When it comes to social change and social movements in general, I feel that people will always stick up for what they believe in. They may not be vocal and not everyone may take part in resolving issues but they at least have their views. I have been involved into the environmental movement, or "going green" movement for some time, now. Since I was about thirteen years old, my mother, my father, my grandmother and also my grandfather have always encouraged me to recycle, or at least try and do my part. Even though recycling is not the biggest thing that we are able to do when it comes to “going green” they said every little thing helps. I feel that it is our duty to help keep our earth clean. This being said, I am very passionate when it comes to preserving earth’s natural resources. If people do not start to "go green", global warming will become an even bigger fear than it is, today.
I believe that most social changes/movements have logical reasoning behind them, whether I agree with what the movement is about or not. People have the right to stand up for what they believe in regardless of what others think. I'm not in a movement, but I am a very strong supporter of gay rights. Everyone should have the same rights no matter what their sexual orientation is. This is America, we are supposed to be "the land of the free." We are supposed to do what we want, believe what we want, and practice what we want, yet marriage between two people of the same sex is illegal. It is a personal choice and it should not be taken away from those who choose to practice it. The concept of gay marriage is very similar to the concept of choosing our own religion. No one should have to agree with it, but if people who aren't homosexual get to do what makes them happy, then those who are homosexual should have the right to be happy. It would be enjoyable to learn more about why it is illegal for gays to get married, and why people think the way they do about gay marriage. Hearing what both sides have to say it very intriguing. Controversial subjects always seem to spark my interest, especially ones that are as popular as this. No one should be treated differently because they are homosexual and it's supposedly not "normal." I have quite a few homosexual friends and behind their appearance and sexual orientation, they are just like any of my heterosexual friends.
There are many social changes and movements going on in our society; and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Personally, I believe that you're natural instinct, desire of heart, and logic all play a role in this opinion. I am not involved in a movement, but I am a firm believer in abortion being a choice. My mother strongly disagrees and does not believe in this. My viewpoint is that if a mother has logical reasoning and firmly believes that this baby is not meant to be here on earth, than that should be it. No one should be told how to handle such an important decision in life. Scenarios such as rape, should be special cases where abortion is allowed. Even though I know I wouldn't give up my child, no matter the circumstance, that does not mean that choice should be taken away from other young women.
I believe in social change/ movements because they usually people working to make life better for all of us. I think that people will always do what they want and believe what they want to believe. Everyone has their own opinion about social change. I personally have never been involved in any type of social movement and really never thought much about being involved. After thinking about this topic I do realize I have been involved in some immigrating movement and also the going green. In the community that I grew up in there has been a large Hispanic movement. When I started school there were hardly any Hispanics in my school but when I graduated there were nearly 60 percent in my school. The other movements I have been involved in are going green. The town I live in does not have a mandatory recycle program. They do offer curbside pick-up like plastic aluminum and cardboard. They also offer a recycle program for tree trimming recycle in which the make mulch. I feel strong that this is a big program and that we all should follow program like this in order for us to save earth. I know there are many ways that I can help but would like to do more to help the going green movement. Every little thing can make a difference.
From what I have read and seen so far that has involved social change, in my opinion has been good for the most part. I like change. I feel that we as human beings need to continue to change for ourselves and society. Human rights movements throughout the 1960's-1970's have made a big impact on how our society here in the united States and the world treat each other regarding a person's race and ethnicity. In all cultures music seems to be connected to a lot of social movements, it brings people together for whatever they may be fighting for. My personality has always been based on change in society. I get drawn into social changes/movements by wanting to help shape my community by getting involved or just investigate and analyze what that particular group of people's ideas are for what ever change they are trying to make. Some of the social changes or movements that I have been apart of are based on the acceptance of multiple races in small and large communities by befriending at least one person from each of the racial groups in that area and creating my own group of friends trying to find common ground until the tension between that group of people has gone away. Since middle school I have been introducing people to foods and music of different cultures, most of the time those people that I have interacted start to fuse these foods and music into their lives. A social change/movement that I would like to be involved in relates to Native Americans. As a Cherokee I feel obligated to be apart of this movement. I would like to see all Native tribes recognized by the United States government. I would research what tribes haven't been accepted, then write to these groups to see what has already been done, next meet with the tribes if able. after gathering all my information I would then write to those in Washington D.C. over the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
The other day I was sitting outside just think about life in general and it hit me. I guess what initially put the thought in my head were the social movements going on in the Middle East over the winter. These people were demanding a regime change. This is something I’ve known could happen, it’s not like I don’t know about America and France’s own revolutions, but it never seemed like something real. I had just always felt so far displaced from it. But hearing that these people in the most unstable regions of the Middle East were doing something to better their lives just was so poetic. I’m not saying this to say I’m some sort of radical, but the fact still remains that if you don’t like something. You can change it. As far as being American goes I’ve always just felt kind of apathetic to our own plight. Which more or less has become someone is going to be in the white house, even if you don’t like either candidate. What’s funny is that there is nothing you can do about it. We don’t even really get to pick our politicians anymore, at least in my eyes. It’s become what you see is what you get. If you don’t like it vote anyways because it’s the American way. These movements in the Middle East in a sense gave me hope for America. That one day maybe this country could stand for what it initially set out to be, a land of opportunity. To look out the window and see run down streets, aging infrastructure and general “Detroitiness” it hurts. I want to be proud of my country. Not just turn my nose up at the dismay and pretend that it doesn’t exist. I found hope in the Middle east of all places.
