Dazzler Recession Officially Ended in June 2009: NBER MSNBC, 9/20/2010 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39269753/ns/business-eye_on_the_economy/
Recessions. Recessions, expansions, money, greed, profit. These are symptoms of a sick society, one that has maintained the status quo of production and consumption for entirely too long. This latest and greatest recession, lasting 18 months and boosting the unemployment rate to nearly 10% is another reason why capitalism as a means of production is flawed, and must give way to communism. Look at the consequences of this recession: the capitalists and bourgeoisie were mostly unaffected through their manipulation of production facilities and exploitation of the proletariat. Alienation occurred while people took whatever desperate measures they needed to survive. The proletariat worker class was the hardest hit by the recession because their value to society is measured by their labor, and in the recession they did not even have the opportunity to slave away for a meager wage. Through their high wealth and access to resources the bourgeoisie can weather the storms that wash away the proletariat. Now the recession is over, and the capitalists can go back to expanding their power by pauperization. Workers, take this as a message! This recession is over, but another will come, and you will suffer once again! At the end of this article it states that the Federal Reserve may take action to bolster the economy, who are they to have such power over hundreds of millions of people? Is it truly our species being to focus our entire lives on gaining material benefits? As long as the capitalists have control they will continue to run society for their own benefit, rather than the greater good of humanity. Workers of the world, unite! -Karl Marx
In London, the modern day proletariat was able to band together to fight a known environmental issue. The issue at hand was to reduce the packaging and food waste in the UK. Companies joined forces to fight this issue and form an agreement to reduce packaging and food waste. The companies, as part of the laboring class, were able to be the vehicle to transform the community. Not only did they meet their goal, but they exceeded it by reducing 270,000 fewer tonnes of food waste. -Marx
1. Fplayer 2. Teaching Doctors To Be Better Listeners 3. Ira Flatow 4. NPR 5. September 17, 2010 6. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129934800&ft=1&f=1024
The troubles facing the proletariat have risen to new heights, or it could be put that the bourgeois have fallen to new lows. In the tough economic times that the proletariat find themselves, there has always been a safe place; there’s been a place where the two classes can come together peaceably and try to bring about positive solutions for both the less fortunate and the wealthy. That place was the doctor’s office. For inside that office the bourgeois experts provide unbiased care to anyone that makes their way into the establishment. This is forced upon the bourgeois by laws and legislation that enforce giving fair health care to all individuals. Hospitals and physician’s offices could be a shining example of what social harmony could be, but nothing is ever that simple when greed, capitalism, and the bourgeois are involved. It seems that although the proletariat patients may be talking, the bourgeois doctors are not listening. Or if they are listening, it’s poorly. There are so many questions asked of the proletariat in the medical setting: age, weight, family medical history, insurance company, all of which are relevant, but don’t always get to the heart of the patient’s problems. There is more to know about the patient’s personal life and daily stressors that affect their wellness and these facts would be useful information in finding them a cure. Sadly, it seems that these cues are not being heeded by doctors, and it’s in profit’s name that this heinous crime is being committed. In order to get the greatest number of patients in their office and get the greatest possible profit from their days work, doctors rush patients in, give them a tongue depressor, and get them back out the door as quick as possible. Not the best quality of care and not the best quality of treatment. Efficiency and productivity have caught the proletariat in a vicious trap. It has been established that every American citizen should have the right to proper medical treatment, but it seems this right has become a privilege for only a chosen few. Something must change, ears must be opened. That is why the University of Illinois has started studies to improve the training and attentiveness of its medical students. This is a step in the right direction, but a partially incomplete tactic. Weathered professionals that have been involved in the medical arena for years are not likely to change their set-in ways. They are hard-headed and ignorant to their own faults. Because of this, the push toward change must come from the patients. Proletarians must start to demand that they are fully heard and that all the important questions have been answered and heard. With the health of the proletariat at stake there is nothing more important, and the time must be now to take action against medical oppression. There is no quick cure to the problem of doctor’s inattentiveness, but with a concentrated effort from the lower class, the proletarian will start the long climb to recovery.
• The majority of this article was influenced by Karl Marx with an influence of Weber on the dangers of rationalization in the doctor’s office
1. mht914 2. Anger as a Private Company Takes Over Libraries 3. David Streitfield 4. BBC news 5. Sept. 26, 2010 6. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/27/business/27libraries.html?_r=1
The most wretched of happenings results from an established social group alienating another. For on the premise it is clear that the Library Systems & Services company seeks to monopolize libraries across the nation. The privatization of such a municipal service therefore threatens the individual's relationship with the libraries already in existence. Such workers in place shall fear for the loss of their jobs, having it not be lost that those who stay shall enter into forced labour from an estranged source. The anger of the workers becomes most successful as the workers' consciousness of this alienation comes into existence. This consciousness shall ensue action from the workers, whereas the Mayor and city council will lose ability to deny the workers their true labour desires.
