CULTURE AS A PRODUCT Hall and Neitz (1993) provide an inclusive definition of culture that describes it as 1) ideas, knowledge (correct, wrong, or unverifiable belief), and recipes for doing things; 2) humanly fabricated tools (shovels, sewing machines, and computers); and 3) products of social action that can be drawn upon in the conduct of… Continue reading Culture as Both Product and Practice
Category: Social Science
American Secularization and Media Depictions of End Times
INTRODUCTION Media Influence Art has always had an influence on society, even if that influence is more indirect than the artist intended. In the “age of mechanical reproduction” (Benjamin 1969[1936]), the aura of art may not be as strong as the medium of film and television has eclipsed the close distance of the stage. The… Continue reading American Secularization and Media Depictions of End Times
Visual Sociology
What is ‘Visual’? Visual, especially with reference to visual methods, may not necessarily equate with the images directly viewed with the eye at a given moment. When a person closes their eyes and images emerge from consciousness, do they remain “unseen”? If a person can visualize the invisible, it may not be a stretch to… Continue reading Visual Sociology
THE NEOLIBERAL ETHIC AND THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM
“For the love of money is the root of all evil.” I Timothy 6:10INTRODUCTION The dominance of global neoliberal economics and cries for economic justice in the United States has reignited a firestorm of criticism of the capitalist system. What once was a booming economic system that attempted to address and correct the horrors of… Continue reading THE NEOLIBERAL ETHIC AND THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM
The Coming Civil Conflict
About 10 years ago, I predicted a simultaneous civil war, world war, and economic collapse. At that time, we were in the midst of the “Great Recession” and escalating conflict overseas between Middle Eastern nations including our own “war on terror” that continues to solider on. Right now, it seems that those last two issues… Continue reading The Coming Civil Conflict
Religious Differences in Supernatural Beliefs (My Master’s Thesis)
ABSTRACT The supernatural has been a topic of sociological study for over a century, and belief in the existence of paranormal phenomena is permeating into various aspects of the media. Although publicly labeled as a deviant group, paranormal believers comprise a majority in the United States. When different supernatural belief systems are combined under… Continue reading Religious Differences in Supernatural Beliefs (My Master’s Thesis)
Social Media Responsibility
Most of us feel compelled to post only the "best" aspects of our lives on social media. Others post mostly the "worst". Those of us who present the "best" parts of ourselves on social media are not only seeking validation and praise, but are inadvertently harming others. Those of us who present the "worst" are… Continue reading Social Media Responsibility
The True Freedom of Religion
A common meme from anti-Christians is that Christianity is a restrictive religion. Many modern churches have also begun to sing this refrain as they attempt to abandon “legalism,” which they mostly define as rigid rules put in place by churches on music and attire (this is not true legalism, but difference in preference as I… Continue reading The True Freedom of Religion
Exposing the “Mental Health Crisis”
In sociology, mental health has long been viewed as a “social construction” like gender, race, etc. It is absolutely true in this case. Autism is new a “spectrum” that can be as wide as the mental health community wishes it to be. Homosexuality and transgenderism used to be afflictions that no longer appear in the… Continue reading Exposing the “Mental Health Crisis”
Ohio State Juvenile Reforms
A Brief History of Ohio Juvenile Institutions Prior to the institution of the Ohio Reform School in 1857, male juvenile offenders were sent to adult penitentiaries. The ORS housed boys between 8 and 18 years old. It adopted the cottage style “open system” rather than a large structure to house inmates. Boys entered the ORS… Continue reading Ohio State Juvenile Reforms
Simmons' Opinions 