I believe that there is at least one social movement out there that affects everyone in some way or form. I personally am not involved in any social movements, but there are some that I can relate to and understand the importance or reasoning behind. Whether you speak up in a conversation, or do something publicly about it, I feel that gives you some involvement in social movements. One of the social movements that really affects me on a personal level is the Downs Syndrome Rights. Growing up with a cousin that has Downs Syndrome has taught me that everyone should be given equal rights no matter what special needs they might be born with. The Downs Syndrome Rights' goal is to make sure that everyone effected with this syndrome gets their voice heard and has the same equal rights as everyone else. This past summer, I worked as a lifeguard for my city pool, and every Thursday they would have what is called a "Camp Care Night", where all of the citizens in my community that had some sort of special needs would come swim for an hour during the evening with the pool all to themselves. I always tried to volunteer to work those nights because I enjoyed seeing them all interact and enjoy themselves like normal people would, without feeling uncomfortable or any type of insecurity. If I were to get involved in this social movement, I would be passionate about trying to make more programs like the Camp Care to help those with special needs feel more confident and happy with themselves.
When dealing with social changes I believe that society as a whole influences the beliefs and I deals that we hold. I feel that as humans we have a tendency to conform. The tendency to conform leads to the sharing of our ideas and beliefs. Because of this tight-knit relationship that the individual has with society I feel that no body can truly make their own decisions when it comes to social changes. However, despite this view on society and the individual, I believe there is one social movement that is not hindered as much by society's influence and that is sports. I am very passionate about the game of rugby, however, my American peers do not hold the same feeling. There is a movement though, throughout the country to bring the game of rugby along to meet the standards of other, more competitive countries. I would love to explore this movement because of the immense emotional attachment to the game of rugby that I have developed throughout my years of
With the multiple social movements that are taking place in our society today, I feel that there are plenty of options for people to get involved once they do a little bit of research. It seems as though there is something out there for everybody, and certainly everyone is entitled to think and believe what they wish. As a few people have already stated, people tend to conform, and go along with what most people are a part of, rather than defending their own true beliefs and discovering themselves. A couple of social movements that have grabbed my attention are the Growing Green, Its Your Sex Life, and the 9/11 Truth movements. All of these movements hold personal significance to me, in that they all affect not only myself, but countless other people as well. After being involved in these, it is amazing the amount of information you learn, and it is also amazing to see just how many other people are involved as well. I also feel that many people may follow the teachings and beliefs of various social movements without even realizing that they are doing so. It is also astonishing to see how many people are extremely aware of their social environment, and then to see that there is an equal number of people who are not.
Social change and social movement are both very important in our society, because they influence it. These movements help our society evolve and alter what is normal. If people do not stand up or support these changes and movements, then the world will never grow and become a better place. I am not personally involved in any social movement, but I am passionate about certain ones. A social movement that is extremely important to me is the Women's movement. The Women's movement allowed women to become independent and have a voice of their own. I would not be able to participate and be involved in the things I am in today without this movement happening. Women today have more opportunities than in the past, but I still think men and women are not completely equal. Before becoming involved in a movement I would explore the possibilities, by making sure that it is something I am passionate about. I would also do research to make sure that I know exactly what the movement supports. I would like to explore the environmental movement in more depth. I believe we need to protect where we live. I recycle and do little things, but I want to become more active in this movement. Social change and social movement make a difference in society.
