Future_of_Modernization

The Future of Modernization Carrie Ann Soler SOC/120 Walter James December 19, 2010 The future of modernization for our country and for the rest of the world for that matter is that this will continue and will be an ongoing cycle as long as man continues to live on this earth. I will be using the theory from Ferdinand Tonnies who believed that modernization is “Gemeischaft and Gesellschaft,” (community and society), and that modernization is a progressive loss of human community (Gemeischaft). He believed that the industrial revolution was the catalyst to the progression and claims that the breaking down of the family and tradition as well as the prioritizing oneself has become the outcome. In this paper I will discuss how modernization has manifested in our American society, along with some of the consequences and where modernization is heading; along with the belief system of Ferdinard Tonnies. To reiterate, the manifestation of modernization began with the industrial revelation and has been ever evolving. One may say that America got bit by the money bug and the emphasis on money became priority with family, community, and traditional values lagging behind. The community losing its close knit bonds after generations of “family like relationships” because of modernization. The telephone, televisions, cars, cell phones are some example of modernization and now the World Wide Web makes it very easy not to visit family friends but only to send an email. Even though Tonnies thought there more negative aspects of modernization than positive, he would mix his negative belief with some positive and realized there may have been some good in regards to modernization, for instance and according to Tilman, The city is also the centre of science and culture which go hand in hand with commerce and industry. Here the arts must make a living; they are exploited in a capitalistic way. Thoughts spread and change with astonishing rapidity. Speeches and books, through mass distribution, become stimuli of far-reaching importance. (2004) Clearly he may have had some positive take on modernization but for the most part Tonnies believed that society became more rootless, unfriendly, and antisocial as people became more self centered because of modernization. Many believe there are many negatives aspects of modernization but many also believe if not for modernization we would have not had the technical advancements we enjoy today nor would we have the medical advancements we need to survive today. Here in America modernization is always taking place and birthed by great thinkers of the nineteenth and early twentieth century’s. Although most of these thinkers were born in raised in Europe, America has adopted this practice and is prevalent in our American society. Interesting enough those great thinkers only thought of modernization as territorial and isolated areas, for instance and according to Inglis, The association between sociology and nation-state was so extensive that the image of ‘modern’, organized individual societies – which became definitive with the national model of political organization – itself became an absolutely necessary concept in and through the founding work of classical social scientists. Beyond all their differences, such theorists as Emile Durkheim, MaxWeber and even Karl Marx shared a territorial definition of modern society, and thus a model of society centred on the national-state, which has today been shaken by globality and globalization. (2009) The great thinkers of today would argue that this is not the case and that modernity has expanded all over the world. Globally speaking modernization is a worldwide trend because even in undeveloped countries, they too are evolving and technology is slowly reaching all four corners of the world. So in essence and although not all societies are advanced; they do see modernization happening at some level. Eventually, with the expectancy of life here on earth and the low death rates eventually most of the earth will be developed. How fast with the growing population no one is sure, but modernization is keeping people healthy with healthier food, healthier water, advanced medical technology with better vaccines and more of them. As well as new and better antibiotics and the curing of many diseases. In regards to my belief let me preface that one can understand that “change” can be scary and most people are comfortable where they are at and how things are. So when I think of Tonnies belief or even Marx’s belief that modernization was a capitalist revolution; I believe they may had some fear that things were going to get out of control and have total chaos on their hands. Or maybe their strict upbringing led them to believe this new way of thinking will destroy the fabric of tradition and family and in the end all will be disappointed with the empty promises modernization would bring. I also can understand Max Webers thought on this topic and his fears, according to Axia, He knew that science could produce technological and organizational wonders, yet he worried that science was carrying us away from more basic questions about the meaning and purpose of human existence. Weber feared that rationalization, especially in bureaucracies would erode the human spirit with endless rules and regulations. My belief is that modernization is happening whether we want it to or not at this point in all of our lives. Maybe because I do not know any other lifestyle and I can not live without the internet I believe modernization needs to be looked upon as a positive. There may well be some very good points to how society “once was” and unfortunately in a way will never be again but I believe the advantages outweigh the consequences. According to Tilman, All three men were accused by their critics of nostalgia for the halcyon days of communal existence. These critics suggested that in their minds-eye a golden age of primitive collectivism once existed that they would like to see re-enacted. Maybe so and since I for one love tradition and family I can see how these men tried to hold on to what was near and dear to them. But the inevitable must take place and man needs to evolve. Modernization was going to happen whether or not the industrial revolution happened or not and man must forge forward and constantly look for knowledge and wisdom. It is plain to see that this is what has taken place and will continue to take place; all over this great planet. References Axia College, (2006). Social Change: Modern and Postmodern Societies. Chapter 16 reading p.459 Inglis, D (2009). . The British Journal of Sociology. Cosmopolitan sociology and the classical canon: Ferdinand Tönnies and the emergence of global Gesellschaft. Vol.60, Issue 4, p. 814. Tilman, R, (2004). Euro. J. History of Economic Thought. Ferdinand Tonnies, Thorstein Veblen and Karl Marx: From community to society and back' Vol.11:4 p.586 Tilman, R, (2004). Euro. J. History of Economic Thought. Ferdinand Tonnies, Thorstein Veblen and Karl Marx: From community to society and back' Vol.11:4 p.599