1. Dolphins 2. Anger as a Private Company takes over Libraries 3.David Streitfield 4. BBC News 5. September 26, 2010 6. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/27/business/27libraries.html?_r=1
As I read this article the first thing that came to my mind is Capitalism. And from there my thoughts went to Marx. The L.S.S.I. taking over public libraries is to me with Marx influence capitalism. it is a big business trying to make a profit no matter what. and according to Marx capitalism id doomed to fail, which means all big companies are doomed to fail and the trickle down effect occurs.Marx was also a pro- working class person. however when I read this article this company does not seem to be in favor of those who work at the library. thought they say it is still a "public" library it really is not, it's whole reason for being now is to make money.If I recall correctly Marx was also opposed to privatizing companies and I would have to agree. Because when that happens then you get capitalism and the working class being treated horribly. If outsourcing was a bigger part of Marx time I'm sure he would have been opposed to it. outsourcing, such as these libraries are doing because of the new take over, takes money and jobs away from the working class. For Marx and me his theory was for the working class to risen up against big companies and capitalism. overall, everything in this article Marx would be opposed to.
1. Pena 2. Teacher's suicide shocks students, teachers and parents 3. Alexandra Zavis and Tony Barboza 4. Los Angeles Times 5. September 28, 2010 6. http://www.latimes.com/health/mentalhealth/la-me-south-gate-teacher-20100928,0,1608610.story
Why does suicide occur? Suicide is a social phenomenon influenced by the amount of integration and regulation in society. The suicide of Rigoberto Ruelas, a fifth-grade elementary school teacher further proves my analysis of suicide as having social causes. Although Ruelas was cited as a good teacher, he took ratings that came out recently labeling him as “less effective” to heart. He took his own life as a form of altruistic suicide. Since the ratings made him believe that he was an ineffective teacher, he no longer wanted to be a burden on his students or fellow teachers. He perhaps believed that if he were no longer in the picture, it would make room for more effective teachers to take his place. This would then eliminate the burden on his students and allow them to succeed much more than they did before. He no longer wanted his existence to hold the students back that he cared so much about. Though this is only one example of a type of suicide, its occurrence solidifies the social nature of suicide. Viewing suicide through social eyes helps us understand the phenomena better than if we ignored social connections. Suicide does not occur for individual reasons, but rather a combination of social forces (integration and regulation). - Durkheim
gmoney Police alert: 6 adults, 8 children plan mass suicide MSNBC, 9/19/2010 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39251083/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts
Upon hearing of this mass suicide, I questioned those involved. They seemed to be integrated in society by their "close-knit organization" which was involved within their church, yet they were in a completely different mindset. Instead of the integration aspect balancing them out, they were going to the extreme of suicide. From careful observation, most of my research has shown that integration within a group makes suicide less plausible, yet this case is different.
Upon reviewing my four types of suicide, I've declared that these individuals seem to be most like my altruistic group. They have too much integration in society and are sacrificing themselves for the greater good. It's quite possible they may have been brainwashed, but I'm assuming that they feel they are doing this to better humanity.
They also seem to resemble the anomic aspect of suicide because they clearly don't understand what's right or wrong in this situation, especially if they are bringing children along. Children don't have the capacity to think in long-term effects, and they are not being given a fair chance for survival against the group. The group has successfully closed itself off from the church and has developed a cult-like state of mind that has thus resulted in social disintegration among their peers and loved ones. In this case, I feel it's safe to say that they have too much integration, and too little regulation.
Purple Broncos Address Kenny McKinley Death ESPN Staff writer www.sports.espn.go.com September 22, 2010 http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5600395
The Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley was found dead on Monday September 20th, 2010. According to friends and family, McKinley showed no signs of erratic behavior or any major changes in personality. After analyzing the situation, friends realized that he mentioned suicide right after his second surgery due to an injury that could have ended his career. McKinley was a well known college football player at the University of South Carolina where he gained recognition for being a career leader. However, things changed when he sustained his first knee injury as a professional football player. After leaving college, where the atmosphere is more relaxed and he was not constantly surrounded by an entourage, McKinley quickly became acclimated to the life of a star. He was not given the same recognition he had in college, was now separated from his son, and started feeling the stress of a career in football. He suffered 2 serious injuries his first two years of being in the National Football League and had started to show signs of discontent after his second surgery on his knee. One major thing that rang through many of the stories covering this tragedy was that it was either a fellow team member or a family member that was interviewed, not friends that were not in the limelight. He suffered from isolation, like most celebrities of our society, and felt immensely pressured. It was noted that he showed signs of depression and his attitude changed when he was at practice less and was not constantly around his teammates. This is a classic example of Durkheim’s egoistic suicide. McKinley suffered from weakening bonds from his family and possibly friends from college; he had gotten so accustomed to his teammates that when they were taken away, he had no one. After his injuries and surgery, he was forced to stop playing in order to recuperate, which isolated him even more from the only friends he had left which are common signs of excessive individualization. He started to feel very meaningless in his life because he was forbidden to do the one thing he felt as though he was good at, and considering the start of his career, his self esteem had to have lowered. He was not as good as he used to be, he was used to being a superstar and when he played with the Broncos, he was not “the go to guy.” He became very secretive with his life and emotions, none of his friends could recall when he did not have a smile on his face or was not making a joke, yet he committed suicide. He showed classic signs of someone who felt as they did not have any real friends that he would be able to talk to, and no one as a close enough friend that he could open up to. McKinley was also not in a committed relationship, another aspect of most people that commit egoistic suicide. What happened to McKinley was very tragic and could have possibly been prevented if he had realized how he was feeling and sought ways to express his emotions instead of acting upon the “demons” that can consume someone in his position.
