Sociological Toolbox Social Media

Week 1:

Sociological Toolbox:

- Theory

- Methods – evidence and data that we think reflects the social world

- Concepts and constructs – using the proper terminology and recognizing differences in people’s definitions (class, race, etc.) and how these concepts help us organize our social lives

- Master categories – the particular ways we find how society is organized, structured, categorized and placed within that structure, how resources are allocated, who has been given to power and profit, and ultimately who lives and dies and at what point

Pay attention to:

- Four questions he uses to frame this film

- How we can use and interpret these questions to think sociologically

Film (Digital Disconnect):

- Some argue that the internet has helped democracy because everyone can access everything quickly

- Social media designed to empower the user, but it is still considered a distraction and has “fake news”

- Who owns the media, who’s interests do they serve, and whether American people have the…

- 1960’s, computers causing major anxiety, only professionals know how to use them, fear computers would take over the world

- Steve Jobs made Macintosh in 1984 seem like the digital revolution of democracy

- Communication revolution, transformative as learning language and writing

- Relationship between capitalism and democracy – capitalist democracies are very often at odds because class and equality are building from capitalist systems, without government regulation, few corporations have all the power and money (oil, railroad, Google companies)

- Important question is whether the internet has helped to push back wealth and power through democracy? Internet monopoly’s control buying, distribution, government, etc.

- In the 1990’s, the economy in America grew and most credit was due to the commercial internet

- Cable companies suffered because they didn’t need the middle man anymore to communicate when the internet communication was free

- Monopoly cartels such as Verizon and AT&T in America controls how much internet costs even though their speeds are worse than other countries, Americans have no choice but to use these companies because they control everything

- Gap between rich and poor because net neutrality stopped by Trump administration and poor people can’t afford to