The theory of sociological imagination allows looking at familiar situations from a completely different angle. Thanks to the term developed by Wright Mills, social and everyday problems of an individual can be viewed not from the standpoint of a single subject, but the point of view of complex interconnections (“1.1B,” 2019). It is this perspective that provides a comprehensive picture of human life and the environment in case the stories of people taken from the Humans of New York project will be discussed from the viewpoint of the sociological imagination.
The first story is tied to the fact that the author is in an affair with a guy who does not really like pets. However, their lives change over time, and more than four hundred animals of different kinds have already crossed the threshold of their apartment (“It’s not that Chris,” n.d.). The main problem surrounding a guy named Chris is irritability, which occurs when pets bring tangible harm to everyday life and work. If one looks at this from a sociological imagination, it is clear that the root of the problem lies in the author of the story, who has a strong love for pets. In other words, Chris should not blame himself for not being able to tolerate animals because it may not be his personality. Instead of continuing this relationship, Chris should reconsider the connections around him and understand what he needs.
The second story is based on the fact that a woman, having given birth to two children, realized that she could not give them quality education, hence she gave them up. Dozens of years later, the author of the story decided to find his brothers and wrote them on Facebook that the mother was at death (“I remember noticing,” n.d.). The mother spent the last hours of her life, surrounded by all of her children. A typical problem, in this case, is the birth of children that one cannot raise. A woman cannot be blamed for an unplanned pregnancy, but if the birth of twins was expected, it is essential to understand that society may have encouraged her to take a step that she was not prepared for. People around them tell adult girls that the time has come for them to have children, but the 21st century is not about stereotypes, but about the personal and balanced decisions of each individual.
References
1.1B: The Sociological Imagination. (2019). Web.
I remember noticing. (n.d.). Web.
It’s not that Chris. (n.d.). Web.