Archive for June, 2012
America Is Under Attack??
There’s something wrong in the world today, and Sociologists know what it is. From the School of the America’s (website, Wikipedia) to the increasing gap between rich and poor, to the colonial wars of violent conquest conducted in the name of freedom, but really about power and greed, things just don’t look good. So what are you going to do, and where are we to go from here? Violence is never the solution but knowledge is power, so read, study, discover, take a sociology class, and get yourself some knowledge.
A Bungling Fox in the Henhouse: The Corporatization of Higher Education
If you ask me, business is good, but not necessarily so. Checks and balances need to be applied otherwise things get out of hand, like they are now. With the European economy on the brink of total collapse, and higher education going through some of the most fundamental transformation it has ever faced, business continues as usual. But unless something fundamental changes, the ship is apparently going to go down. Course correction required! So stand up and make yourself heard. Better yet, do your local business person a favour and tell them, too much it too much and enough is enough.
Feminism Sucks
Got your attention? Good. Feminists have long challenged men to treat women with respect, and to acknowledge their “sins.” But now, feminists themselves face a challenge. Men might be part of the problem, but women play a role as well. In fact, their role in creating the world “as it is” is just as significant, and just as worthy of critical analysis, as the roles (father, warrior, ruler) that men have played. The only question is, will we face the part we played, take responsibility for the damage, and change what we’ve done. Or will it be business as usual once again.
Ayn Rand: The Blinkered Visionary
Ah ideology. Whether it is left or right, pink or blue, it is ideology non the less. Ayn Rand was clearly an ideologue and people liked her because she provided justification for all sorts of greedy, selfish, and inconsiderate behaviors under the banner of some sort of naturally sanctioned individualism. But swing the pendulum the other way and we trod on our fellow peeps in the name of the collective good. My question? Are left and right really that different when the result (oppression, suppression, and concentrated wealth) are the same?
No Justice for All
Here’s a little criminological snapshot of incarceration rates in the U.S. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this one speaks volumes not only about the high rates of incarceration in the U.S., but the incredible social cost that is associated. Something to think about for all you would-be criminologists in the audience.
What is Creativity
What is creativity? How does one become creative? Turns out, nobody knows. Or at least that is the conclusion of Dr. Monika Reuter who, after thousands of hours of research, throws up her hands in frustration at the lack of theory and explanation. Should we give up? No. But if yo uask me, if we want to understand creativity then what we need is a revolution in how we understand the nature of our reality, our existence, and ourselves.
The Corporate Welfare State & Growing Inequality in American Society
Unlike a lot of people out there, I am one to say I TOLD YA SO. The current growth in inequality, the current “mess” in the global financial system, the weird political machinations that seem to directly contradict the principles upon which modern democracies were founded, these were all predicted decades ago by Sociologists. So what are you going to do? Well, read this article, but slowly. There’s a lot of enlightening Sociology in this article. If it gets a little thick, pop on over to the forums and ask Owen a question.
To Infinity and Beyond: New Frontiers in the Science Wars
(An Excerpt from Good Science) It’s easy to beat up on postmodernists these days. Ever since the Sokal Hoax, the postmodernists’ Waterloo, the science wars have been a rout. Once it became clear that postmodernism was incapable of distinguishing between valid scientific perspectives and gibberish, postmodernists have bolted from the battlefield. This was a remarkable [...]
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