Sociological Mindfulness

Sociological Mindfulness- Ashley

1.       Reflection of Ted Talk

“Sociology: The way that humans are shaped by the things that they do not see.” I thought this was a unique interpretation of the study. “Looking” at impactful events in society that cannot actually be physically “looked at” is extremely thought-provoking. This really makes me think about the mentalities of not only the individuals around me with similar cultures, but also at the larger groups in our world who may not think or live anything like me. There are definitely invisible impacts on our nations. Religion, economic standing, mental capacity, accessibility of knowledge, emotional states, etc. I found Sam Richards’s examples of differing countries in conflict (U.S. and Iraq specifically in the video) to be very relevant and correct. Yes, we “know” our way of life to be correct, but so do they. While listening to him discuss the fear those people must have felt and the distaste they feel for our religion and desire to change theirs, I couldn’t help but acknowledge that religion and assimilation isn’t easy to adapt and force on people. I would be terrified too if another country marched their way into my hometown and declared that I must change the core of who I am to be saved. At the same time, however, I can also see the viewpoint that these people may just be incorrect and uneducated. Our soldiers are trying to do well by our country, yes, but we (our country) also strives for the freedom and justice of the rest of the world. To add to this, we actually claim in our own legal system that ignorance is not an excuse, so how can we declare that foreigners’ ignorance to current events is a justifiable excuse to attacking our soldiers? No, they don’t have the same resources as we do to learn this knowledge, but neither do many of our own impoverished/less fortunate Americans (especially those who are new to our country and way of life). Again, I can see both sides: kindness and fairness.

2.       Examples of when I have been sociologically mindful (empathetic)

I have chosen to discuss four different cases in which I displayed sociological mindfulness. I chose different societally-diverse categories for each as well: culture/backgrounds, mental capacity, economic standing, and emotional/social states. I think it is not only important to lend a helping hand to those that you know or meet, but also to acknowledge the hardships of those in your surrounding area and consider life from their points of view. This aids us on our path to empathy.

The first instance, dealing with cultures/backgrounds, that I would like to share is my interpretation of the Somalians’ (in Aberdeen) living conditions and lifestyles. I think moving to America in hopes of a better and safer life is a very brave and difficult thing to do. We often interpret the Somalians in our area to be a nuisance or dangerous, but we must think about what they are going through right now. They moved here, in the middle of America’s “nowhere”, having little to no knowledge of our language, customs, or laws. Therefore, with little aid to further their understanding for our common language and laws, how would they know what is illegal or not or what is acceptable behavior or not? If I moved to a different country and had no knowledge of the language being used or the laws in place, I definitely would not feel safe. Where the Somalians are coming from, they were not safe. How do they know that it isn’t “every man for himself” here as well? It’s going to be a process to get them used to this life. Instead of picturing their community among us as unwanted, we should try to understand where they are coming from. Yes, their lack of knowledge makes them a bit dangerous, and I’m not saying we should invite them over (unwise as they do have different viewpoints and standards of conduct), but we can make efforts to understand the struggle of accustoming.

Next, I wanted to discuss a very recent event that took place within the last few weeks. It deals with a little girl and her parent who have different circumstances than me, but who live in a similar area and culture. During warm-up at the home varsity basketball game against Leola-Frederick, while I was playing in the pep band (percussion), a little girl with special needs walked up to our band and asked to play the drums. Her father quickly came walking after her to tell her she “can’t disrupt the band”, but I felt for them both. I found a spare tambourine for her to play, and she loved it so much! It seemed to make the father pretty happy as well. She was such a sweetheart, and it made me feel great that I could do something for her that day. She didn’t know that what she was originally doing was not “normal”. She just wanted to play with us. Her father also probably felt pretty guilty for “disrupting” us, so I wanted to make sure he didn’t take her back to their seats right then, him feeling embarrassed and her feeling disappointed. I thought that instance is a good example for this question.

My next example deals not only with economic situations, but also access to religion. This past year, I have been driving to the Pahl household in Claremont every Sunday morning to pick up Aiden and Zachary for Sunday School. I know that they would not otherwise get to church, and the religious spirit and supportive congregation are things that I think those boys benefit from being around. Their grandma is not big on going to church, herself, and doesn’t enjoy getting up and getting ready to drive them there either. Therefore, I share responsibility with my siblings and family to make sure they get there. Sunday School means so much to Aiden and he often tells me how much he missed it when we have a week off for holidays. Zachary, on the other hand, is a little more resistant to participation and not as eager to join, but nonetheless, it is important to get him there when we can.

The last instance I decided to include in this answer took place this summer on my Europe Trip. It has to do with emotional states and social standings. In our percussion section, there were 15 kids. Immediately, there seemed to be a group of “macho men” who decided they were in charge and the best. They took the role of “the bros”, but seemed to leave one guy out of this group. I find social situations in which I don’t know anyone at first to be a bit awkward sometimes as well, so I made it my goal to befriend that kid. It seemed that just because this guy maybe wasn’t as athletically involved as the others, he wasn’t being viewed in the same way as they were viewing each other. People who group off and leave others out in ways like that seriously get on my nerve. Who were they to decide who was in charge or “the best”? I even told Brooklin about this on our pre-tour stay in Brookings, so she can attest to this. Anyways, to make a long story short, we all ended up being great friends by the end of our travels. He ended up being such a fun kid to be around, and I feel very “puppet-master-like” for getting our group together like that. I say puppet-master in a good, fulfilling way, of course. So there you have it: the fourth instance that I decided fit the topic in question.

3.       A person I think belongs on the list "10 acts of courage that changed the world"

I believe Susan B. Anthony would be a great individual to include in this list. She was a powerful feminist advocate of the late 19^th century and paved the way for women’s rights. Leading up to the Civil War, she was an agent for the American Anti-Slavery Society, allowing her to grow in her courage and speak up for the inequalities of our country at that time. Post-Civil War, she founded the Americans Equal Rights Associations. This association idealized equal voting rights for all genders and races.

However, I think that if I had to pick a specific “act of courage that changed the world”, I would chose her work within the National Woman Suffrage Association (that she also founded). She not only gave speeches around the nation to convince others to support women’s rights, but also risked her own well-being during the presidential election of 1872. During this election, she illegally participated and voted (illegal because she was a woman, yes). This led to her arrest—which she fought to no success—and a fining of $100 which she also never actually paid. (I used an inflation calculator to find out that $100 in 1872 would now be equivalent to over $2,100.) Her bravery was a large contributor to the eventual 19^th Amendment, even though it didn’t come into play until nearly 20 years after her death.

4.       “I see myself fitting into the big picture of society…”

I see myself fitting into the big picture of society by adding the Ashley-shaped puzzle piece to our country’s everlasting puzzle. Like a puzzle, everyone in our society is intertwined and connected. I see myself as a substantial, supportive piece to this puzzle someday. To whom much is given, much is expected. I feel as if I have been blessed with a strong upbringing, academic successes, seemingly endless ambitions and goals, and hopefully plenty of potential. With these blessings, I will choose to do good and to give back. I will not only work very hard in a job that I am passionate about (career undecided at the moment) to pay taxes into our governmental structures—supporting nationalism and our country’s development—but also to give back on my own terms to organizations with great causes/motives or individuals with great needs. That is the piece of the societal puzzle I see myself fitting into. I also cannot stand the thought of living my life as a by-standing conformist. I long to make a change or a lasting contribution. I want to fit into the big picture of society in my own way by staying true to myself, but also by maintaining an empathetic mindset for those around me.