The Promise of Sociology

1ThePromiseofSociology1C.WRIGHTMILLSInaclassicstatement,Millspointsoutthesignificanceofthesocialcontextframingpeopleandtheiractions.Wesometimesoverlooktheroleoflargerhistoricalandinstitutionalfactorsinaffectingoursituations,failingtorecognizetheconnectionbetweenthetangible,microlevelofhowpeopleactineverydayl!feandtheinvisibleforcescontainingsocialtrendsandstructures.LearningtorecognizetheseforcesisthechallengeMillsposestoinquiringminds.Hecallsthisanenrichingyetfrighteningopportunity,forindiscoveringtheroleofthebroadersweepsofhistorythatguideandconstrainus,weseeourselvesassmallpartsofthelargermicrocosm.Withthiscalltoenlightenmentweopenthiscollectionofsociologicalessays,treesthatwillhelpyoudevelopyourownsociologicalimaginationandentertheintellectualdomainofgrand,excitingideas.Hopefully,aftertakingthiscourse,youwillshareinhisenthusiasmabouttheuniqueperspectivethatsociologyoffersus.Howisthesociologicalvisionofsocietydifferentfromthecommonsensicalone?Whatmakesitunique?Nowadaysmenoftenfeelthattheirprivatelivesareaseriesoftraps.Theysensethatwithintheireverydayworlds,theycannotovercometheirtroubles,andinthisfeeling,theyareoftenquitecorrect:Whatordinarymenaredirectlyawareofandwhattheytrytodoareboundedbytheprivateorbitsinwhichtheylive;theirvisionsandtheirpowersarelimitedtotheclose-upscenesofjob,family,neighborhood;inothermilieux,theymovevicariouslyandremainspectators.Andthemoreawaretheybecome,howevervaguely,ofambitionsandofthreatswhichtranscendtheirimmediatelocales,themoretrappedtheyseemtofeel.Underlyingthissenseofbeingtrappedareseeminglyimpersonalchangesintheverystructureofcontinent-widesocieties.Thefactsofcontemporaryhistoryarealsofactsaboutthesuccessandthefailureofindividualmenandwomen.Whenasocietyisindustrialized,apeasantbecomesaworker;afeudallordisliquidatedorbecomesabusinessman.Whenclassesriseorfall,amanisemployedorunemployed;whentherateofinvestmentgoesupordown,amantakesnewheartorgoesbroke.Whenwarshappen,aninsurancesalesmanbecomesarocketlauncher;astoreclerk,aradarman;awifelivesalone;achildgrowsupwithoutafather.Neitherthelifeofanindividualnorthehistoryofasocietycanbeunderstoodwithoutunderstandingboth.Yetmendonotusuallydefinethetroublestheyendureintermsofhistoricalchangeandinstitutionalcontradiction.Thewell-beingtheyenjoy,theydonotusuallyimputetothebigupsanddownsofthesocietiesinwhichtheylive.Seldomawareoftheintricateconnectionbetweenthepatternsoftheirown1Thisintroductorypiecewaswrittenin1959beforewritersbecamesensitivetosexistlanguage.Pleaseexcusetheuseofthewordmeninthisselection,wheremoreappropriatelytheword'humansshouldappear.FromTheSocioloicalImaginationbyC.WrightMills.1959byOxfordUniversityPress,Inc.Renewed1987byYaraslavaMills.UsedbypermissionofOxfordUnifersityPress,Inc.2livesandthecourseofworldhistory,ordinarymendonotusuallyknowwhatthisconnectionmeansforthekindsofmentheyarebecomingandforthekindsofhistory-makinginwhichtheymighttakepart.Theydonotpossessthequalityofmindessentialtograsptheinterplayofmanandsociety,orbiographyandhistory,ofselfandworld.Theycannotcopewiththeirpersonaltroublesinsuchwaysastocontrolthestructuraltransformationsthatusuallyliebehindthem,Surelyitisnowonder.Inwhatperiodhavesomanymenbeensototallyexposedatsofastapacetosuchearthquakesofchange?ThatAmericanshavenotknownsuchcatastrophicchangesashavethemenandwomenofothersocietiesisduetohistoricalfactsthatarenowquicklybecomingmerelyhistory.Thehistorythatnowaffectseverymanisworldhistory.Withinthissceneandthisperiod,inthecourseofasinglegeneration,one-sixthofmankindistransformedfromallthatisfeudalandbackwardintoallthatismodern,advanced,andfearful.Politicalcoloniesarefreed;newandlessvisibleformsofimperialisminstalled.Revolutionsoccur;menfeeltheintimategripofnewkindsofauthority.Totalitariansocietiesrise,andaresmashedtobits--orsucceedfabulously.Aftertwocenturiesofascendancy,capitalismisshownupasonlyonewaytomakesocietyintoanindustrialapparatus.Aftertwocenturiesofhope,evenformaldemocracyisrestrictedtoaquitesmallportionofmankind.Everywhereintheunderdevelopedworld,ancientwaysoflifearebrokenupandvagueexpectationsbecomeurgentdemands.Everywhereintheoverdevelopedworld,themeansofauthorityandofviolencebecometotalinscopeandbureaucraticinform.Humanityitselfnowliesbeforeus,thesuper-nationateitherpoleconcentratingitsmostcoordinatedandmassiveeffortsuponthepreparationofWorldWarThree.Theveryshapingofhistorynowoutpacestheabilityofmentoorientthemselvesinaccordancewithcherishedvalues.Andwhichvalues?Evenwhentheydonotpanic,menoftensensethatolderwaysoffeelingandthinkinghavecollapsedandthatnewerbeginningsareambiguoustothepointofmoralstasis.Isitanywonderthatordinarymenfeeltheycannotcopewiththelargerworldswithwhichtheyaresosuddenlyconfronted?Thattheycannotunderstandthemeaningoftheirepochfortheirownlives?That----indefenseofselfhood----theybecomemorallyinsensible,tryingtoremainaltogetherprivatemen?Isitanywonderthattheycometobepossessedbyasenseofthetrap?Itisnotonlyinformationthattheyneed--inthisAgeofFact,informationoftendominatestheirattentionandoverwhelmstheircapacitiestoassimilate