Aliakbar 4,100 Students Prove ‘Small Is Better’ Rule Wrong Sam Dillon New York Times 9/28/10 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/education/28school.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
So this article refers to a giant Mass. high school who adopted the motto that it is ok to fail. After Mass. adopted a new education standard requiring all graduates to pass an exam by 2003, a group of teachers tried to redeem their failing school.
I can picture Durkheim's solidarity theory where society moves from mechanical to organic solidarity because it needs more structure and regulation. This can be related to Brockton HS by the previous school model of failure where teachers did not care for their students and just herded them like cattle in a 4,100 student school. This would be the mechanical society where people are caught in their old way of doing things and keep tradition even if does not help the future. In 2001 when the new teaching staff staged a coup and started to make change by helping teachers encourage their students to read, write and think the school started to move towards an Organic solidarity. This new movement gave students and teachers more direction or divisions of labor in Durkheimian terms.
This new movement allowed the school to progress in academics today as well as dynamic density. The article also states that Brockton has become widely racially and ethnically tolerant, which is a factor to moving to organic solidarity.
This has culminated in making academics a collective conscience at a formerly F school, which is also a large school. This is truly an accomplishment.
1. Barca 2. Suicides rise as Chinese workers feel the pressure 3. Andreas Landwehr 4. May 25, 2010 5. german press 6. http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/business/features/article_1558277.php/Suicides-rise-as-Chinese-workers-feel-the-pressure-News-Feature
What is happening is a classic case of Durkehim sucides. It states in the article that the people committing sucide are young mirgrants from rural areas with little other opportuthenities for work. They live under strict rules and work long hours. They live on large campuses run by the companies in tiny apartments and there is little activities to do. They live isolated from each other because of the long hours and the constant turnover of workers. Quoted in the article “'We spend our free time mostly sleeping and surfing the net,' one female worker was quoted by the China Daily as saying. 'We don't go out much.'”. These rashes of suicides are of a combination of over regulation and under integration. The fatalistic suicide is because of the harsh rules imposed on by FoxComm and there are really no other options for these workers. This is all they have in their lives. There is also a factor of egoistic suicide. The long hours, isolated apartments, no places to socialize, and high turnover in the factory have led to too little integration of people. This lack of socialization makes it very hard for people to feel integrated into society and this loneliness and over regulation leads to suicide.
Morrison Anger as a Private Company Takes Over Libraries David Streitfeld New York Times September 26, 2010 nytimes.com/2010/09/27/business/27libraries.html
In California a private company, Library Systems and Services, has been hired to manage a public library. Normally this private enterprise has been contracted by counties to help revive failing libraries in weak economies but the library L.S.S.I. is now charged with managing is in a stable and healthy county which leaves patrons wondering why their local library is seemingly being privatized. After thoroughly reading the article and wondering why a government would be willing to contract a private company to run a public library when it seems to be operating smoothly the only motive I could come up with is monetary. Within the article, the reader learns how the private company (which has already taken over various failing libraries within the country) intends to lay off many employees and those who do remain must sacrifice their pension. The private company L.S.S.I is clearly commodifying librarians as they spread across the country buying libraries, laying off higher paid librarians, eliminating their pensions and hiring employees wiling to work more for less money. The chief executive of L.S.S.I implied that current librarians report to work for 35 years, don't work and collect a pension. He is quoted as saying that "You come to us, you're going to have to work". By that thought, it seems to me that he is commodifying his workers. They are being paid less to do more work and their value is derived from the amount of work they do. It also seems to me that L.S.S.I is attempting to create a sort of massive factory out of all of the libraries they acquire where the workers are simply tools of this factory and they are being overlooked and run by L.S.S.I. With the acquisition of new libraries the government concedes to L.S.S.I the power of hiring staff and the power to choose which books they purchase. L.S.S.I has the right to purchase whichever books they want influencing what patrons can and cannot read and how much they must pay to rent books. An increase in profit is clearly their motive so many patrons are concerned that they will have less access to books but will have to pay more to rent them.
1. Victory 2. The Ground Zero Synagogue Should Jews build a synagogue near a site of Jewish terrorism? 3. William Saletan 4. Slate 5. September 29, 2010 6. http://www.slate.com/id/2269111/?from=rss
Emile Durkheim, "I have a distinct interest in this article in that my father was a rabbi and I was expected to become one as well. Thus, having been rooted in Jewish culture, the acts of Baruch Goldstein fill me with shame and disgust. However, that is neither here nor there because I am here for the sole purpose of defending my well crafted sociological theories, particularly my theory on religion. As it stands, I believe that the purpose of religion is to integrate society and create this notion of solidarity. The key to solidarity is well balanced integration. We see solidarity in this article when Mr. Goldstein is praised for his horrific acts of killing 29 Muslims and injuring 100 more. Through his acts of strong religious beliefs, (whether right or wrong) he has brought individuals together who identify with him and others who praise him. Furthermore, wanting to build the synagogue in a highly controversial area, is yet an example of a religious symbol that further solidifies Goldstein and his followers commitment to their religion. Thus, my theories on religion still stand."
