Is that how the world works?

[Agent 008]

"Some of them want to use you, some of them want to get used by you; some of them want to abuse you, some of them want to be abused."? Even those who are trying to stop people from being used, in fact just want to use them themselves?

Is that what it all boils down to? Use or be used?

[Grumble]

Yes, as a matter of fact it is. We're all conditioned to be disconnected and wrapped up in our own selfish matters. Individualism is taking over the world with this corporate bastardized concept of a democracy. And as you can see, it leads to a sad end to a capitalistic democracy. And that is a sad state indeed.

[Refterd]

Yes, it's use or be used, hunt or be hunted, dog-eat-dog, I'm sorry, you must be new to this planet?

[nshanin]

What do you mean by "works"? Society? Sociology has these things called "theoretical paradigms", which are basically competing theories (you know, since it's not a science and all). That's how the world works--either through conflict, individual interactions, or functionality. Look it up, they all have things wrong with them, and once you accept the conflict position (what you appear to be doing right now), you will have to do the same with most other societal problems. And alluva sudden the schools are built by those filthy capitalists as well!

/rant

[KikoSanchez]

Structural-functionalism ftw

No really, I think you have to integrate various sociological paradigms to account for any and all societies and cultures. Every society isn't the same and within each society there are areas of conflict and areas of cooperation and each of these function on varying levels as well (personal, institutional, structural, etc).

[ChickenOfDoom]

People do what they do for different reasons, but I think most of the time it boils down to fulfilling the expectations of others. That is, what they believe you are.

[dal7timgar]

This covers a lot of details:

http://www.amazon.com/screwing-avera.../dp/B0006W84KK

A lot of it is based on information hiding though. So a way to mess with the system is to give away information. Make people better players.

http://www.totse.com/en/politics/eco...gam179613.html

What sense does it make that economists can't figure out planned obsolescence is going on in cars 39 years after the moon landing?

What sense does it make that a capitalist country doesn't make accounting mandatory in high school when double entry accounting is 700 years old? But they MUST have 4 years of English literature. Like that does kids a lot of good.

It looks like school is mostly just another scam.

DT

[nshanin]

Originally Posted by KikoSanchez

Structural-functionalism ftw

No really, I think you have to integrate various sociological paradigms to account for any and all societies and cultures. Every society isn't the same and within each society there are areas of conflict and areas of cooperation and each of these function on varying levels as well (personal, institutional, structural, etc).

Sociology is mysticism, plain and simple. It is very close to theology in its important aspects--these theoretical paradigms mostly. No field worth its salt would have "paradigms" that aren't accepted by 2/3s of its practitioners. Imagine if a third of biologists believed in creationism, a third in Lamarck's (proto-evolutionary) theory and a third in Darwinian evolution. Sociology is bullshit; it's not even opinion-based so you can't even place it into the humanities.

EDIT: I can't believe I lived to see the day dt would reference economic wargames again. *tear*

[dal7timgar]

Originally Posted by nshanin

EDIT: I can't believe I lived to see the day dt would reference economic wargames again. *tear*

LOL

How can you separate Sociology from Economics?

By talking about Behavioral Economics aren't economists admitting they are part of the field. The problem is this is getting into human power games so people are lying and hiding information. How can you have a Science with people doing that?

DT

PS - Have you gotten tired of automobile commercials yet?

[nshanin]

Originally Posted by dal7timgar

LOL

How can you separate Sociology from Economics?

By means of abstractions.

By talking about Behavioral Economics aren't economists admitting they are part of the field.

I see BE as closer related to psychology than sociology, really. It's the analysis of human natures and thought processes rather than looking at institutions and telling us why they're there.

The problem is this is getting into human power games so people are lying and hiding information. How can you have a Science with people doing that?

Exactly! This is why I don't hold BE in high esteem either, it's just psychology with consumers. I don't need to tell you what kind of bullshit psychology is.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosenhan_experiment

DT

PS - Have you gotten tired of automobile commercials yet?

No, I don't view them. I don't watch private television anymore. Still watch public TV though; saw Le Fille du Regiment on PBS yesterday. Meh.