SOA 1061st Edition Lecture 6Outline of Last Lecture I. The Social Construct of RealityII. Macro-LevelIII. Micro-LevelOutline of Current Lecture II. The Truman Show III. ObstaclesIV. Sociology of KnowledgeV. Contested Reality: PowerCurrent LectureThe Truman Show● Truman’s world is every bit as real as ours● Everyone around you reinforces our reality● “Situations defined as real, are real in thier consequences”Obstacles● What prevented Truman from knowing his world was a construct?○ everytime he tried to leave someone would distract him○ Truman’s dad died at sea, so he never thought to sail as far as he could go○ He booked a flight and saw a poster of a plane getting stuck by lightening● Similar to leaving home and your family doesnt want you to leave● Society scares of from doing things we want to do○ “What are you going to do with an art degree? There is no money in that.”● Many forces are working on us to help maintain reality● We police ourselves like Truman’s life is directedSociology of Knowledge● What we know as the “truth” is a product of the culture and historical context in which we exist○ Ex: Being Gay -- until 1973 it was an offical mental disorder○ Ex: Being thin-- was not always what women wanted● Knowledge itself is a human creation● If knowledge is created by humans we can change itContested Realities: Power● Power comes from the ability to control or influence the way situations are defined● Reality construction is not democratic○ We all play a role in it● Powerful social actors can promote a version of reality serving their interests○ Ex: booking industry, Texas School Board● Real life applications and implications○ unemployment insurance○ global warming-- people tried to say it was not happening to keep profits up for cars and oil○ Saddam Hussein, 9/11, and invasion of
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