1. Shrapnel 2. European unions stage day of action over spending cuts 3. Al Goodman and Melissa Gray 4. CNN 5. September 29, 2010 6. http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/09/29/europe.strikes/index.html
Change is finally coming and capitalism may finally be coming to an end. As the working class and laborers move en mass, all across Europe, to protest the social inequalities they face, we see that the cracks in the greed-driven capitalistic system is beginning to show. The flaws of capitalism is now outweighs whatever positive effects it may have had on our society as we transitioned out of the dark ages. In a world filled with overflowing material and financial wealth, the disturbingly high social inequalities brought about by capitalism have left the proletariat with the bare minimum. As the bourgeoisie struggle to maintain their high status in a capitalist system, we see that their greed for profit is now ironically bringing about its end. In our current economic depression, companies fight for survival by increasing profits and cutting back their workforce, reducing laborers to be judged only by the profits their work generates against the wages they take home. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer but now the poor are beginning to lose their jobs and their very survival is at risk. Governments are failing to pay off their debt, increasing their taxes fees, yet providing less services. The proletariat are being pushed to the edges of extreme poverty and their awareness of their oppression by the bourgeoisie and social inequality is finally bringing about change. As evidenced by Spain’s 20% unemployment rate, change is necessary and it’s happening now. Capitalism has finally reached its breaking point and utopia is well within reach. “Workers of the world unite you have nothing to lose but your chains.” -Karl Marx
Aurora Gone too soon: 13 year old year Gay Texas boy driven to Suicide by Bullying. The team 9/28/10 Autostraddle http://www.autostraddle.com/13-year-old-gay-suicide-60960/ On September 28 Ashen brown took his own life. He was a thirteen year old stright A sudent. HE was bullied for the better part of 18 months at his middle school. He was outcasted from the society the middle school set up. I believe that durkheim would aruge that Brown lacked intergration in his society as well as regulation. Brown lacked a large social circle in which to gather support. He was ostrasized from the “normal” people. He was constantly put down and even physically assulted. The day before he killed himself one fo his classmates pushed him down the stairs and another kicked his books across the floor. Brown must of felt extreamly lonealy and had a sense that he did not belong anywhere. Brown also was affected with too little regulation. He doesn’t know where he belongs in middle school. All the other children closing off to him causing a feeling that he doesn’t matter. These two egoistic and anomic blended together for brown.
1. Curtrell 2. Televangelist Eddie Long: “I’m going to fight’ sex allegations 3. Ashley Fantz 4. CNN.com 5. September 27, 2010 6. http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/09/26/georgia.pastor.sex.charges/?hpt=Sbin The general conclusion of this article which the reader has before him is that religion is something eminently social. The rites are a manner of acting and we do not know if televangelist Eddie Long is acting and really covering up lies which are destined to excite, maintain, or recreate certain mental states in the people going to that church in Atlanta. One should be careful to avoid all radical and exclusive statements like “I feel like David against Goliath, but I got five rocks and I haven’t thrown one yet.” The church of Eddie Long has a power over the people who attend it and sometimes they can not see what is really going on. Eddie Long always preached against homosexuality but homosexuality is a social fact which occurs in every society.
The advocate group of the Ben &Jerry’s saga exemplifies how liberal reformers can create change in our society. A group or citizenry which becomes aware of indifference constitutes a platform for some clash or worse case, revolt. Ben and Jerry’s, in order to promote profit, took advantage of the health-conscious society we are now living in by capitalizing on their economic, and cultural power to promote the company’s own self-interest--at the expense of unaware citizens not benefiting from this injustice act. These liberal reformers were able to successfully and effectively create change by having the company adjust one of their supposed core values. Thus, this change came about at the hands of reformers who realized this unfairness. My friends, you too can create change in our society.
At the top of each post you must list the following information: 1. Your Codeword 2. Title of the news article you choose (see suggestions below) 3. Author of the news article 4. Source of the news article 5. Date of the news article 6. Link (url) to the news article
Those six lines should be followed by your reflection from the perspective of the social theorist you choose from the list of options for each due date. A reflection is not a summary. Instead, what you are expected to do is to thoroughly read the news article of your choice and reflect on it from the perspective of one of the assigned Social Theorists. Note that your reflection may include a bit of summary, but it must not consist entirely of summarizing the article. Good reflections will analyze the issue discussed in the article from the perspective of one of the assigned Social Theorists; outstanding posts will even take the voice (write in the tone and style of) the Social Theorist. Reflections should be a minimum of one paragraph. They must be posted no later than 4pm on the due date below and the article you choose must have been published within two weeks of the due date. There are 3 points possible of Extra Credit for each post.
