The study of sociology aims at evaluating and determining the civic and domestic interrelationship of people. During my comprehensive study of this subject, I have come across quite a number of pieces of literature that have enhanced my knowledge and liberalized my notion concerning the subject in question. I have loved some facts presented in the articles especially owing to the fact that most of them are exact reflections of the present human social lives. As a matter of fact, they are images of my own personal experiences.
The article on suicide gives a comprehensive argument on the possible causes of suicide. It equates the causes of this social evil to the amount of food available in relation to food security and inflation. For instance, the reading relates the price and availability of wheat to the number of suicidal deaths.
From the figures indicated on the paper, I have noted that suicidal deaths rise with the decrease in wheat production or increase in wheat prices. This is indeed a true reflection of my personal experience. The number of suicidal deaths also increases with increased poverty; which is also a verifiable statement (Mommsen, 1992).
Some occasions in life may compel one to commit suicide. These include financial and industrial crises. As opposed to poverty, these two do not cause the deaths because they result to frustration but because they cause disturbance to normalcy. The article on suicide clearly indicates how the disruption of normalcy can result to suicidal deaths. I agree with these sentiments to some extent but they do not have my complete approval.
This is because most suicide cases attributed to disruption of either financial or industrial normalcy have other resultant factors. As a result, it would be inappropriate to imply that the deaths are caused entirely by these disruptions. However, one can say that financial and industrial crises are merely part of other causative factors in a suicidal death (Mommsen, 1992).
The article on domination and legitimacy talks extensively about authority and how it enjoys compliance to only a fraction of the populace subjected to its rule. It states that the implementation of domination requires a trusted staff that is charged with the responsibility of executing the general policies and certain commands.
This, according to me, conforms to the modern modes of exercising power. It not only happens in our government but also in many other democratic governments across the globe. This is a direct implication that the approach of ruling is universally practiced in different platforms (Mommsen, 1992).
Most of the social theories discussed in the articles are practical. For instance, young kids are taught how to feed, keep themselves clean, how to become obedient and calm and to how be mindful of their fellows. After a long time of regular practice, these actions become habits.
The article on ‘Rules of Sociological Method’ states that this is the basic format of attaining education and making the knowledge gained a practicable habit. However, there is no mention of the origin of the urge to eat, stay clean, respect and be mindful of others. For example, kids are only taught how to eat but not how to have the urge of eating (Mommsen, 1992).
In conclusion, the articles on social theory give a wide scope of understanding in the subject. They internalize and vivify the manner in which people react with others. This then makes their readers visualize and correlates the events with their personal life experiences. In some situations, however, readers are left with some confusion that needs additional clarifications.
Reference
Mommsen, W. J. (1992). The political and social theory of Max Weber: Collected essays. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.