Essay on C. Wright Mills Personal Problems and Public Issues

C. Wright Mills, the radical Columbia University sociologist who died 50 years ago (March 20, 1962), has been defined by some as the pioneer of the new radical sociology that emerged in the 1950s, in which his book, The Sociological Imagination (1959), has played a crucial role (Restivo 1991, p.61). Mills was a meticulous researcher and his writing combined outrage and analysis, but he did not wanted to be what he called a sociological bookkeeper. Moreover, C. Wright Mills argued that perhaps the most helpful distinction with which the sociological imagination works is between personal troubles and public issues. Here we can focus on how he is connecting the social, personal, and historical dimensions of our lives and understand what is†¦show more content†¦I would say that this relationship is the best way to describe what the sociological imagination is, because it provides this insight, allowing the individual to recognise and understand the larger forces within the socie ty, and how these forces interact with, and affect the lives of the individuals. In addition, I think that the best example would be to look at the situation in Lithuania. In a nation of about 3 million employees, 200 thousand men are unemployed and, as a result, 58 thousand Lithuanians are immigrated to other countries. When we see such numbers, we cannot claim an individual and it is clear, that this is a public issue, and we may not be able to ever solve these problems alone. Sadly, nobody is taking any serious action to stop emigration. We can easily find the main reason by looking Lithuanian history. During the World War II, it was occupied by the Soviet Union for more than 50 years, all political, economic, and cultural life was controlled. Children were grown with fear, there was no free will and all borders were closed. If you were not happy with the situation, there was two ways – to keep quiet or to be deported. I would say that even now, in independent country, citizens are scared to take actions and do not see any solutions, they just choose th e easiest ways - run away from problems or keep quiet. Hopefully, the new generation, who is born in independent and democraticShow MoreRelatedThe Sociological Imagination Essay1065 Words   |  5 PagesPaper Grade: 75 / C The Sociological Imagination The sociological imagination is an idea or a way of thinking that interlocks an individual in a society with the society as a whole. Most people refer to sociology as the study of how people or individuals interact with each other. 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