Sociological Imagination Research Paper

Sociological Imagination

The Sociological Imagination was brought forth by C. Wright Mills in 1959. Mills believed that large social happenings were connected to the personal actions of a single person. Everything that happens in society affects us all as a single entity. Each person has a strong perception of the connections between their personal selves and society. Society sets a particular standard as to how things should be and we as part of that system follow through with those standards or expectations. By a person not allowing themselves to look outside of the box they are setting themselves up for failure. The sociological imagination allows for a person to think outside the box and see things in a different way. “Neither the
life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both” (Mills). Each person needs to have an understanding of what not only goes on in their private lives but also in society.

Looking deeper into the meaning of the sociological imagination we find it of great importance because of how it helps us better understand how our lives are bound by society. By having this clear understanding of the connections between a single life and society we can better understand the connection between the two. “Nowadays people often feel that their private lives are a series of traps”(Mills). People struggle with their thoughts of overcoming life troubles and they often cannot overcome these. Mills speaks about how people tend to stay within their own orbits and how those orbits limit the visions and dreams of each person. Things such as family, job, and neighborhood are the main traps within a person's orbit that get them stuck and keep them from moving forward. In order to move beyond these traps people need to think outside the box and explore new and different ways of doing things. By opening your mind to seeing things differently it allows you to make connections in life you may have missed otherwise. The sociological imagination is detrimental to a person's development.

Most do not look at their troubles and issues in a big picture way, yet they look at these in a more self oriented way. They do not see that society plays a role in the outcome of their situations. Unable to see the connections between world history and where they are going prevents them from seeing society as a whole. They are unable to handle personal problems that have followed them from the past. People tend to remain private and not allow themselves to become part of the broader society. “The first fruit of the imagination - and the first lesson of the social science that embodies it- is the idea that the individual can understand her own experience and gauge her own fate only by locating herself within her period , that she can know her own chances in life only by becoming aware of those of all individuals in her circumstances” (Mills). A person needs to break away from the norm and look at others who have similar circumstances as they do to better understand themselves and others. Humans limits and boundaries are a hard to follow but what we do know is that each person lives out their lives in some sort of historical sequence. This one person only has a very small impact on the shaping of society. “The sociological imagination enables us to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two within society” (Mills). Sociological Imagination opens us up to a new way of thinking and exploring ideas.

“Troubles occur within the character of the individual and within the range of his or her immediate relations with others; they have to do with one’s self and with those limited areas of social life of which one is directly and personally aware” (Mills).
These troubles root in the local environments of the person. One must look at the the immediate distractions or happenings in a person's life to better understand why they are in the situation they are in. The environment of the person should be explored beyond the local issues into societal issues. Also social changes that impact people need to be considered when looking at how a person behaves and responds.
The Sociological imagination is a very important part of human development. It allows us to think out of the box and see things from an outside perspective. It takes a person out of their way of thinking and helps them grasp a new way of thinking. The task of using one’s sociological imagination can be tedious but it helps to better understand society. Humans often feel trapped within their own orbits and can use their sociological imaginations to see the world and make connections between themselves and society. The Sociological Imagination is crucial to keeping a society
balanced.