Comparing Peter Berger and C. Wright Mills Essay - 1932 Words

On reading the excerpts by Peter Berger and C. Wright Mills, it is obvious that these two sociologists have very different methods as to how the practice of sociology should be conducted. While these two authors may differ in their various methods, they both have an underlying point that they are trying to make which can be made applicable in any person’s daily life. The main point behind Peter Berger’s work Introduction to Sociology is that in order to find out the truth about a person or perhaps a situation, one must take a deeper look than just looking at the deceptive superficial surface. He starts off making this point by saying that not everything is as clear as it may appear. The world that we live in has many different sides to†¦show more content†¦It is also not for those who have no curiosity about the world around them or those that lack the ability to think critically. This discipline is more for people that find human beings fascinating and want to know why they behave the way they do. The biggest point that Berger makes towards the end of this article is that one must be able to have an open mind and allow one’s self to see things in a new, unbiased light. This involves thinking outside of the box. He says that this discipline of sociology is all about seeing behind the mask and digging deeper. Berger believes that one cannot determine the true facts of a situation by simply giving it a superficial overview because that will tell one nothing. C. Wright Mills tends to take a different avenue to explain sociology in chapter one of his book The Sociological Imagination. Mills basically makes four points throughout this chapter. The first point is that it is essential for the potential sociologist is to keep a journal-like file of his or her individual private experience and of his or her work experience as well. He says that because one’s work goes with one whenever one goes home for the night, there is no separat ing the two. Personal and professional experience builds one another up, so a person must figure out how to incorporate his or her personal experience into his or her professional work. Mills believes that it is critical to have such a file so that the sociologist has something toShow MoreRelatedChristian Ethics in a Postmodern World Essay example6531 Words   |  27 Pagesdevelopments of the industrialist and capitalist expansion and domination; and modernity as the sum total of modern, modernism, and modernisation. The concept of ‘postmodern’ evolves according to different perspectives of the different scholars. C. 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