Mills in his theory of social imagination suggests that people often feel as if their lives were a series of traps whereby they have troubles they cannot overcome. Their thoughts are only limited to the world around families and working environment and as such they are not able to see the global picture of the reality of life. He suggests that people are not likely to link their lives with the larger society. According to him the history and changes to the global society affects individuals in one way or another (Mills 1).
He points out that people are not able to relate the patterns of their lives with the pattern set by history of mankind and most importantly the connection between the personal life and history, oneself and the global society and as such they are not able to tune the all the external factors that contribute to his personal problems.
World history affects mankind in various ways such as modernized political colonies, imperialism and revolutions and hunger for power and domination in developed worlds and even violence and ancient life in the underdeveloped world.
But besides all these man still reasons locally and it is suggested that he relates his problems to the immediate local community and preferring to remain in an individuals setting and thus get overcome by a sense of the trap. Wills, in his theory of imagination argues that instead man needs a quality mind capable of thinking more into history and in a global sense. He supports his idea with the following suggestions (Mills 1).
His theory empowers one to understand history and relate his position, experiences, fate and circumstance to it and by this understand his chances, role and importance in the society at that particular time in history and by this he can optimize the available opportunities.
It is suggested that one needs to fully understand the setting of the society in all aspects, understand where the society stands in the history and the importance of such a stand in human development. Complete understanding of the people living in that society at the time and how the people integrate with all aspects of the society and human life.
He point out that people who embrace this theory of social imagination often feel a sense increased self consciousness and ones thoughts are no longer limited to the locality but one can now make assessments and rational decisions based of a broad perspective of knowledge. He is able to differentiate personal problems with society affiliated problems and thus can know what is expected of him.
It is also expected of a person to understand the public issues such as economics and individual life challenges their differences and how they relate and affect ones lifestyle.
As a matter of fact the Wills disagrees with psychoanalysts that our greatest enemy is within us but rather he suggests that a mans greatest enemy is his own society and its negative attributes to human nature and the fact that many people don’t understand this fact and instead think of all personal and society problems their own since they think locally as individuals (Mills 1).
In conclusion the writer stresses the need to adopt his idea of sociological imagination citing that it’s the most needed quality of mind that will ensure that man thinks globally and in all aspect about himself, nature, history and how the three integrate. With this kind of thinking our quality of life can be greatly improved.