Sociology exam
Sociology exam
1. Did you understand that Horace Miner was describing that “Nacirema” spelled
backwards is American? Why wouldn’t you or others necessarily recognize this?
(10 points out of a total of 80)
No I didn’t understand that. I didn’t even see that Nacirema was spelled American
backwards. I don’t think that I was looking for it. In many instances we not aware of our
surroundings and therefore are not tuned into the very thing that is in front of us. We see what we
want to see and hear what we want to hear, all else falls at the waist side.
2. Using Horace Miner’s approach, write a brief story that uses some other common
experience, such as going to the movies, watching TV, going dancing, a day at work, etc.
(10 points out of a total of 80)
Starting my day at work there are tools that are used to record the tribes heart rate, blood
pressure and an instrument used to see how hot or cold the person is. This instrument can be used
to obtain the temperature from the oral, ear, forehead, underarm and sometimes even the butt
hole. The sick people pleasantly comply because they know that they want to get better. We are
the medicine doctor’s workers and the sick people need their medicines to live longer. Every day
the sick people are given their special medicine that is made for them and they must take the
medicine or they will not feel better or possibly die.
Now if one of the tribe members is in need of a quick dose of medicine from the
medicine doctor, then we have to use an instrument that is made from plastic and a sharp metal
with a little hole in it that shoots out the medicine that is in the plastic syringe. That medicine in
the plastic syringe can go in the upper arm, the abdomen 2 inches below the belly button, in the
outer side of the buttocks or the inner thigh. We end our day by making sure the tribe members
, Sociology exam
feel better then how they felt when they came in. Our day ends well because almost all the tribe
members felt better.
3. Did you notice the moon-walking bear in the YouTube video? Why do people miss
the obvious?
(10 points out of a total of 80)
I noticed the moon walking bear and missed some counts of the basketball being thrown
around. It was just too much going on and therefore my focus was everywhere. I was expecting
something but didn’t know exactly what it was, until I saw the bear.
4. According to CW Mills, what is the difference between troubles and issues? Provide
two examples that he uses to illustrate your response.
(10 points out of a total of 80)
Trouble comes from a personal level within oneself which in turns comes from family
and friends. According to C. W. Mills “troubles are problems that occur within the character of
the individual and within the range of his or her immediate relations with others”, whereas issues
are related to a public environment like church, workplace, and places spent outside of the home
at an extended time. C. W. Mills says “issues are related to matters that transcend local
environments of the individual and the range or her inner life”.
Marriage and war are a good example for me. Marriage is family, unity, two different body’s
coming together to make one and create multiples. “Be fruitful and multiple” according to the
Bible. In the same sense although war can be seen as one country fighting another or even one
city fighting another, there can be war in the immediate family setting. I believe marriage and
war can go together because if two are not seeing for each other then there is a conflict that in
Sociology exam
1. Did you understand that Horace Miner was describing that “Nacirema” spelled
backwards is American? Why wouldn’t you or others necessarily recognize this?
(10 points out of a total of 80)
No I didn’t understand that. I didn’t even see that Nacirema was spelled American
backwards. I don’t think that I was looking for it. In many instances we not aware of our
surroundings and therefore are not tuned into the very thing that is in front of us. We see what we
want to see and hear what we want to hear, all else falls at the waist side.
2. Using Horace Miner’s approach, write a brief story that uses some other common
experience, such as going to the movies, watching TV, going dancing, a day at work, etc.
(10 points out of a total of 80)
Starting my day at work there are tools that are used to record the tribes heart rate, blood
pressure and an instrument used to see how hot or cold the person is. This instrument can be used
to obtain the temperature from the oral, ear, forehead, underarm and sometimes even the butt
hole. The sick people pleasantly comply because they know that they want to get better. We are
the medicine doctor’s workers and the sick people need their medicines to live longer. Every day
the sick people are given their special medicine that is made for them and they must take the
medicine or they will not feel better or possibly die.
Now if one of the tribe members is in need of a quick dose of medicine from the
medicine doctor, then we have to use an instrument that is made from plastic and a sharp metal
with a little hole in it that shoots out the medicine that is in the plastic syringe. That medicine in
the plastic syringe can go in the upper arm, the abdomen 2 inches below the belly button, in the
outer side of the buttocks or the inner thigh. We end our day by making sure the tribe members
, Sociology exam
feel better then how they felt when they came in. Our day ends well because almost all the tribe
members felt better.
3. Did you notice the moon-walking bear in the YouTube video? Why do people miss
the obvious?
(10 points out of a total of 80)
I noticed the moon walking bear and missed some counts of the basketball being thrown
around. It was just too much going on and therefore my focus was everywhere. I was expecting
something but didn’t know exactly what it was, until I saw the bear.
4. According to CW Mills, what is the difference between troubles and issues? Provide
two examples that he uses to illustrate your response.
(10 points out of a total of 80)
Trouble comes from a personal level within oneself which in turns comes from family
and friends. According to C. W. Mills “troubles are problems that occur within the character of
the individual and within the range of his or her immediate relations with others”, whereas issues
are related to a public environment like church, workplace, and places spent outside of the home
at an extended time. C. W. Mills says “issues are related to matters that transcend local
environments of the individual and the range or her inner life”.
Marriage and war are a good example for me. Marriage is family, unity, two different body’s
coming together to make one and create multiples. “Be fruitful and multiple” according to the
Bible. In the same sense although war can be seen as one country fighting another or even one
city fighting another, there can be war in the immediate family setting. I believe marriage and
war can go together because if two are not seeing for each other then there is a conflict that in
