Archive for December, 2010
How consumerism has enslaved us
It used to be identity was to be found in the way we thought, the groups we were a part of, and the things we held dear. More and more, however, we exist in a monotonic world where our identity is provided by the things we display (cloths, watches, smart phones, stinky chemical scents), our thinking is remarkably conformist and identical, and we all belong to the same social group knowm as “the consumers.” It is a brave new world world where the pain of our shrinking sense of self can, we are told, be easily be mitigated and managed with the appropriate product purchase (booze, antidepressents, social phones) . But in case you haven’t realized, more product purchase doesn’t help. The anxiety and malaise continue to grow.
Sociology’s relation to business
I’m a business student but interested in Sociology. Would taking a Sociology course help me in my business career.
The Problem of Child Labor in US Agriculture
Ever wonder how those grocery shelves at your Publix get filled with all the wonderful and lovely produce you and your family enjoy? Think it is the result of well paid craftsman farmers, hearty individualists sowing and tilling and harvesting with sweat on their powerful brows? Think again. In the service of increasing profit, capitalism requires the constant reduction of cost and this competitive dynamic eventually forces the use of cheap labor. And what’s cheaper than a child? In the value system of competitive capitalism, not much.
Rebel Rank and File
Rebel Rank and File uncovers the hidden of the 1970s labour movement with thirteen cogent essays from labor historians, activists and writers. Topics range from the political economy of rank-and-file-rebellion to workplace feminism, in industries as disparate as agriculture, education, and mining. Aaron Brenner’s preface provides an introductory outline, while a forward by DRUM founder Mike Hamlin illuminates the specific conditions of revolutionary black workers. Excellent!
What to know about the nature of money, the value of money, and money's role in our modern economies of exchange, then download The Rocket Scientists' Guide to Money and the Economy and let the truth set you free. [download]
Statistics for the rest of us. Afraid of math? Not sure how you're going to get your social statistics credit without permanent damage to your mental health? Consider Sociology 301: Social Statistics from Athabasca University. This course is designed for you, as a grounded and thorough introduction to social statistics. Learn everything you need to know in a sophisticated, well designed, and gentle package. Credit in Sociology 301 is fully transferable.
