makes him a successful artist and songwriter. (“Bob Dylan”)

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes, how many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn't see?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes, how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

War represents a social conflict in which each country is vying for power. Social conflict shows how groups compete against each other for scarce resources, such as money, social status, and prestige. This theory argues that individuals and groups/social classes within society obtain different amounts of material and nonmaterial resources. These groups use their power to impose on groups with less power. I believe that in war, two countries are truly fighting for these things. Perhaps an issue can be solved in a nonviolent manner. However, to solve most social conflicts, countries rely on war. For example, in the Vietnam War the United States attempted to stop the spread of communism. In the song, “Blowin in the Wind,” Dylan protests the war in Vietnam. He wants the United States to see the conflict and harm of war, the evil and the repetition. Social conflict is represented in this song because the lyrics portray the desire to have peace. I chose the song, “Blowin in the Wind” because it stands out to me as a perfect song to represent a social issue. War is a controversial topic and people are always going back and forth on if the United States involvement in the war is appropriate and necessary. The lyrics of this song represent the evil of war. However, the answers are all around us and they are easy to perceive if we simply try. Although these answers are not always easy to grasp, or catch hold of, they are not impossible for those committed to finding the answer. Throughout this project, I have learned why people choose to favor war and why they do not. Many factors (family in the military, why the war has started) explain peoples reasoning for supporting or not supporting war. In most cases, these opinions differ from war to war, depending on the circumstances.