I believe that social change/movements, in general, are very important to many people because it is a way for us to express how strongly we feel about a particular issue. Not only is it a way for people to express their feelings, but it's also a good way for people to get involved and meet other people. A movement that I am very passionate about is the Disability Rights Movement. I am very involved in my church back at home and every year we hold a prom for disabled people. It is called Joy Prom. All the people that come to it always have a good time and tell us how they cannot wait to come to it again next year. I believe that everyone should be treated equally no matter what. If you have ever talked to someone with a disability, you would know that they are just as passionate and have the same feelings that any other person without a disability would have. A movement that I would like to be more involved in is "going green." I recycle and try to prevent myself from polluting the air. It is really difficult because there are so many things we do every day that is harming the earth and it doesn't even phase us. Global warming is such a huge problem and it is only going to get worse if we don't get involved and help. I think if everyone gets more involved in social change/movements our world could be a much safer and more peaceful place.
I think social change is very important in our society. We may be complacent in our ways but we are far from perfect and whether people want to accept it or not there are many changes we can make that would improve lives of many people. I currently started reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett, a book about southern women and their African American maids in the 1960s, and it occurred to me that the families and maids in the book had become completely unaware of how unbearable the situation had become. When you are watching from the outside, change can seem so simple but achieving it can be a huge struggle. I myself am not personally involved with a social movement at the current moment but I know that they exist and that no matter how little or how big they are they will affect my life. Some movements that I see advertised or campaigned on a regular basis are The Go Green movement, It’s Your Sex Life, Gay and Lesbian Rights, and Immigration reforms. I feel these are all important issues that need to be taken seriously. I think that even if you do not feel as if a movement pertains to you, you should take the time to at least learn about what it is and how it may affect your life!
I thank that social change is important to us because they bring use all opportunity for a look at the way life can be lived. As for movements they have marked the U.S. to where it is now. Women’s rights would not be what it is now if it wasn’t for women’s movement. Children are my life and it would have to be a movement in this area that would have a real meaning to me. I was abused as child and my mother got away with it, so my life was marked for failure, but I guess you could say I took on my own movement to change my life, and be better than what my mother was to me as a child. I would like to explore movements on abused children for this fact and that is to protect all children rights. Yes, my mother made me who I am today, but life could have been a lot better if the abuse wasn’t in my life. I may not be able to point to a movement right off my head but I’m willing to learn as much as I can about abused children movements. I know that movements change lives and put lives a risk when they fight for what they believe in, I've had to fight for what I wanted all my life, but it was with my mother, a husband, or a angry person who mistreated me or my children. I know that when life gets hard and unfair you have to stand up for what you think is the right thing for you and your family.
I believe that social change is a necessity. If we are stagnant as a people too long without some form of social movement we will no longer be evolving as a society. However I also believe that some social changes/movements can be a double-edged sword. Changing for the better and changing just to be different or buck the system are two totally different things. I think that I would be well suited for helping combat veterans assimilate back into society who suffer from Posttraumatic stress disorder. PTSD is a very serious thing, and is a lot of times overlooked within in the military because of the demands put upon the soldiers. This issue is becoming more widely recognized by the U.S. military. Even older era war vets are now being diagnosed with PTSD because when they returned previously there wasn’t a name or condition for what they had. I would personally like to help raise awareness of what PTSD is and how it can affect our military along with their family and friends. Having someone to talk to that has actually been in similar situations and can understand what they have gone through can be beneficial. A peer can often do a lot more for them then having to see the doctor that has been behind a desk and cannot possibly imagine what they have seen or gone through. I would like to explore more about the causes, effects and treatments for PTSD because of the impact it has had on my life. I have seen the effects on friends or fellow soldiers that have come back from combat, but still remain in a constant battle mindset. PTSD is still new in terms of what we know about it, but yet it affects countless war veterans, that is another reason I would like to learn more.
