Editor, Commonwealth:
In the study of human society, there is a concept referred to as a sociological imagination. It is commonly called being able to see the big picture.
There are a number of complex definitions for this skill, but what it really is, is being able to see those things that don't necessarily appear on the surface. It is the ability to understand the relationship between individuals and the larger society that they live in. This particular competency is important because it helps us to relate to situations that will impact our daily lives and give us the ability to develop a global viewpoint. Without a sociological imagination, we do not develop the capacity to see things beyond our Facebook accounts and the petty gossip that is always flowing in our neighborhood.
There have been some recent events that have taken place locally and nationally that truly require a sociological imagination to understand the depth of what is taking place. For those who are avoiding this creative ability to see the big picture, these recent events will hit you like a ton of bricks.
Over the last 10 years, our society has been engulfed with negativity. There have been mass shootings, political chaos and hate crimes that could fit in a wide range of evilness. The problem with negative emotions is that they tend to lean toward a sense of loneliness, envy, hate and guilt. With all of this negative energy, the country seems to be experiencing a feeding frenzy in which uncooperativeness dominates our daily activities. Nobody really wants to listen or work with others to resolve problems. There is constant cynicism that is reflective in the media all day, every day. It makes one feel that society is under a dark cloud with an aura of unhappiness. Just like those old sayings, “Misery loves company,” and “Hurt people hurt other people.”
Finally, the Scripture tells us that the “Creator” allows people who are consumed with pessimism to have a debased (reduced in quality) mind in which they ingest all sorts of selfish thoughts. These people become full of strife, deceitfulness, malice and unrighteousness of all kinds. The thing that is especially dangerous about people with this reduced quality of thinking is that some of these individuals feel that they have a right to use hate as an excuse to take the lives of others.
We have lived these days in the past, and it was not a good look. As a society, we must get back to taking a stand for those things that are positive and the ones we know that are right. When one replaces negative thoughts and actions with positive ones, the end result will be a productive society that comes together to work out its differences.
I pray that there is someone out there who is listening and has the sociological imagination to see the big picture.
Charles Brady
Greenville
