Social Constructionism

 

Social constructionism essentially involves the manner through which individuals in society view their world. It is a means through which the world view of these individuals can be understood within their own context rather than being judged based on the world views of other communities or cultures. Social constructionism has had an influence of people all over the world and this has been the basis upon which cultures have developed over the centuries. In this paper, there will be an analysis of social constructionism as an influential context when it comes to matters concerning identity, desire, or behavior.

One of the most significant factors that come about because of social constructionism is the assumptions that are made concerning the identity of individuals. In the contemporary world, there are a growing number of individuals who do not possess a specific social identity and instead only view themselves as human beings. This is especially the case in situations where a girl kisses another without identifying as lesbian.[1] Under such circumstances, perfectly straight individuals end up undertaking sexual actions with members of the same sex and this does not have an effect on their identity as straight people.

The influence of social constructionism can be seen in the manner through which such emotions as desire are perceived in society. In the contemporary world, especially in the West, sexual desire has come to take a new meaning because rather than individuals simply being attracted to the opposite sex, there has been an increase in the number of incidents of fluidity. Therefore, even those individuals who identify as being lesbian or gay end up being attracted to the opposite sex and vice versa.[2] A result of this situation is that the rigid perspectives that society had placed on sexual relationships are increasingly being eroded and are instead being replaced by a situation where individuals do what they believe to be right.

The behavior of individuals has also come to be influenced by social constructionism. The influence of social media in this matter cannot be underestimated because the latter has become an important player in the development of new social constructions. The behavior of some individuals has changed to such an extent that it has led to the development of instances where people behave differently in order to not only become a part of a social group, but also to attract attention. An instance of this is where girls kiss one another in order to attract the attention of boys.[3] In addition, there are instances where gay people, especially in a conservative Muslim country like Indonesia, have to hide their sexuality because of their religion, because in Islam, homosexuality is considered a sin.[4]

In conclusion, social construction is an essential part of societies because it helps to govern the evolution of identity, desire, and behavior. Through this process, it becomes possible for societies to develop their own cultures, which essentially move from the fringes to the mainstream as more individuals buy into the new ideas. The ability of individuals to ensure that they adhere to the social norms of their own communities leads to a situation where social constructionism becomes a prominent part of their lives and how they conduct themselves.

 

 

 

Bibliography

Boellstorff, Tom. "Between Religion and Desire: Being Muslim and Gay in Indonesia." American Anthropologist 107, no. 4 (2005): 575-85.

Rupp, Leila J, and Verta Taylor. "Straight Girls Kissing." Contexts 9, no. 3 (2010): 28-32.

 

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[1] Leila J Rupp and Verta Taylor, "Straight Girls Kissing," Contexts 9, no. 3 (2010): 29.

[2] Ibid., 31.

[3] Ibid., 29.

[4] Tom Boellstorff, "Between Religion and Desire: Being Muslim and Gay in Indonesia," American Anthropologist 107, no. 4 (2005): 578.

Don't Tweet Your Brains Out by John Ramsay

John Ramsay, in his speech, shows that while Twitter has been able to ensure that there is the advancement of social good, it also has the potential to ruin the lives of those individuals who use it. This is especially the case where Ramsay makes reference to Jofi Joseph, a White House official who ended up losing his job because he lived a double life on Twitter where he made confidential and at times snide remarks, concerning his bosses, available on the network. The result was that he ended up being fired from his job despite having been among the most promising individuals at the White House who, just before being fired, had been slotted for promotion. Ramsay notes that even his bosses could not believe that such a brilliant man could descend so far from his position as to essentially bring down his career through the temptations brought about by a social network that did no really add any quality to his life. Therefore, the major lesson of the speech is that individuals have to be careful concerning what they choose to make public through social networks because they have the risk of jeopardizing their own lives and careers.