Future of Modernization Soc/120 Axia College

Future of Modernization

SOC/120
Axia College of University of Phoenix

Future of Modernization
No matter which modern theorist one chooses to believe, modernization is an ever present and ever growing occurrence in modern society. Modernization can be seen from the smallest village in Indonesia to the sprawling metropolises of America.
An excerpt from “France and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History (Modernization, 2005) suggests, “ The process of modernization is seen to encompass such trends as urbanization, secularization, the development of mass production and consumption, the growth of bureaucracy, and the emergence of a large managerial middle class.”
Emile Durkheim was a French sociologist who felt that modernization occurred because of an increase in “specialized economic activity” (Macionis, 2006). His theory suggests that in years past, the traditional members of society all shared the same activities. Tasks such as farming, fishing, and cooking, gathering wood and gathering water were many of the shared activities of a community in the past centuries.
Today, in modern United States society, members of society perform highly specialized duties and roles. No longer do members of society share activities. In fact, a common phrase amongst citizens of The United States is “that is not my job.” A business may have ten employees yet they all perform different duties. One employee is the boss, the next may be a secretary, and yet another is a janitor. In American society, it would be rare to see either the boss or the secretary sweep a floor or take out their own garbage.
To meet the demands of the ever increasing secularization of society, The United States has mandated an increase in levels of schooling and the development of “increasingly sophisticated and accessible” (Modernization Theory, 2000) forms of transportation and communication systems. These secularized mandates have forced citizens of the United States to obtain secondary education to perform seemingly simple tasks. The result of forced education is an increased financial burden to society. College is expensive, no matter how you look at it. For the average citizen of the United States, a four year degree at a school of higher learning usually exceeds the annual salary the graduate will obtain once the degree is completed. This very well may be another result of modernization as well. The result is a vicious circle. A member of American society must pay in excess of $55,000 to be offered a job that pays $45,000 a year. At the current rate of inflation and taxes in The United States, $45,000 a year is very close to poverty level. Another effect of increased costs of education is grown children moving back home after completing college because they cannot afford to live and pay off their student loans at the same time.
In contrast, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere is Haiti. The average annual income is less than $400 a year yet signs of modernization exist in Haiti (USAID, 2004). The major urban city of Port-au-Prince boasts a modernized airport, many shops and restaurants, in addition to an ever growing industrial sector. With the current levels of modernization occurring in Haiti, the family structure is failing and the dependence on modern technology and communication systems is already being felt across the area.
The modernization of a society results in a decline of the family social structure in addition to organizations becoming more bureaucratic due to a complex division of labor. Additionally, “cash-driven markets take over as the primary social mechanism through which goods and services are exchanged, replacing more informal, traditional ways in which people help one another and meet their needs” (Modernization Theory, 2000).
According to the self claimed Consulting Futurist, David Pearce Snyder (Snyder, 2005):
Around the world over the past generation, the basic tenets of modern cultures – equality, personal freedom, self-fulfillment, etc. – have been eroding the domains of traditional cultures – which value authority, filial obedience and self-discipline, etc. The children of traditional societies are growing up wearing Western clothes, eating Western food, listening to Western music and (most important of all) thinking Western thoughts. Most Westerners – certainly most Americans – have been unaware of the personal intensities of this culture war, because we are so far away from the “battle lines.” Moreover, in the West, we regard the basic institutions of modernization – universal education, meritocracy, civil law, etc. – as benchmarks of social progress, while the defenders of traditional cultures see them as threats to social order.
The number of modernization theories and modernization theorists continues to grow. But who has the right answer?
This author believes that Emile Durkheim has the most valid theory. His theory is simple yet, at the same time, complex. According to John J. Macionis (Macionis, 2006), “ Durkheim viewed modernization not so much as a loss of community as a change from community based on bonds of likeness (kinship and neighborhood) to community based on economic interdependence (the division of labor).” The days of community based friendships and groups is a thing of the past in modern America. No longer do neighbors go to cook large meals and come together as a community to greet a new family moving in. The days of community based child care and child rearing has also gone to the way side.
Members of American society now struggle to have more, do more, and be more. This author believes this has led to younger children being without supervision or direction because Mom and Dad both work. Not only do Mom and Dad both work, but there is rarely a meal placed on a dinner table for the family to share. The time requirements of today’s modern American corporate jobs are ever increasing. With the addition of cellular phones and portable computers, Mom and Dad no longer have to go home and check on the children, they can merely call.
Mom and Dad also have to work longer hours with minimal personal time. Again, the family base is sacrificed for the new modern family social model. Child rearing is often left to the older siblings. Help with school activities, projects, and homework is sacrificed because Mom and Dad cannot be there to help their children with these items.
Finally, modernization can be attributed to the increase in alcoholism, drug abuse, and mental illness. Higher levels of stress force members of society to find an “escape” that is quick and satisfying without a lot of time requirement.

References
MODERNIZATION. (2005). In France and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/abcframrle/modernization modernization theory. (2000). In The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/bksoc/modernization_theory
Snyder, D. P. (2005). Five Meta-Trends That Are Changing Our World. Retrieved July 25, 2010, from davidpearcesnyder.com: http://www.davidpearcesnyder.com/five-meta-trends_that_are_changing_our_world.htm
USAID. (2004). Haiti. Retrieved July 25, 2010, from usaid.gov: http://www.usaid.gov/policy/budget/cbj2004/latin_america_caribbean/haiti.pdf

References: MODERNIZATION. (2005). In France and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/abcframrle/modernization modernization theory. (2000). In The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/bksoc/modernization_theory Snyder, D. P. (2005). Five Meta-Trends That Are Changing Our World. Retrieved July 25, 2010, from davidpearcesnyder.com: http://www.davidpearcesnyder.com/five-meta-trends_that_are_changing_our_world.htm USAID. (2004). Haiti. Retrieved July 25, 2010, from usaid.gov: http://www.usaid.gov/policy/budget/cbj2004/latin_america_caribbean/haiti.pdf