Social Problems: Dr Pramod Kumar

Social Problems:Dr Pramod Kumar

  
 Most of the times, it is difficult to understand social problems because all our approach to understand a problem is based on our perceptions- our environment- our cultural values.  Since we are governed by our perceptions, we generate and appreciate only those ideas which suite to our perception. It is difficult to take a holistic view on each subject. Many a time, we feel that we are rightly thinking, but in reality we only rearrange our prejudices. Sometimes, due to exposure and experience of some particular field we say that we have good common sense or understanding about the subject, but this exposure is basically nothing great than a collection of our prejudices acquired mainly during childhood, that mainly speaks about our environmental and cultural values. Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity the opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment.

Man is basically an animal but it has made himself different from animals by communicating his ideas through the use of particular language. The communication of animals is genetically programmed and therefore their utterances have inherent meaning. Human communication is based on language (a social value) and the language is based on words and words are symbols based on the particular environment. Symbols have no inherent meaning and, therefore require interpretation (which is also governed by the perceptions and prejudices). The way we interpret the thoughts depends upon our past experiences. Therefore, no two persons interpret the same event or object exactly the same way. The word computer can have different meaning for different people according to their exposure. Based on our different experiences we interpret and prioritize social problems differently. Sometimes, members of the different groups within the social structure have similar experiences- their interpretation of environment will be more similar to each other than to members of other groups; eg. groups based on religion, region, sex, creed, economic class, etc. We, therefore, analyse the social problems differently based on our exposures. Corporate class analyses the economic problems differently than working class. Most of the times social problems are constructed, conceived and presented to the public by the elite class in such a way that it serve the interest of the elites only. Corporate crimes are not considered seriously in America as compare to other crimes. It means all interpretations of realities are influenced by our experiences and all knowledge is socially constructed. Socially elites have been able to thwart their ideas through their influence on institutions associated with the production of knowledge and culture. The elite are able to influence the public's perceptions of social problems to their own advantage. It is very clear that human behaviour and the choices we make are largely determined by forces and therefore can be studied empirically. From the study it has been revealed that human nature is usually ethnocentric or culturally biased and therefore it is difficult to take a rational view on any social problem. Moreover, it is too difficult to solve them. Virtually from the time we are born, we are exposed to the norms, values, and beliefs of our culture. They are omnipresent in our environment, and we learn to take them for granted. We don't question them; we come to think of them as natural. This is ethnocentrism. People all over the world are ethnocentric, believing their culture to be superior to the strange ways of other cultures.
 For example, if we say that severe punishment to robbers would reduce the robbery rate. Is it true? No. it is not necessary that severe punishment to the robbers can reduce the robbery rate because there are many more factors that may affect the robbery rates, such as religion, family structure, media, distribution of wealth, unemployment, urbanization, etc. Our views are basically have the impact of our exposure. A study has revealed that capital punishment to some crimes has not reduced the crime rates of such crimes.
The media plays a very important role in formation of our views on a particular social problem. Today's network news has become a huge moneymaker. The network executives are responsible to their shareholders, and their principal concern is profit. The way to make a profit is to sell commercial advertising; the way to sell commercial advertising is to attract a large audience; the way to attract a large audience is to entertain. While a democracy depends upon an informed citizenry, the goal of today's media is to entertain, not to inform. Most of the television networks and major newspapers are now belong to some of the corporations in the world. Large corporations are large investors in other large corporations. They share the unity of interest. Then who will solve the social problems? These social problems, such as Environment pollution, poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, drinking water shortage, public health, white collared crimes, etc. are creating hurdles in promoting sustainable growth of humanity.
Now time has come to think holistically. Now time has come to think reasonably, justly and fairly. It would be too late if we delay further and not think about our human world- its problems. We may eliminate many of our social problems by rationalising our behaviour. Corporates of the world are also required to adopt a humane approach and be more responsible towards society as a whole. We all should become more responsible- socially to make this world more beautiful.

-Dr Pramod Kumar

10-03-2011

Email: drpk1956@gmail.com

           Drpramod.kumar@yahoo.in http://drpramode.blogspot.com/