#1 - W. 9/29 - Marx, Engels, Durkheim #2 - W. 10/13 - Weber, Gilman, Dubois, Cooper, James, Cooley, Mead #3 - W. 10/20 - Popper, Parsons #4 - W. 11/10 - Mills, Habermas #5 - W. 11/17 - Berger & Luckman, Garfinkel, Goffman
Dazzler
ReplyDeleteRecession Officially Ended in June 2009: NBER
MSNBC, 9/20/2010
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39269753/ns/business-eye_on_the_economy/
Recessions. Recessions, expansions, money, greed, profit. These are symptoms of a sick society, one that has maintained the status quo of production and consumption for entirely too long. This latest and greatest recession, lasting 18 months and boosting the unemployment rate to nearly 10% is another reason why capitalism as a means of production is flawed, and must give way to communism.
Look at the consequences of this recession: the capitalists and bourgeoisie were mostly unaffected through their manipulation of production facilities and exploitation of the proletariat. Alienation occurred while people took whatever desperate measures they needed to survive. The proletariat worker class was the hardest hit by the recession because their value to society is measured by their labor, and in the recession they did not even have the opportunity to slave away for a meager wage. Through their high wealth and access to resources the bourgeoisie can weather the storms that wash away the proletariat.
Now the recession is over, and the capitalists can go back to expanding their power by pauperization. Workers, take this as a message! This recession is over, but another will come, and you will suffer once again! At the end of this article it states that the Federal Reserve may take action to bolster the economy, who are they to have such power over hundreds of millions of people? Is it truly our species being to focus our entire lives on gaining material benefits? As long as the capitalists have control they will continue to run society for their own benefit, rather than the greater good of humanity. Workers of the world, unite!
-Karl Marx
1. sr71-745
ReplyDelete2. U.K. Grocery Sector Makes Progress Hitting Waste Targets
3. GreenBiz Staff
4. GreenBiz.com
5. September 24, 2010
6. http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/09/24/uk-grocery-sector-makes-progress-hitting-waste-targets?tm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+Greenbuzz+(GreenBiz+Feed)
In London, the modern day proletariat was able to band together to fight a known environmental issue. The issue at hand was to reduce the packaging and food waste in the UK. Companies joined forces to fight this issue and form an agreement to reduce packaging and food waste. The companies, as part of the laboring class, were able to be the vehicle to transform the community. Not only did they meet their goal, but they exceeded it by reducing 270,000 fewer tonnes of food waste.
-Marx
1. Fplayer
ReplyDelete2. Teaching Doctors To Be Better Listeners
3. Ira Flatow
4. NPR
5. September 17, 2010
6. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129934800&ft=1&f=1024
The troubles facing the proletariat have risen to new heights, or it could be put that the bourgeois have fallen to new lows. In the tough economic times that the proletariat find themselves, there has always been a safe place; there’s been a place where the two classes can come together peaceably and try to bring about positive solutions for both the less fortunate and the wealthy. That place was the doctor’s office. For inside that office the bourgeois experts provide unbiased care to anyone that makes their way into the establishment. This is forced upon the bourgeois by laws and legislation that enforce giving fair health care to all individuals. Hospitals and physician’s offices could be a shining example of what social harmony could be, but nothing is ever that simple when greed, capitalism, and the bourgeois are involved.
It seems that although the proletariat patients may be talking, the bourgeois doctors are not listening. Or if they are listening, it’s poorly. There are so many questions asked of the proletariat in the medical setting: age, weight, family medical history, insurance company, all of which are relevant, but don’t always get to the heart of the patient’s problems. There is more to know about the patient’s personal life and daily stressors that affect their wellness and these facts would be useful information in finding them a cure. Sadly, it seems that these cues are not being heeded by doctors, and it’s in profit’s name that this heinous crime is being committed. In order to get the greatest number of patients in their office and get the greatest possible profit from their days work, doctors rush patients in, give them a tongue depressor, and get them back out the door as quick as possible. Not the best quality of care and not the best quality of treatment. Efficiency and productivity have caught the proletariat in a vicious trap.
It has been established that every American citizen should have the right to proper medical treatment, but it seems this right has become a privilege for only a chosen few. Something must change, ears must be opened. That is why the University of Illinois has started studies to improve the training and attentiveness of its medical students. This is a step in the right direction, but a partially incomplete tactic. Weathered professionals that have been involved in the medical arena for years are not likely to change their set-in ways. They are hard-headed and ignorant to their own faults. Because of this, the push toward change must come from the patients. Proletarians must start to demand that they are fully heard and that all the important questions have been answered and heard. With the health of the proletariat at stake there is nothing more important, and the time must be now to take action against medical oppression. There is no quick cure to the problem of doctor’s inattentiveness, but with a concentrated effort from the lower class, the proletarian will start the long climb to recovery.
• The majority of this article was influenced by Karl Marx with an influence of Weber on the dangers of rationalization in the doctor’s office
1. mht914
ReplyDelete2. Anger as a Private Company Takes Over Libraries
3. David Streitfield
4. BBC news
5. Sept. 26, 2010
6. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/27/business/27libraries.html?_r=1
The most wretched of happenings results from an established social group alienating another. For on the premise it is clear that the Library Systems & Services company seeks to monopolize libraries across the nation. The privatization of such a municipal service therefore threatens the individual's relationship with the libraries already in existence. Such workers in place shall fear for the loss of their jobs, having it not be lost that those who stay shall enter into forced labour from an estranged source. The anger of the workers becomes most successful as the workers' consciousness of this alienation comes into existence. This consciousness shall ensue action from the workers, whereas the Mayor and city council will lose ability to deny the workers their true labour desires.
