The Sociological Imagination

Joby

Paper 1: "A"

Sociology 204

Jocelyn Hollander

12 April 2006

The Sociological Imagination

Sometimes people think they are the biggest failure known to mankind. They can be the biggest drug addict, homeless person, or idiot. But whenever somebody screws up, they tend to take it hard on themselves, thinking of themselves as a loser and this only carries the problem farther. This can also happen among friends. Often when a friend fails in a certain aspect of life he or she is looked down upon by his friends and family and possible even seen as lesser of a person. In reality this is the last thing an individual needs to hear, that they are a screw up or whatever else is told to them. The problem is real to them, but what is not being realized is that it is not just a problem to them.

Joe is a junior in College. When he arrived at the University of Oregon he was not a drinker, but over the past three years he has become more and more likely to drink alcohol. His friends are becoming worried that he has a drinking problem. Little do they realize the problem is not just Joe and his love for alcohol. It goes far beyond that to what happens when kids, well not really kids anymore, but young innocent 18 year old men and women, move away to college. When these fresh college students finally get out of their parents' house they are ready to party, and this usually involves drinking a decent amount of alcohol. Joe's problem relies on his own decisions, but is influenced tremendously by his own peers, the same ones judging him for having this so called "problem".

When Joe drinks his friends say he often goes beyond his limits, drinking to the point of vomiting, and not remembering the night before. But what they need to do is help Joe out by telling him how foolish he looks when he is this trashed, and that he needs to slow down. Instead of simply looking at him as the alcoholic of the group and that he has a major problem. What they see as this big problem, truly is not as big at they perceive it. What is happening to Joe happens to a great number of college students around America. This happens especially in America because of the older drinking age law, so when these 18 year olds leave to college they can finally drink as they please, even though it is still illegal.