Social change is not only important in our society, but a necessity. Throughout American history one can see many examples of change in society. Sometimes it is difficult to change, but imagine what life would be like without any change. For instance, there would still be slavery, discrimination against women, no labor laws, and so on. We would live in completely different ways. Today we face a very troubled economy and little hope in our government. An issue that has bothered me for sometime now is the constant political agendas being forced upon society not for our own good, but for political reasons. President Obama shoved his "Obama Care" plan through the house and senate. It is a proven "job killer." I saw this first hand, when Obama passed his health care bill my father's company was sold and he almost lost his job since he is in the medical field. However, the media does not portray "Obama Care" in this way. If I had the time I would love to join a group to protest this liberal machine not unlike the Tea Party. Protests and marches such as these have been proven to cause social change in the past. The Tea Party movement may be made fun of by the liberal media, but the midterm elections in 2010 proved that this party represented the demands and interests of most Americans.
History has proven that the first time someone freaks out about a diversity they don’t win. It took African Americans roughly 100 years to get their rights in America and at first they didn’t have the same rights as a white man. As for women it took them FOREVER. The gay rights movement has been going on for years. It was first brought to light by Harvey Milk. Milk was a politician; he was running for public office in California during the 70’s. He was a true visionary of his time. Milk won his seat and had it long enough to be assassinated by a greedy and jealous coworker. Even now in 2011 we still don’t have equal rights for homosexuals. They cannot marry the love of their life, they are shunned from almost everything they want to do, and they are bullied and assaulted because they are different. Social change is extremely important. It helps eliminate and sequester idiots! Just think of all of the power hungry idiots that have kept rights away from people just in America alone. Yes, it truly is a big number for a country that is so young. Anyone can join a cause they believe in. The first step to doing that is to actually care enough to fight for what you want. In today society the general thinking is ‘there are people to fight for those rights so I don’t have to’. That isn’t entirely true. One voice can make a difference; that voice could be you. So stand up for what you believe in and FIGHT for it!! I do my part what about you?
As a 20-year old college student, I find myself in association with those my age or close around the world that are fighting the good fight and leading social battles for things like democracy, and peace. As a democratic nation, we as Americans have a civic duty to stand up for what we believe in and spark rallies for social change because that’s how our founding fathers decided that this country would improve itself and last. In essence, we depend on social change to keep progressing as a nation and to compete with others around the world. There is no set formula for beginning/joining a social change movement; I believe that in order for someone to join in on the fight than that person must have had an emotional connection to the movement. When they heard about it on the news or saw it on the internet they realized that the cause was just and that it was something they would like to be a part of. That’s how I feel as well. Every once in a while you hear about a movement that grabs you and makes you want to become a part of it because you want to strive for a movement that’s bigger than yourself. An aspect of social change that I am most interested in would be movements that contain implements of equality. It’s easy to study the Civil Rights Movement but why do that when you can be part of an equality movement right now? The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act is doing just that and it’s something I’d like to be a part of.
I believe that social change is and has been very important in the world’s history. Social movements has formed the world we live in today such as the American revolution and up to the most recent events in Libya. I have never been a part of social movements, but I have observed them. In high school, we had a huge fundraiser for Riley Hospital where our school raised tens of thousands of dollars to help support that cause. There was a minor movement in which students protested the construction of a parking lot on what used to be a practice soccer field. The girls soccer team would get up early and protest. I have no interest in joining a social movement, but I understand that it is very important. The only social movement that I would feel strongly about is if there was another American civil war or possible war crimes our country has committed. I want to uphold our countries reputation and fight for what is right. However, these would be unlikely to happen. I also believe that the military itself is a social movement, because we have soldiers all over the world and we in some ways help or change the societies where they are located.
Social change and social movements are necessary in the world. They bring people together who share the same ideas and beliefs, and allow them to build off of each other. Social movements have been around for quite some time and they will continue to do so in the future. No movement is wrong, it is just a person's own opinion. I feel if I was part of a movement I would get a great sense of accomplishment. To know you are actually making a difference with other people with your same beliefs would be a very empowering feeling. Although there are many efforts for social change going on today, I feel most passionate about the movement to decriminalize and legalize medical marijuana use. Not only is it an effective drug, but it is also a cash crop. Marijuana has been found to treat cancer, AHDH, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, as well as many other medical conditions. In addition, this plant could yield 18 billion dollars to the United States, which would aid in the debt crisis.
When I see social changes and movements happening throughout history, I know that they are happening for a reason. If this many people feel strongly about a issue within society to create a movement, then I’m sure the movement will change the world for the better. When thinking about recent social changes or movements one that I feel most passionate about would be about gay rights. I have so much respect for anyone that stands up for what they believe is right. Being an American, we have the right to do and say as we please. However, I do not think that anyone should have the right to judge anyone else’s sexual orientation. Over time, women have slowly gained their rights just as men have and I think it should be the same for anyone that is homosexual. In some states gay marriage is still not legal and there have been many movements to try to change that. I feel very strongly about this because I have friends and family that are homosexual. I think social movements are all about educating people about the things that go on throughout the world that make changes for the better. And who doesn’t want the world to be a better place?