-Karl Marx
1. Dolphins
ReplyDelete2. Anger as a Private Company takes over Libraries
3.David Streitfield
4. BBC News
5. September 26, 2010
6. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/27/business/27libraries.html?_r=1
As I read this article the first thing that came to my mind is Capitalism. And from there my thoughts went to Marx. The L.S.S.I. taking over public libraries is to me with Marx influence capitalism. it is a big business trying to make a profit no matter what. and according to Marx capitalism id doomed to fail, which means all big companies are doomed to fail and the trickle down effect occurs.Marx was also a pro- working class person. however when I read this article this company does not seem to be in favor of those who work at the library. thought they say it is still a "public" library it really is not, it's whole reason for being now is to make money.If I recall correctly Marx was also opposed to privatizing companies and I would have to agree. Because when that happens then you get capitalism and the working class being treated horribly. If outsourcing was a bigger part of Marx time I'm sure he would have been opposed to it. outsourcing, such as these libraries are doing because of the new take over, takes money and jobs away from the working class. For Marx and me his theory was for the working class to risen up against big companies and capitalism. overall, everything in this article Marx would be opposed to.
1. Pena
ReplyDelete2. Teacher's suicide shocks students, teachers and parents
3. Alexandra Zavis and Tony Barboza
4. Los Angeles Times
5. September 28, 2010
6. http://www.latimes.com/health/mentalhealth/la-me-south-gate-teacher-20100928,0,1608610.story
Why does suicide occur? Suicide is a social phenomenon influenced by the amount of integration and regulation in society. The suicide of Rigoberto Ruelas, a fifth-grade elementary school teacher further proves my analysis of suicide as having social causes. Although Ruelas was cited as a good teacher, he took ratings that came out recently labeling him as “less effective” to heart. He took his own life as a form of altruistic suicide.
Since the ratings made him believe that he was an ineffective teacher, he no longer wanted to be a burden on his students or fellow teachers. He perhaps believed that if he were no longer in the picture, it would make room for more effective teachers to take his place. This would then eliminate the burden on his students and allow them to succeed much more than they did before. He no longer wanted his existence to hold the students back that he cared so much about.
Though this is only one example of a type of suicide, its occurrence solidifies the social nature of suicide. Viewing suicide through social eyes helps us understand the phenomena better than if we ignored social connections. Suicide does not occur for individual reasons, but rather a combination of social forces (integration and regulation).
- Durkheim
gmoney
ReplyDeletePolice alert: 6 adults, 8 children plan mass suicide
MSNBC, 9/19/2010
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39251083/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts
Upon hearing of this mass suicide, I questioned those involved. They seemed to be integrated in society by their "close-knit organization" which was involved within their church, yet they were in a completely different mindset. Instead of the integration aspect balancing them out, they were going to the extreme of suicide. From careful observation, most of my research has shown that integration within a group makes suicide less plausible, yet this case is different.
Upon reviewing my four types of suicide, I've declared that these individuals seem to be most like my altruistic group. They have too much integration in society and are sacrificing themselves for the greater good. It's quite possible they may have been brainwashed, but I'm assuming that they feel they are doing this to better humanity.
They also seem to resemble the anomic aspect of suicide because they clearly don't understand what's right or wrong in this situation, especially if they are bringing children along. Children don't have the capacity to think in long-term effects, and they are not being given a fair chance for survival against the group. The group has successfully closed itself off from the church and has developed a cult-like state of mind that has thus resulted in social disintegration among their peers and loved ones. In this case, I feel it's safe to say that they have too much integration, and too little regulation.
-- Emile Durkheim
Purple
ReplyDeleteBroncos Address Kenny McKinley Death
ESPN Staff writer
www.sports.espn.go.com
September 22, 2010
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5600395
The Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley was found dead on Monday September 20th, 2010. According to friends and family, McKinley showed no signs of erratic behavior or any major changes in personality. After analyzing the situation, friends realized that he mentioned suicide right after his second surgery due to an injury that could have ended his career. McKinley was a well known college football player at the University of South Carolina where he gained recognition for being a career leader. However, things changed when he sustained his first knee injury as a professional football player.
After leaving college, where the atmosphere is more relaxed and he was not constantly surrounded by an entourage, McKinley quickly became acclimated to the life of a star. He was not given the same recognition he had in college, was now separated from his son, and started feeling the stress of a career in football. He suffered 2 serious injuries his first two years of being in the National Football League and had started to show signs of discontent after his second surgery on his knee. One major thing that rang through many of the stories covering this tragedy was that it was either a fellow team member or a family member that was interviewed, not friends that were not in the limelight. He suffered from isolation, like most celebrities of our society, and felt immensely pressured. It was noted that he showed signs of depression and his attitude changed when he was at practice less and was not constantly around his teammates.
