Intro to my sociology midterm paper

[halfassedjedi]

Im writing a paper for my sociology mid term and it is on what is called 'wilding', a form of sociopathic and individualism run amok.

Tell me if I started my paper off on the right foot.



The Wilding of America - How greed and violence are eroding our nations character

As long as America has been growing into a mature and economically driven society, so has its people grown to form the fabric of 21st century idealism at its worst. Members of its society are finding themselves being exploited and taken advantage of in the work place, in the general public, and even in their own homes. People are now finding clever and creative ways to climb the rungs of the social caste system in a perverse, irresponsible, and oblivious fashion. Seasoned moral values and ethical â??ways of beingâ?? are now found lost in the ashes of the wake of a new era of Social Darwinism, and criminals are not being held accountable for the devastations they have sown in todayâ??s era of a free market.

[Dream of the iris]

I like it. The intro definitely intrigues me to want to continue. When your done you should send the whole thing. It's nice to see someone get into the psyche of political science. Gives you a different perspective. But don't take my words to heart because I'm really stoned and drunk right now :stoned:

[Born To Stone]

Sounds like an interesting topic to me, forceful delivery which makes you want to read on to see how you have come to this conclusion. But you should probably get feedback from a sociologist/sociology prof lol, I don't really know the requirements for sociology essays in terms of citations etc.

[bigtopsfinn]

I like it. The intro definitely intrigues me to want to continue. When your done you should send the whole thing. It's nice to see someone get into the psyche of political science. Gives you a different perspective. But don't take my words to heart because I'm really stoned and drunk right now :stoned:

I'm sober, but like it also!

[JohnnyZ]

Just a formatting tip, don't put ways of being in quotations. Use hyphens instead, ways-of-being.

[halfassedjedi]

Just a formatting tip, don't put ways of being in quotations. Use hyphens instead, ways-of-being.

thanks for the feedback! ill change that up in my final draft.

glad my papers off to a good start.

[JohnnyZ]

Word. You should post it up man, even before you send it in. I wouldn't mind editing it for you, I'm only taking two classes this term, both easy GPA boosters so I have lots of time on my hands.

[dragonrider]

It seems like you are asseting several different facts, and each one will need to be backed up in the paper. For example, there are these assertions:


Americans are being exploited and taken advantage of.

People are climbing the rungs of the society in a perverse, irresponsible, and oblivious fashion.

Morals and ethics are giving way to Social Darwinism.

Criminals are not being held accountable.


Are you going to cover all of these or are they leading to a central premise? I would try to lead to the central premise, and get that central premise in the first pararaph. In one sentence, what is the paper about? That is your premise. And if it is about "wilding," then I would try to get that term in there in this opening paragraph too.

I think maybe the first sentence is a bit vague, and I was not exaclty sure what it meant.

Good luck!

[Coelho]

Man... i liked it very much! I also think that you should post your entire work here when it were finished... Me, and im sure a lot of people also, would like very much to read it entire. :thumbsup:

[halfassedjedi]

It seems like you are asseting several different facts, and each one will need to be backed up in the paper. For example, there are these assertions:


Americans are being exploited and taken advantage of.

People are climbing the rungs of the society in a perverse, irresponsible, and oblivious fashion.

Morals and ethics are giving way to Social Darwinism.

Criminals are not being held accountable.


Are you going to cover all of these or are they leading to a central premise? I would try to lead to the central premise, and get that central premise in the first pararaph. In one sentence, what is the paper about? That is your premise. And if it is about "wilding," then I would try to get that term in there in this opening paragraph too.

I think maybe the first sentence is a bit vague, and I was not exaclty sure what it meant.

Good luck!

actually, the paper is about what Charles Derber refers to as 'wilding', which is in its simplest definition 'individualism run amok'. It will be properly defined in the second paragraph and further exposed and disected throughout the paper. wait and see, everything you listed will be adressed properly.

EDIT..yes, most likely the paper will be based on a central premise, being 'wilding in america'. All the issues you bring up will correlate into one definition of how wilding is basically killing the america dream.

[dragonrider]

actually, the paper is about what Charles Derber refers to as 'wilding', which is in its simplest definition 'individualism run amok'. It will be properly defined in the second paragraph and further exposed and disected throughout the paper. wait and see, everything you listed will be adressed properly.

EDIT..yes, most likely the paper will be based on a central premise, being 'wilding in america'. All the issues you bring up will correlate into one definition of how wilding is basically killing the america dream.

I look forward to seeing more of it.

[halfassedjedi]

heres a little more on my paper thus far.

The Wilding of America
How Greed and Violence Are Eroding our Nations Character

As long as America has been growing into a mature and economically driven society, so has its people grown to form the fabric of 21st century idealism at its worst. Members of its society are finding themselves being exploited and taken advantage of in the work place, in the general public, and even in their own homes. People are now finding clever and creative ways to climb the rungs of the social caste system in a perverse, irresponsible, and oblivious fashion. Seasoned moral values and ethical ways-of-being are now found lost in the ashes of the wake of a new era of Social Darwinism, and criminals are not being held accountable for the devastations they have sown in todayâ??s era of a free market.

In The Wilding of America, Derber exposes to the reader the harsh realities of an epidemic of Political and Civilian greed, corruption, and violence. The book shows us example after example of brutal crimes and situations in which the protagonists and antagonists display complete lack of remorse and empathy in their actions, which will hopefully lead to some sort of reward or payout to the person in question. Whether it be hiring an assassin to murder your spouse to collect a hefty life insurance policy, or perhaps a gang of young adolescents brutally beating, raping, and murdering local joggers, Derberâ??s work shows the reader the cruel story that occurs behind the curtain in America every day.

Wilding, or as Derber defines it as â??individualism run amokâ??, comes to us in two separate forms - Expressive wilding, and Instrumental wilding. The latter form is displayed as â??..wilding for money, career advancement, or other calculable personal gain.â?� For example, O.J. Simpson, as a child, would hang out in gangs, stealing food and other goods. His corrupt upbringings would lead him to further his agenda in financial greed and lack of empathy towards who his actions hurt, and eventually to his walking away free from a murder conviction.

The former, being expressive wilding, is a type of bizarre and even lustful way of taking advantage of some sort of situation. This deviant behavior ranges from rapists to sociopath children. Even domestic issues contain forms of wilding. Derber uses the example of a tribe of people called the Ik, who held no moral values even when it came to dying family members. As parents and brothers and sisters would lay dying, their family members would steal insignificant items from them, oblivious of guilt. This form of wilding is completely expressive, although not completely understood by many.