To be a part of a social movement, to me, means to be aware, to spread the word, and to take action. The more the people of the world are aware of social movements, the more likely they are to take their stand. Social movements and change are important when it comes to making each individual a more wholesome person in order to create a more uniform society. It shows the world we must all stand for peace and unity when it comes to solving problems and moving forward with our futures. I personally want to be in the Bosnian peace corps. This is because I want to shed light on what occurred during their war years in the 90's and also to pay tribute to where I originated from. For the nineteen years I have been alive, I have heard much about Bosnia, I feel it is a responsibility, even an honor to take my stand on the struggles they faced and hopefully make a noteworthy change. The reason I am so passionate about this issue is because my parents had to live through bullets, death, and hate. It would mean the world to them if I became involved in something close to their hearts'. Because I am Bosnian, I have either heard or experienced many things when it comes to social disruption and movements. The nation of Bosnia experienced a war of hate and religion, therefore a lot needs to be done to reconstruct them as a country. I believe being in this class will be a greater influence on my involvement in the peace corps or any other social movements. As a young student I know that it is my right and duty to create a path to a more positive future, and social change is where it all starts.
The idea of social change, or social movements is a very strange thing to me. I find it odd that we can be apart of such, rather than letting things flow naturally. Although, in many situations, social movements are necessary to open the eyes of those who do not realize what is going on around them. There have been countless social movements throughout history and in my opinion, the next one should be the decriminalization of marijuana. I would more that willingly, be a part of a social movement which would pull something like that into effect. To be involved in a social movement, you would really need to understand and feel strongly about what you are promoting, so that you can help others understand and see your views. But social movements have not, and likely, will not, always be for the better. Social movements occurred in Germany in the mid-1930's which altered, ended and forever changed the lives of people all over the globe. To have a voice is a very powerful thing, and sadly there is nothing we can do but use our own to fight against what is wrong, to do what we believe to be right.
Social change and social movements we have dealt with since we were born. There is always change and movement occurring in our life’s. To be able to be in a social movement I feel you have to have a lot of passion for what you are trying to change or help. There is no wrong answer in what you believe in. We in America have had a lot of movements we have been through. There was the civil rights, human rights, anti-war movement and many others even ones such as animal rights movements. People just fight for what they believe in. I have a strong belief in the women’s rights movement. I believe we as women should be able to do whatever a male can. We should have equal rights to them and have same pay and opportunities as men do. Back in the day, we used to not be able to hold public office, to work, have fair wages, own our own property, education, to be to serve in the military, to have religious rights and much more. I think this is absolutely horrible people had to deal with that back in the day. They had to work really hard to get to where we are today. So it really moves me and I am passionate about women rights. I would love to explore this in greater depth because I would like to learn what they did exactly to get to where we are today. I hope we do discuss more things such as that and learn what they went through.
Social change and movements are the only way for positive change and progression to take place in today's society. Since the beginning of time, man has strived to better his society. Those changes that bring about a better future are almost always carried out through social movements, or a collective interest that brings about a strong sense of activism. I strongly believe in the movement to legalize the planting and cultivation of industrial hemp. If implemented in today's agricultural society, economic growth is imminent. States where local farmers are struggling can grow this cash crop for many uses including, but not limited to: rope production, paper production, and the extraction of fuel. This versatile plant will help struggling farmers and some state's struggling economies. Furthermore, industrial hemp is far different from the marijuana that is grown to be smoked, in that it doesn't produce a "high," rendering it useless for recreational purposes. On top of that, if this crop is implemented, the cross-pollination with the female, recreational-type marijuana ruins this illicit crop, thus hurting the growers and sellers of the illicit type of cannabis. Therefore, seeing that industrial hemp has all of these positive aspects, I would like to further research this topic and pursue a role in activism or social change as it pertains to the growth of industrial hemp.
