Hi, The idealist approach sees social life as the product of human consciousness

Question

Hi,

The idealist approach sees social life as the product of human consciousness

(subjectivity) – of the meaning that human beings give to their conduct rather than as

an external (objective) reality. The sociologist’s task is to explain the ideas, beliefs and

motives of social actors – to interpret the meaning of social events. Sociology’s subject

matter is the meaning of social-historical reality."

What are the meanings of these two sentences "an external (objective) reality" mean and "Sociology’s subject

matter is the meaning of social-historical reality."?

I also want to know more about Idealism in the context of sociology, with examples :)

Thank you,

Rasha

Explanation / Answer

To understand the concept of objectivity and subjectivity, let me relate it with :looking glass self" theory in brief. We often experience insecured or not sure about ourselves and doubt ourselves in presence of others. Say, are they laughing at me? Did they mean me? Did she notice me? These kind of innervoice is natural for all especially when you are socialising and being watched by others. You tend to become uncomfortable or nervous or express fake behaviour. This level of personal insecurity that you display in public space is what your believe others are thinking of you.

Socialization develops by interacting with others, exchanging information, expresssing personal views. One's concept of "self "grows by social interactions and getting feedback from right person. Actually, how we see ourselves does not come from who we really are, but rather from how we believe others see us.

The self is reflected through others, thus others are looking glass self. but if a person, say a child is being ignorant of his own ego, takes his own point of view as absolute and fails to establish between himself and external world of things. this reciprocity would ensure "Subjectivity". The feeling of "I". Whenever elationship dependent on ego, they tend to stick to crux of it. They fail to relate the relations as they reciprocity between himself and other people and between himself and other things.

Objectivity means the state or quality of being true even outside of a subject's individual biases, interpretations, feelings, and imaginings.

Social historical is its dual existence of reality and idea. Religion, family, law, education all exist as institutions with real histories.

At the same these terms rfer to ideas about what such institutions mean, what their true or essential purposesare, and thus what theyoughtto be. These two- the relity and the idea-are often difficult to separate, and they cannot be separated completely, since the reality comes aboutin part as an embodiment of ideas, while at the same time the ideas are formed out of a real lived experience which at the same time the ideas are formed out of a real lived experience which involves and is influenced by real institutions.

insofar as these ideas are conscious they represent the tips of icebergs whose influence is far more pervasive than any explicit reflection on social institutions. the ice berg in question are the social imaginary significations that always underlie and organise social reality.

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