The Core Concepts from the Readings
According to the concept of the social formation of reality, questions of what is ‘real’ are irrelevant, and instead, certainty stems from what is produced through actions and ideas. Events in society largely impact people; therefore, once something has been socially built, its future form is readily apparent to them. Socially created realities can convince people that they are true if they are taught to think that way from a young age. Roy depicts the creation of historical reality through the social composition of institutions, arguing that the most powerful organizations impact people’s daily lives (22). The government, the economy, schools, families, medical services, and religious communities are all examples of social institutions. Examining social institutions across time or in comparison to other regions of the world is a central aspect of some sociological approaches.
A person’s time is valuable because it controls many things in life, including but not limited to doing a job, sleeping, eating, and undertaking regular chores. It has the potential to increase daily productivity and aid in the realization of aspirations. As a result, everyone should learn to master their schedules rather than having their programs master them. Everyone knows the importance of time; it is a limited resource that everybody possesses equally and should be used wisely. Chronology, the study of how and when things happen, requires a calendar since it divides time into discrete intervals. Period measurement is also essential for any culture for agricultural, commercial, residential, and other purposes (Roy 42). Although different cultures have vastly varied conceptions of time, it is undeniable that time plays a pivotal function in the social structure of all societies.
Societies make spaces that reflect their wants and needs and can stifle or foster social progress. In the relationship between knowledge and time, space is arguably the most crucial tool for constructing geographical facts as historically changing realities, each with unique production modalities. Social inequities and power structures influence how people conceive of, use, and alter their surroundings (Roy 54). The social space shapes how people interact with one another and with their larger communities and environments. Building and maintaining collectives requires constant attention to detail and merging disparate elements into harmony; the result is space.
Connecting the Concepts
Undergraduate students can read about the historical and comparative social production of reality, space, and time in these three notions. The author also includes chapters on the social construction of reality, time, and space to demonstrate how these factors interact to create certain social phenomena that are long-lasting and crucial in the modern world. Everything that is actual right now is in the present; what was real previously may no longer be factual, and what will exist in the future is not real yet. Physically, spatially, and temporally, space, reality, and time are not static but rather dynamic variables that can change over the course of cosmic history.
Application of the Concepts
I think it is fantastic that one utilizes a historical comparative framework across cultures to examine such central themes as space and time and align discussion around the idea of the social creation of reality. The way space and time are highlighted first is fascinating to me because it shows how pervasive the sociological perspective of reality is. It has dawned on me that one can waste a limitless amount of time and energy on anything if one is not completely committed to whatever they are doing at any given moment. The more intently I study and carry out my other responsibilities, the better I perform. As a preventative measure, I engage in a number of practices designed to preserve my concentration and save time. For example, I may lessen the likelihood of being interrupted by hiding somewhere quiet and turning off my phone. I keep my workspace free of dirt or many items as they may act as distractions. In my social space, I avoid conflict with close friends and relatives wherever possible to safeguard my peace for enhanced concentration.
Work Cited
Roy, William. Making Societies: The Historical Construction of Our World. Pine Forge Press, 2001.