Post #3-Bronx Tale

Justin back again. We just finished watching the movie 'Bronx Tale' in class, and I really enjoyed it! It seemed like a movie that really showed about the differences within communities, and how people are individually effected. Within the movie, both macro and micro sociology can be seen. Macro, which looks at human society on a large, grand scale, can be seen as the Bronx itself. The main character, C, lives within the Bronx, and as a whole, there can be no question that the area in which he lives influences his life. Similar to how the interviewer in 'Gang Leader For A Day' was influenced directly by his neighborhood, C seems to be directly influenced by his as well. Another point I found interesting was that micro sociology, the study of individual in-groups, can also be seen within the film. Although everyone in the movie lives under the large blanket of the Bronx, there are many smaller groups as well. There are the gangsters, the street peddlers, the working class, and more. There are also segregated racial areas within the Bronx. Blacks live in one area, Mexicans another, Italians another, etc. I think that this movie really shows the concept of micro and macro sociology extremely well, and gives people who watch it a sense of just how much people can be influenced by their environment. It reminds me of when I went to New Orleans this past Winter Break. Although everyone lived in the city, the unique people of the French Quarter seemed to live a little differently than those in the Garden District, and so on. 'Bronx Tale' really reminded me of my trip, and hopefully I will be able to have more memorable experiences in class!

Another Thought

To me, sociological imagination and mindfulness seem to appear at two opposite points in life. The imagination part, that ability to realize that your world effects you, is seemingly like being aware of all of the changes that can occur in one's life, similar to the reading about the Italian village. Just the other day, my uncle, who lives in Texas, was telling me that his neighbor's kids had been dumbfounded by the sight of a dusting of snow on their lawn. I tried to imagine how I would react to seeing snow for the first time, but I found myself unable to describe the feeling. Perhaps it is because my world is so used to seeing snow, especially with the chilly winter we've had. At the same time, I was able to connect this event to sociological mindfulness, just like Schwabe tried to do. Perhaps the way that those children reacted to the snow influenced others around their community to act the same way. At the same time, it is important to realize that every action one takes effects not only their own lives, but the lives of those around them. This concept really popped into my mind when I talked to my uncle. Maybe it is a coincidence that I heard the story just in time to write this post!!