I think social movements are interesting. Sometimes I do not even realize I am surrounded by people interested in social movements. This class has already showed me in this short time that social movements are all over America, even if you do not notice it. A social movement I would be interested in joining is PETA. People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals is a social movement to protect animals. Many activists are vegan. Although I do not think I could become vegan, I think I could help promote information about the animals being mistreated. I could help inform other students about animal testing. I believe animal testing is very unethical. Those animals are mistreated and do not even have a chance for life. I would also want to inform people of slaughterhouses. The idea of animals being raised to be killed for food is sickening. Although I do not have much information on PETA I think it is something to look into because the safety of animals is important to me. I think all animals should have a fair chance at living. Even though I do not think I could live without meat, I think I could help promote the awareness of animal cruelty. PETA is a good organization to get involved in and hopefully I will get a chance one day soon to get involved. Animals are very important to our society, with pets or with the meat that we eat.
There are some social changes/movements that are there but yet still overlooked. Environmental justice movement in the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, sex, or national origin, color or income with respect to the development implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. For the most part, we do treat people fairly, but unfair treatment to this day still goes on whether its your color or if you have a lot of money or famous and get away with a lot more things then people you don’t. This type of change would be what I’m most interested in. Personally, its not a change till at least most of the people in the world, roll with it. It’s still something in progress. There is constantly social change and will always be. Its what makes our world today.
I think social change is happening everyday, everywhere. We are constantly evolving and changing in some way in each of our individual lives. I believe if we did not have social change, we would have never have been able to make it to the point of society that the human race is today. Exploring social change and being involved is as easy as being an active member in the community in my belief. The social changes going on currently are for some reason hard to identify for me, and I believe this is because I am caught up with what is going on rather than being able to see from an outside perspective from this society. The examples of gay marriage and abortion are used, so does that make all issues being debated on a legal basis a social change? In that case would marijuana legalization be another example of current social change?
I would really like to learn more on social change or hear anyone’s thoughts because I am still unsure on what social change I would like to explore more in-depth. I have a few ideas but I am unsure on whether they are social changes or not currently in progress. Within the past 30 years computers have taken over and we currently are very reliant on technology. Does that lead to social change just like the industrial revolution had? As you can see I would like to learn more about the past social movements and changes.
The United States was built on social change. Although two-hundred-thirty-some years ago seems light-years away, the way in which these changes happened are no different from the TEA party of today and the civil-rights movement of the 1960's. They are necessary to a growing and changing environment such as the United States. To remain stagnant is not an option for society. Granted, all social change is not always positive such as the rise of Nazism. However, Hitler changed the world and arguably, for the better helping make the United States the super-power it is today. I have been involved in a social movement, and it is empowering. I felt like just being at a meeting or protest made me apart of a history I could only imagine. I am in debate between two movements, the American Revolution and the counter-culture movement. The 1960’s revolution was an amazing time for those experiencing it. What’s interesting is that it wasn’t headed by intellectuals with something to say, but by kids who were sick of the 1950’s status quo. Sadly, it's mostly remembered by Halloween costumes of Hippies and not the message those hippies were out to send. But, I believe I'll end up with the American Revolution. The passion of the time is so intriguing and inspiring. I want to know how it spread so fervently and explore whether it was pure luck or unrestrained passion that brought about some of the greatest minds the world has ever seen.
I believe whole-heartedly for equality. I grew up living in Brooklyn Indiana, and going to Martinsville schools. I was a freshman when at a Martinsville basket ball game in Bloomington some Martinsville fans shouted racial slurs at the Bloomington players. I was extremely upset by the people in my town, but I did not know what to do. I wanted to show that I stand apart from these people, and that all people should be treated the same. Last summer the town that I live in hired a new town marshal. One of the town council men started making racial slurs against this officer and the entire town started choosing sides. The officer asked the people of town to meet at the town park on a certain day if they wanted him to stay in the town. He had decided that if the majority of the town wanted him gone he would make it easy and leave. I decided to miss my classes that day and support him. It made me feel like I could finally show my side from high school. The majority of the town showed up, only three families from the town were not there. The officer was touched by everyone’s character and decided to stay. A week later the councilman was removed from his seat. I believe it is very important to take extra effort in showing what you believe in because no one else is going to do it for you.
