Social structures affect individuals from "summary" of The Sociological Imagination by C. Wright Mills
In our society, the way we interact with one another and how we are organized can have a major impact on our lives. Social structures can shape our opportunities, experiences, and even our perspectives on the world around us. By understanding the influence of these structures, we can gain an insight into how we can lead more fulfilling lives.- Social structures form the conditions of lives for individuals - it functions as an invisible “scaffolding” that constraints choices available to people within a society.
- People understand their lives through the lens of relationships - family, among peers, at workplace - and our relationships with each other are shaped by larger structural forces.
- Society shapes how we think, who we talk to, and which opportunities are available to us. It influences our behavior and decisions in big ways and small ways.
- Social structures play role in limiting access to resources; they offer unequal distribution of power, prestige, wealth, education and knowledge.
- Every one of us take part in many levels of complex social structures every day. Each position brings certain privileges with it, but also may limit possibilities available to someone in a particular environment.
- Differences in social structure between cultures make experienced differently by individuals belonging to those cultures - norms established by dominant groups become expectations of all members in society.
- The composition of organizations further affects experiences of individuals, as the organizational culture often reflects particular values or principles shared by its individual members.
- Gender, class, race, and other variables can influence person's experience in a direct manner. Those systemic elements, actively negotiating with human agency, shape trajectory of personal life and identity development.
