Sociological mindfulness

When I think back on my time here in the United States of America I like to feel that I am fortunate. Having the chance to experience two different societies and how these societies differ in major ways such as in America people are in such a rush to grow up they don't get to be a kid by the time they are starting school they are already setting themselves up to figure out what college they are going and they become so focussed on that one thing. Whereas in New Zealand you go through schooling where it is compulsory to play a sport and play an instrument, we use schooling as a way to figure out who we are and to complete this journey we do a gap year this is how we figure out what we truly enjoy, to figure out what degree we want to do at university.

Sociological mindfulness is knowing how you are being influenced and how you are influencing others this got me thinking about how society influences me and how to go about planning my future yet I also realize that the way that I go about my transitions through life whether or not I decide to take a gap year or go straight to university will also impact my two younger brothers. Who will see what I did and follow in my foot steps we have created this sort of sheep mentality of follow the leader without really thinking for ourselves. Schwalbe understood this, he understood the rarity of sociological mindfulness " how our ties to others lead us to think" this really makes you think how much of your thoughts and how you feel has been influenced by society in a major way.

Sociological imagination is realizing that individuals are influenced by the society around them. Sociology class has really opened my eyes two these two important ways of thinking without society I would of never realized how I was being influenced by others and how I was influencing others. Sociology has also shown me that not many people think this way or understand how they are being influenced and how they influence others.