Throughout the centuries an exceptional amount of evidence has shown that humanity has been evolving. There has been much debate on whether or not this evolution has improved our society or worsened it. However, evidence such as Constitutional Amendments stating racial and gender equality proves some sort of step in the right direction. I believe that humans have developed a greater sense of compassion over time – we have gone from ignorant Neanderthals to thoughtful, complex individuals. That is why my thoughts on social movements in general are mostly positive. I tend to search for and greatly support morally and ethically right causes, including Dr. Martin Luther King's ideas and actions as well as Gandhi's belief in non-violence. The Civil Rights Act holds real meaning for me because I believe in pacifism and equality, therefore I would have thoroughly entertained the idea of being a part of it. Compassion is my passion, meaning I have one solitary solution for every problem - love. With love, all things are possible. Having love for your family, neighbor, and fellow human can only prove to positively impact your life along with the rest of the human race. Love’s many branches - loyalty, respect, honesty, sympathy, selflessness, and generosity in general - can greatly affect the world as well. Without love, negative acts caused by animosity are inevitable. Because I am an extreme pacifist, I would be very interested in exploring the possibility of a world without weapons intended to be used on people, without ignorance and hate, and without violence.
I think that social change is a growing thing that is helping modernize our society. The first thing that came to my mind when I read our assignment on this was the social movement of technology. Technology seems to be everywhere in our lives, and seems to be developing more everywhere we turn. This social change is interesting to me because I feel that it is completely changing my generation. When I was in middle school it was the cool thing to have a cell phone. Now as a college student, walking around campus students have internet with Facebook on them. Technology seems like it is a chain of unlimited possibilities. Everything grows from the last thing. The iphone 1 came out just a few years ago and now there is an iphone 4. With this rapid on going growth of entertainment technology we have also gained a lot more knowledge in more serious subjects. Medical technology is changing and growing everyday. With that we are able to save many more lives than we would have years ago. I find this certain social change is extremely helpful for our society. There are still ideas of it I would like to explore and learn more about. For example, although the technology has its great benefits could it also be harmful? An example is many teens have poor communication skills because they are constantly on their phones. I think it would be interesting to find statistics on the different ways technology has helped and harmed our society.
Social change and movements are happening every single day, whether it is technology, to allow gay marriage, equality, or ongoing, unresolved issues in the government today. Social change/movements will continue to come about forever. One social change that I strongly agree about is abortion. Abortion has been a very strong debate between the political parties for many years. Growing up conservative, abortion has never been something that I have agreed with. I believe it has its fair share of social change going on in the United States and has for many years now. The “Right to Life Movement,” is that humans should have to right to choose whether or not they want to live or not. Therefore having an abortion is not giving your child, that you produced, the choice to live their own life. If you are going to have unprotected sex, knowing the consequences of what could happen, you are very well capable of taking on the responsible of a child. If I could be a part of the movement to stop abortion it would change my life tremendously. All children should have a chance to live. There are so many people out there who are not capable of having children and are looking to adopt on a daily basis. Instead we have people who are killing their unborn child. Not only do I consider that to be murder, but so selfish and irresponsible. I would like to learn how abortion would affect the world positively, so that I am able to understand where people who agree with it are coming from.
As someone who has never really been involved in any sort of social movement or social change I’m a lot like the another person who blogged, I’m pretty foggy on sociology to say the least. Other than major political movements and hotly debated topics, like abortion and gay marriage I’m pretty clueless on other social movements. I honestly don’t think there’s a social movement I’m particularly interested to be involved with. I’m personally a Republican so I oppose abortion and gay marriage, but I’m not going to go out and slander the individuals who actually do support these topics. If more people would just mind their own business and worry more about their own lives we wouldn’t really have a need for these major social movements and “uprisings”. The state of our country is pretty grave right now as our economy is going haywire each day and the fact that neither political side has a true leader ready to step up and take the task of running this country is scary. I can’t even jump on my own political party’s bandwagon because there’s absolutely no one to remotely step up to Obama. I mean Michelle Bachman, are you serious? Now the tea party was a sort of cool movement that I had some strong agreements with on certain topics but recently that movement has really died down and for the most part died off, although not completely. For the most part this country has pretty good equality, I stress for the most part, as not everything is necessary equal yet, which in turn really limits the amounts of social movements. Civil rights movements and women’s rights movements are probably most notable, yet have already occurred. Pretty much I don’t see any really good bandwagon movements to hop on and support and I don’t see any in the near future either.
I would define social change as a set of events or movements which give momentum to a change in the way of thinking or doing in a society. Every major change that has taken place since the beginning of time started out as either a social change or a social movement. Without social changes the world as we know it would be completely different. These changes usually result in a more practical way of thinking or doing something. For example, the change from feudalism and mercantilism to capitalism was a drastic, but necessary step towards a free market. Another example would be the civil rights movement, which gave minorities equal rights in America. Although these changes are usually rough and drawn out, they are usually successful because of their effectiveness or obvious moral values.
