Why is Sociology Underrated?
Person X/Y/Z: So what are the courses you’re taking for your breadth requirements this semester?
Me: This course, that course, and sociology.
Person X: Sociology? Oh that’s… interesting [awkward nod, fake smile].
Person Y: Sociology? What is that even…? Like psychology but about the society?
Person Z: Isn’t that, like, really boring? But I heard it’s super easy!
It is the last week of my second semester of first year, and I have still not been able to find an answer as to why sociology is so underrated.
Last year, I decided to take Sociology 103 for the winter semester. But first, I need to admit that I wanted to take psychology instead, yet since I was in the 200s on the waiting list, I decided to give sociology a try.
I have zero regrets.
It is not an easy course, and it is definitely not meant for everyone. But it is most definitely the least boring course I have ever taken in my entire educational years. Sociology does teach you about how the society functions, but the main objective of this field of study is that it helps you to find answers to questions you never thought you had before. Ironically, you get the answer before you ask the question, but the answer isn’t actually the answer to how we can resolve problems, it is only an answer to what the problems are within our society.
Since I have only taken one sociology course in grade 11, and one in my first year of university, I may not have the best knowledge of what defines “sociology” entirely. But I will instead refer to what I have learned so far in Sociology 103.
One word: Capitalism.
It’s a word that most of us have heard about, but aren’t too sure of its meaning. Sociology 103 spends weeks on defining capitalism, such as how it was formed, and why it is still present in the modern world. To sum up weeks of lectures into a few sentences, capitalism is basically about big bullies who come into your “house”, take all of your stuff and kick you out. The only way you can survive is to give your “lunch money” [which in this case it means your cheap labour] to these bullies in return for a small “pat on the back” [maximum wage]. The capitalists will always be the bullies you work for but never get anything valuable in return. If you want a visual aid, imagine yourself in a room where the bully is given a big stuffed turkey to eat, whereas you are only given half a peanut butter sandwich.
Unfair, right? Well, that is the entire course’s motif. Everything is unfair in our society. You learn about what’s hiding behind the curtains, things that many other courses would never be able to teach you. You learn about the brutal reality. It’s frustrating and intriguing all at the same time!
Aside from the tests and exams–which may be somewhat hard to get 100 percents for as falsely believed by many people–this course can be one of the best courses you can take at U of T. I highly recommend it to those who like to think about what’s outside and inside the box. Sociology 103 is a course that’s meant to be understood and questioned, not memorized and reiterated. I personally think this course helped me view the government differently because it made me question several things, such as whether the government are wiping the shoes of capitalists instead of trying to help us, the people, instead. Whether there will ever be an end to the big wide gap between the bully and the bullied and so forth.
Sociology in general is more than just a course, it is an explanation of the good and bad in our society.
Come on guys, even Honey BooBoo gets it!