I feel that we didn’t talk much about this in class, but I think it is worth bringing up since it is closely related to both sociology and anthropology (which is one of my majors). In the reading religious institutions are said to be important in the understanding of the sociology of individuals such as the way humans think and feel emotions. Those interactions that those individuals have with one another in the religious institution are what shape their wholeness as group. There is a sit of so-called “ingredients” as presented in the Coalitions of the Mind chapter, which was that there need to be at least two people for the interaction ritual to be considered an interaction ritual. For some reason that made me think about what happens if there is only one person and would that make it more like “witchcraft” or sorcery? Since those individuals would be by themselves, instead of interacting with people who share a connection its more based on objects. Symbols were also mentioned as a way to keep that connection when the group is not together. I just thought that whole section was interesting.
In the Emergence of the Intellectual, humans have goals spurred by ambitions and social systems and groups also start to form. New inventions would then help humans achieve those goals, but at the same time, classes are formed and we start to see groups that have power over other groups of individuals. In one of my other classes that I am also taking this semester, Marxism was brought up because its one of the causes of humans continuing to destroy the natural world and its resources for their own benefit, such as to make a profit. The chapter talks about Marxism and it seems that that way of thinking bro0ught abo0ut bad things for humanity like famine, war and poverty in the eighteenth century. On the other hand, it seems once religion came along and Christianity became popular, the so-called “ideal world” concepts of peace, prosperity and unity were lifted to a higher level than they ever were before. After even more time has gone by in history, it seems that individuals have a much stronger concept of what it means to be an intellectual and their function and purpose. Even so, going forward other important concepts come into play that continue to change group dynamics as a whole. Redistribution of power and applying scientific thinking to coming up with ways to solve problems.
Overall both of these readings brought to light things that I had learned previously or had not had the opportunity to think about at all. I also think that this class (which will probably be my last sociology class at Bucknell) will be a good rounding out of all the sociology classes and anthro classes that I’ve taken at Bucknell. On the first day ive already made so many other connections between my classes and i can’t wait to see what other connections can be made throughout the semester.