This is a classic example of Durkheim’s egoistic suicide. McKinley suffered from weakening bonds from his family and possibly friends from college; he had gotten so accustomed to his teammates that when they were taken away, he had no one. After his injuries and surgery, he was forced to stop playing in order to recuperate, which isolated him even more from the only friends he had left which are common signs of excessive individualization. He started to feel very meaningless in his life because he was forbidden to do the one thing he felt as though he was good at, and considering the start of his career, his self esteem had to have lowered. He was not as good as he used to be, he was used to being a superstar and when he played with the Broncos, he was not “the go to guy.” He became very secretive with his life and emotions, none of his friends could recall when he did not have a smile on his face or was not making a joke, yet he committed suicide. He showed classic signs of someone who felt as they did not have any real friends that he would be able to talk to, and no one as a close enough friend that he could open up to. McKinley was also not in a committed relationship, another aspect of most people that commit egoistic suicide.
What happened to McKinley was very tragic and could have possibly been prevented if he had realized how he was feeling and sought ways to express his emotions instead of acting upon the “demons” that can consume someone in his position.
•Emile Durkheim
Aliakbar
ReplyDelete4,100 Students Prove ‘Small Is Better’ Rule Wrong
Sam Dillon
New York Times
9/28/10
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/education/28school.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
So this article refers to a giant Mass. high school who adopted the motto that it is ok to fail. After Mass. adopted a new education standard requiring all graduates to pass an exam by 2003, a group of teachers tried to redeem their failing school.
I can picture Durkheim's solidarity theory where society moves from mechanical to organic solidarity because it needs more structure and regulation. This can be related to Brockton HS by the previous school model of failure where teachers did not care for their students and just herded them like cattle in a 4,100 student school. This would be the mechanical society where people are caught in their old way of doing things and keep tradition even if does not help the future. In 2001 when the new teaching staff staged a coup and started to make change by helping teachers encourage their students to read, write and think the school started to move towards an Organic solidarity. This new movement gave students and teachers more direction or divisions of labor in Durkheimian terms.
This new movement allowed the school to progress in academics today as well as dynamic density. The article also states that Brockton has become widely racially and ethnically tolerant, which is a factor to moving to organic solidarity.
This has culminated in making academics a collective conscience at a formerly F school, which is also a large school. This is truly an accomplishment.
1. Barca
ReplyDelete2. Suicides rise as Chinese workers feel the pressure
3. Andreas Landwehr
4. May 25, 2010
5. german press
6. http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/business/features/article_1558277.php/Suicides-rise-as-Chinese-workers-feel-the-pressure-News-Feature
What is happening is a classic case of Durkehim sucides. It states in the article that the people committing sucide are young mirgrants from rural areas with little other opportuthenities for work. They live under strict rules and work long hours. They live on large campuses run by the companies in tiny apartments and there is little activities to do. They live isolated from each other because of the long hours and the constant turnover of workers. Quoted in the article “'We spend our free time mostly sleeping and surfing the net,' one female worker was quoted by the China Daily as saying. 'We don't go out much.'”. These rashes of suicides are of a combination of over regulation and under integration. The fatalistic suicide is because of the harsh rules imposed on by FoxComm and there are really no other options for these workers. This is all they have in their lives. There is also a factor of egoistic suicide. The long hours, isolated apartments, no places to socialize, and high turnover in the factory have led to too little integration of people. This lack of socialization makes it very hard for people to feel integrated into society and this loneliness and over regulation leads to suicide.
Morrison
ReplyDeleteAnger as a Private Company Takes Over Libraries
David Streitfeld
New York Times
September 26, 2010
nytimes.com/2010/09/27/business/27libraries.html
In California a private company, Library Systems and Services, has been hired to manage a public library. Normally this private enterprise has been contracted by counties to help revive failing libraries in weak economies but the library L.S.S.I. is now charged with managing is in a stable and healthy county which leaves patrons wondering why their local library is seemingly being privatized.
After thoroughly reading the article and wondering why a government would be willing to contract a private company to run a public library when it seems to be operating smoothly the only motive I could come up with is monetary. Within the article, the reader learns how the private company (which has already taken over various failing libraries within the country) intends to lay off many employees and those who do remain must sacrifice their pension.
The private company L.S.S.I is clearly commodifying librarians as they spread across the country buying libraries, laying off higher paid librarians, eliminating their pensions and hiring employees wiling to work more for less money. The chief executive of L.S.S.I implied that current librarians report to work for 35 years, don't work and collect a pension. He is quoted as saying that "You come to us, you're going to have to work". By that thought, it seems to me that he is commodifying his workers. They are being paid less to do more work and their value is derived from the amount of work they do. It also seems to me that L.S.S.I is attempting to create a sort of massive factory out of all of the libraries they acquire where the workers are simply tools of this factory and they are being overlooked and run by L.S.S.I. With the acquisition of new libraries the government concedes to L.S.S.I the power of hiring staff and the power to choose which books they purchase. L.S.S.I has the right to purchase whichever books they want influencing what patrons can and cannot read and how much they must pay to rent books. An increase in profit is clearly their motive so many patrons are concerned that they will have less access to books but will have to pay more to rent them.
1. Victory
ReplyDelete2. The Ground Zero Synagogue
Should Jews build a synagogue near a site of Jewish terrorism?