The environmental justice movement is currently in motion, and is a topic in which I am very much interested in. I find this subject interesting because of its unique circumstances. In my opinion, as a society, we have a responsibility to protect the environment for the generations that will follow ours. I believe that by observing the number of Americans who make little or no self-sacrifice to provide a better environment for the generations to follow, we will see the ever increasing selfish nature of our society. We can compare this movement to the environmental movement of the 1960's and 70's, and my prediction is that there are a significantly less Americans taking part in protecting the environment. I contribute this to the selfish nature of our society. This trait is being shown from the big businesses that are unwilling to cut profits in order to minimize pollution, to the every day American who won't sacrifice their luxurious "gas guzzlers" for a more environmentally friendly car or SUV.
Morality!? What is it anymore. There are many social movements out there to choose from, but not any of them hold the meaning this word does to me. It is a word most have either grown to associate with wrong definitions or forgotten all together. The things I have seen happen in the last few years have surpassed even my wildest dreams; girls having children under the age of 13, parents cursing at their children all the time, debates over who has the right to love, none of which will help us as a whole become "better people". The term is being looked at all wrong and there for is a turn off to some, when in fact it has to do with the virtues YOU yourself hold dear. Maybe the problem is the kids now days aren't growing up around healthy environments that teach them morality and how to act upon it. Be kind and respectful, is that so hard? No one is perfect all the time but I feel we definitely have strayed immensely from the true meaning. If people think that one person can't change the world they are sadly mistaken. A lot of inspiration I have gained on this topic is from watching the movie "Pay in Forward", where all it took was for one kid to want others to do good. It is a wonderful plot in where he creates a school project where if one person does something nice for another that, the person who was just helped please just passes it on to another. Why can we not do that all the time in real life. I think if someone really started a project like this that people would pick back up on it or at least take another moment to think about their actions before they do them. I would love to start a project revolving around this idea. Do we not all hold some kind of responsibility for how our children turned out to be, how our culture is becoming? If no one speaks up how can anything be changed? I don't think we can change much else in society until we change ourselves as a people, until we all can go back to the understanding that 2012 isn't the end and there is no reason to be acting like you have nothing to lose each day. If your still alive you should be good to one another and help one another as often as you can because you never know who's watching or looking up to you for guidance, and I personally would rather be a good influence than a bad one. But that's just me?!
Social change, like anything else is bound to happen, but unlike any other type of change it only occurs when we as a people decide it should. From the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to the Immigration laws that are trying to be placed into affect, these things only occur when we the people feel it is the appropriate time. I am very passionate about social change and social problems and that is why I am a History major. Throughout history there are a plethora or examples of how social change was inspired by the people. For instance, during WWII when the men went off to war this is the first time we see women, in masses, working outside of the homes in factories as well as taking care of their "household" duties, This social change was brought about the services of the women were needed. Yes, many Americans believed that women should stay home and bake pies and do laundry, but at that particular point there was a need to be met and this is exactly what they did. Although I am passionate about many social issues, one that is of special interest to me is the different issues on gay marriage. Being from a Christian background it is odd that I would feel that gays and lesbians should be able to marry, but I also believe in the preamble of our Constitution that guarantees "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," to all men.
I believe that social change is happening all the time. No matter what, it will always be happening until the end of mankind. Once we look back at how society is different in ways, we see we were unable to stop the way society changes. Cavemen used to make and use spears and homemade tools to kill their next meal they were going to have. No we have farms with animals and restaurants with food already made. Technology is the biggest thing at the moment. We used to actually send things in the mail and meet face to face with people to talk about certain things. Now we have computers with all different types of Internet choices, email, cell phones with texting, and many more. I think this is the point in our lives where technology is taking over our lives. We hear from people on Facebook saying they miss seeing each other, but I don't believe people really take the time to actually meet up with someone in person that they haven't seen in a long time. I think this is terrible to see the way it has changed the way we live. Though I think technology has gone too far, there are lots of other things that have been changing to help our lives. Since global warming has been happening from all the pollution us humans have put in the air, we're trying to fix it. We've been making more fuel-efficient cars and ones that don't take gas at all but electricity. Society is changing everyday everywhere.
