Sociology & Me
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Sociology & MeSociology is the study of the development, structure, & functioning of society with emphasis on social behavior and how it is altered. This semester’s Introduction to Sociology has provided me with a more in depth explanation for experiences I have encountered. I was able to categorize most of my experiences as either based on race/ethnicity identity, gender identity, religious affiliation, class and so on. This led me to analyze what I believe to be the most significant sociological aspects to shape my life; these aspects were my racial/ethnic identity and religious affiliation. In addition, I contemplated the advantages and disadvantages that these components have introduced into my life.To begin, I thought about how I identify in terms of my racial/ethnic identity. I found this difficult. I am obviously Caucasian, but what is my ethnic identity? I came to the conclusion that I am a European Caucasian with ancestors who were Irish, Italian, and Polish. I identify ethnically as a European because I am a descendent of Europeans and I still practice multiple European customs and traditions. Many of my values and norms are rooted in European culture. As an Italian, I experience the close familial dynamic and importance of food. I also was pushed into Roman Catholicism because of this ethnic identity. European culture traditionally provided an undeniable emphasis on religion. Because of the system in the country we live in, this identity has allowed me to avoid a good deal of discrimination and general racism. Our country systematically provided me with white privilege. In class, we briefly learned about the lives of the Italian and Irish immigrants and how they were seen as low and scummy criminal groups in the working class. While I cannot relate directly to this because I was lucky enough to be raised in the upper class, I can relate this to the plight of my ancestors. It gave me a great appreciation for my family’s past. While I do understand that my racial/ethnic identity has provided me with many benefits, I do not believe it to be overly important to me. This is because of America’s melting pot. I do understand the Melting Pot Theory is an ideal because in reality everyone holds some sort of tie to their culture and not everyone is welcoming to new traditions and such. However, I do firmly believe that the melting pot is somewhat in effect still even if only in minor capacities. The culture and traditions that have been picked up by my family in America are equally as important and prevalent to those that my ancestors brought over from Europe.
My racial/ethnic identity has also affected my religious affiliation. While being raised Roman Catholic, like a true Irish kid, I developed a large amount of disdain toward the Catholic Church. This disdain was only intensified during the Catholic priest sexual abuse scandal that littered the news headlines in 2010. Much to the despair of my family and my religious community, I announced my atheism in late 2010. Due to the large amounts of backlash that I received, I have now come to say that I am between Roman Catholicism and agnosticism. This is merely so I do not have to deal with relatives and church members consistently trying to convert me. Sometimes I will even claim to be devoutly Catholic to avoid confrontation all together. Even after I denied belief in Catholicism, I remained in church community at the request of my parents and I remained in my Catholic high school. My grade school and high school were both private Catholic institutions and I do believe they gave me an educational edge over many of the students at other schools. In addition, Catholicism provided me with a tight knit community with a strong sense of morals to grow up in. Religion is very minor to me at this point because I do not spend time to think about it any longer. Religion provides questions that can only be asked, but never answered and I find that frustratingly pointless at this time in my life. My religious affiliation is different from other major religions simply because I do not believe in anything except for trying to be a good person. I believe that atheists have become misconstrued as hateful monsters who lack any morals. Unlike the religious, atheists have no doctrine to manipulate into hatred. What I mean by this is that multiple religions have taken a supposed all loving god and made him out to hate anyone with a seemingly abnormal gender identity. These monsters hide behind their doctrine as justification. As an atheist, I have no doctrine to hide behind in order to produce hatred. All in all, my religious affiliation defines and affects large parts on my day to day life.