Custom essays on Sociology assignment

1. In what way can it be argued that an overemphasis on one’s physical appearance alienates individuals from themselves? Is the body part of the self or separate from the self?
To answer this question, first of all it is necessary to understand what physical appearance means for individuality, and how it influences on person’s self-image and self-perception. Person’s appearance is a meaning of his identity. Appearance is a expression of self-appraisal of person – in overall positive or a negative attitude. When self-appraisal is independent and autonomous, it does not dependent on external evaluations. But in most cases the person tries by the appearance to attract the attention of surrounding people, and show his inner world, the mood and character.
Through the appearance person reveals his identity to a particular social class, individual lifestyle with his characteristic values, and, last but not least, interacts with various aspects of the social environment and changes them. A person can achieve his goals by manipulating the impression he makes on other people.
That is, appearance is a continuation of human’s inner world, so the body can not be separated from the spiritual and emotional side.

2. Several of the classical theorists believed that much of modern life has become objectified and rationalized. In addition to the areas of the body, celebrity, and medicine, in what other areas has modern life become objectified and rationalized?
Comparing the situation in contemporary culture and society that was a hundred years ago, many critics and theorists say that it has become objectified and rationalized. First of all this process is connected with the globalization, that has brought certain standards in the world.
Globalization has led to fundamental changes in the relationship between folk, elite and mass culture, it lowered the status of the culture as it was before. At the same time it brought mass culture, turning it into a leading element of a cultural system of post-industrial society. The mass culture is like a substitute designed to meet the lowbrow tastes of poorly educated population.

3. Is it possible to effectively untie the rational and irrational, mental and emotional dimensions of life to create a more humane society? Why or why not? Should social theorists even be concerned about such an issue?
Rationality – one of the most important concepts of philosophy, sociology and psychology.
The characteristic of our time is a neglect of rationality, that is mainly due to the uncertainty in the use of this notion. What is rational and what is irrational?
Rationality, like morality, is essential characteristic of behavior. It is important to distinguish between the rational and irrational behavior. An important feature of the actions that is called irrational or rationally forbidden (rationally prohibited), is that virtually no one would support people to commit these acts, on the contrary, they would have tried to convince not to do so. To call something rational or rationally acceptable does not mean to endorse all of this, in these words there is only one modal nuance of “lack of conviction.”
Many people want to draw a clear line between facts and values, rational and irrational. If you get rid of the irrational motives, it means the mental control of reason over the behavior, which requires adherence to specific actions, conditions, programs, limiting the freedom of thought. However, the above indicates that such a clear distinction is impossible, because rationality is in some way a subjective judgment.