3. William Saletan
4. Slate
5. September 29, 2010
6. http://www.slate.com/id/2269111/?from=rss
Emile Durkheim, "I have a distinct interest in this article in that my father was a rabbi and I was expected to become one as well. Thus, having been rooted in Jewish culture, the acts of Baruch Goldstein fill me with shame and disgust. However, that is neither here nor there because I am here for the sole purpose of defending my well crafted sociological theories, particularly my theory on religion. As it stands, I believe that the purpose of religion is to integrate society and create this notion of solidarity. The key to solidarity is well balanced integration. We see solidarity in this article when Mr. Goldstein is praised for his horrific acts of killing 29 Muslims and injuring 100 more. Through his acts of strong religious beliefs, (whether right or wrong) he has brought individuals together who identify with him and others who praise him. Furthermore, wanting to build the synagogue in a highly controversial area, is yet an example of a religious symbol that further solidifies Goldstein and his followers commitment to their religion. Thus, my theories on religion still stand."
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete1. Shrapnel
ReplyDelete2. European unions stage day of action over spending cuts
3. Al Goodman and Melissa Gray
4. CNN
5. September 29, 2010
6. http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/09/29/europe.strikes/index.html
Change is finally coming and capitalism may finally be coming to an end. As the working class and laborers move en mass, all across Europe, to protest the social inequalities they face, we see that the cracks in the greed-driven capitalistic system is beginning to show. The flaws of capitalism is now outweighs whatever positive effects it may have had on our society as we transitioned out of the dark ages. In a world filled with overflowing material and financial wealth, the disturbingly high social inequalities brought about by capitalism have left the proletariat with the bare minimum. As the bourgeoisie struggle to maintain their high status in a capitalist system, we see that their greed for profit is now ironically bringing about its end. In our current economic depression, companies fight for survival by increasing profits and cutting back their workforce, reducing laborers to be judged only by the profits their work generates against the wages they take home. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer but now the poor are beginning to lose their jobs and their very survival is at risk. Governments are failing to pay off their debt, increasing their taxes fees, yet providing less services. The proletariat are being pushed to the edges of extreme poverty and their awareness of their oppression by the bourgeoisie and social inequality is finally bringing about change. As evidenced by Spain’s 20% unemployment rate, change is necessary and it’s happening now. Capitalism has finally reached its breaking point and utopia is well within reach. “Workers of the world unite you have nothing to lose but your chains.”
-Karl Marx
Aurora
ReplyDeleteGone too soon: 13 year old year Gay Texas boy driven to Suicide by Bullying.
The team
9/28/10
Autostraddle
http://www.autostraddle.com/13-year-old-gay-suicide-60960/
On September 28 Ashen brown took his own life. He was a thirteen year old stright A sudent. HE was bullied for the better part of 18 months at his middle school. He was outcasted from the society the middle school set up. I believe that durkheim would aruge that Brown lacked intergration in his society as well as regulation. Brown lacked a large social circle in which to gather support. He was ostrasized from the “normal” people. He was constantly put down and even physically assulted. The day before he killed himself one fo his classmates pushed him down the stairs and another kicked his books across the floor. Brown must of felt extreamly lonealy and had a sense that he did not belong anywhere. Brown also was affected with too little regulation. He doesn’t know where he belongs in middle school. All the other children closing off to him causing a feeling that he doesn’t matter. These two egoistic and anomic blended together for brown.
1. Curtrell
ReplyDelete2. Televangelist Eddie Long: “I’m going to fight’ sex allegations
3. Ashley Fantz
4. CNN.com
5. September 27, 2010
6. http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/09/26/georgia.pastor.sex.charges/?hpt=Sbin
The general conclusion of this article which the reader has before him is that religion is something eminently social. The rites are a manner of acting and we do not know if televangelist Eddie Long is acting and really covering up lies which are destined to excite, maintain, or recreate certain mental states in the people going to that church in Atlanta. One should be careful to avoid all radical and exclusive statements like “I feel like David against Goliath, but I got five rocks and I haven’t thrown one yet.”
The church of Eddie Long has a power over the people who attend it and sometimes they can not see what is really going on. Eddie Long always preached against homosexuality but homosexuality is a social fact which occurs in every society.
CoAnd
ReplyDeleteBen & Jerry's Backs Off 'All Natural' Claims
Greenbiz Staff
Greenbiz
September 29, 2010
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/09/29/ben-jerrys-backs-all-natural-claims?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Greenbuzz+%28GreenBiz+Feed%29
The advocate group of the Ben &Jerry’s saga exemplifies how liberal reformers can create change in our society. A group or citizenry which becomes aware of indifference constitutes a platform for some clash or worse case, revolt. Ben and Jerry’s, in order to promote profit, took advantage of the health-conscious society we are now living in by capitalizing on their economic, and cultural power to promote the company’s own self-interest--at the expense of unaware citizens not benefiting from this injustice act.
These liberal reformers were able to successfully and effectively create change by having the company adjust one of their supposed core values. Thus, this change came about at the hands of reformers who realized this unfairness. My friends, you too can create change in our society.