Thursday, September 22, 2011

Poverty Solidarity

During chapel yesterday, we had a speaker from a Texas hunger relief program focusing on helping the poverty, especially here in Waco. One thing he said applied right to sociology and the issue of solidarity and social control. He said, "Solidarity is committing your life to their cause...until it's fixed, it's still our story." To feel that level of connectedness that the impoverished have with society, we have to commit to the cause to help in relief.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Virgil's Conflict



While talking with a junior named Virgil today, I realized his life was experiencing some major role conflict. Between being a Fiji, a yell leader, an ROTC cadet, and a student, his life is overwhelmed right now! All of his roles are demanding so much of him that, at times, he must choose which is of more importance or which role takes priority at different times.

Cookout Subgroups

Sunday afternoon there was a fraternity cookout at the Marina. I was invited by my date and, while there, I noticed subgroups forming from the large group of a few hundred that were present. The potential interactions rose, but the formality and intimacy declined in the large group. Subgroups were a more personal fit for the setting.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

"I feel like a Performer"

Tonight at Lifegroup bible study, one of my friends was talking about feeling like a performer going throughout her days, as if it were all acting. This gave me the chance to talk with her about dramaturgy, front stage and back stage and how God sees her back stage when no one else might be able to.

Howdy!

At Howdy, I noticed a lot of people using impression management while dancing. They're front stage was that of being a good country dancer, even for those out-of-staters (even me!). But, when two-stepping started, many used the humor side of face-saving to save themselves from too much embarrassment after stepping on their partners feet or getting too tangled up and confused!

Cheerleading Pyramids

At practice the other day, our team was working on building higher level pyramids and in a way it reminded me of a sociological concept. I thought of the functionalist Talcott Parsons view of sociology being like a wheel, with independent yet interdependent parts. In building pyramids, everyone has an independent part, but functioning together, we all depend on one another to accomplish our goal.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Baylor vs. TCU Game!

Many fans at the game Friday night experienced contagions, where they were less likely to think clearly and more likely to act out irrationally. When bad calls were made or plays didn't go as planned, fans were screaming and freaking out probably in ways they wouldn't normally! TCU fans especially didn't know how to control themselves compared to Baylor fans!