Sociology, groups. --- .This section is about social groups. --- 1/24/2006
Sociology, groups. --- (1) Joining groups (religious, military, cults, etc.) is for people unconsciously fearful of going it alone, and who can't think of a way to live by their own self developed code, so thus they adopt one. Also for people who unconsciously feel they lack an identity and desperately want one. So they put on the uniform. (2) People who are into spectator sports (i.e. The fans) are, like politics and religion, engaged in tribe instinct. When the team wins, they win. When the team loses, they lose, but they don't lose alone, but rather with a group, so it doesn't feel so bad. They feel the strength of the group. They soak up the power of numbers. Alone they feel like nothing. Alone they feel small. Alone they feel scared. With the group they feel big. With the group they feel safe. Cows, sheep. Herd mentality. Mob psychology. --- 06/15/1994
Sociology, groups. --- (1) The teen years are a time of gangs and cliques. (2) Clubs, organizations, associations. (3) Secret societies with their secret handshakes. --- 08/17/1997
Sociology, groups. --- Clans, feuds, vendettas. --- 10/05/1994
Sociology, groups. --- Clique, club, gang phenomenon. (1) Exclusive membership. You can't join us. We are better than you. We are different than you. We are special. (2) Exclusive knowledge, privileged information. We know things you don't. --- 12/30/1992
Sociology, groups. --- Clubs. The club syndrome operates throughout society. In groups vs. out groups. It is set up for survival. It consists of a system of allies with something in common. Hollywood and Washington are examples of exclusive clubs. The club attitude is: If you are what we consider good, then you are in, and we are your friends. If you are below par, you are out, and we are not your friend. If you are in a rival club, you are out, you are not our friend. --- 04/06/1989
Sociology, groups. --- Crowds. Mobs, mob unrest, mob panic, mob violence, and mob rule. --- 10/05/1994
Sociology, groups. --- Group characteristics. (1) Frequency and duration of social interaction. (2) Closeness of members in group. (3) Group means and ends. (4) Group actions and group "mind". (5) Cohesiveness of a group, and the groups attitude toward other groups or other individuals. --- 4/24/1999
Sociology, groups. --- Group formation. Degree forced together vs. choose each other. Thought cohesion, and emotional cohesion. --- 12/30/1992
Sociology, groups. --- Groups can hold us back, or pull you forward. It depends on where you are at, and where the group is at. --- 04/30/1993
Sociology, groups. --- Groups classified by size, function, structure, etc. Dyads, triads, quads, quints, etc. --- 12/30/1992
Sociology, groups. --- Groups, organizations, and cultures tend to be self perpetuating, insular, and cliquish. The big question is how to get cultural attitudes to change for the better (development), since they are resistant to change. Often the main obstacle in the face of progress is "tradition" or cultural inertia. You can tell them a better way, or show them a better way. --- 12/15/1997
Sociology, groups. --- Groups. (1) What are the goals and tactics of each group? Are the groups goals and tactics ethical? (2) How much influence does the group have? On its members. On the rest of society. --- 9/1/2004
Sociology, groups. --- Groups. Aggregates, crowds mobs, groups, organizations, and societies. --- 12/30/1992
Sociology, groups. --- Groups. Group think. Group mind. Group philosophy. Group behavior. Group pressure. Group structure: power hierarchies, and function webs. Group neurosis. --- 12/30/1992
Sociology, groups. --- Healthy groups do: (1) Full disclosure. (2) Globalized arguments. --- 10/6/2003
Sociology, groups. --- Healthy groups, traits of: Egalitarian. Democratic. Open, with a minimum secrets and lies. Free to join. Free to leave. Cooperative. Friendly. --- 2/28/2002
Sociology, groups. --- Healthy groups. Clear statements of the goals and tactics of the group. Transparency. Open books. --- 10/1/2003
Sociology, groups. --- Healthy groups. I like groups that anyone can join. I like groups that are open about their goals and tactics. I am not a fan of groups that are discriminatory. I am not a fan of groups that are secretive or deceptive about their goals and tactics. --- 9/25/2003
Sociology, groups. --- Healthy groups. In healthy groups reason is valued, communication is open, power is justly distributed and corruption is minimized. --- 10/12/2003
Sociology, groups. --- Healthy groups. Open communication. Transparency. Ethical means and ends. --- 10/12/2003
Sociology, groups. --- Healthy groups. Two healthy group freedoms: Freedom to join the group. Freedom to leave the group. --- 10/16/2003
Sociology, groups. --- Healthy groups. Well defined mission statement. Global actions in accordance with mission statement. --- 11/2/2003
Sociology, groups. --- Initiation rituals. For fraternities, gangs, clubs, and tribes. Humiliation vs. tests. --- 03/26/1994
Sociology, groups. --- Military. The military and similar organizations are about (1) Obeying orders. (2) Not thinking. (3) Don't develop or express your thoughts, emotions, creativity, or your unique self. (4) Repress. (5) Be same as everyone else. --- 12/30/1996
Sociology, groups. --- One view holds that there are no groups, only a series of dyadic relationships. --- 5/14/2006
Sociology, groups. --- Power of any social organization is the sum of the money it has, assets it has, number of people, fanatical devotion of people, and what are their goals and means. --- 04/30/1994
Sociology, groups. --- Problem. Groups sometimes drag individuals to a lowest common denominator. --- 12/5/2005
Sociology, groups. --- Stories a groups tells reflects (1) What they value. (2) How sophisticated their thought is. (3) How communicative they are. --- 12/30/1992
Sociology, groups. --- The "mind" of the group (do a psychoanalysis of it). Example, open minded vs. close minded. --- 12/30/1992
Sociology, groups. --- The group of people you think about every day, whether they are living or dead, and whether you have met them or not. The people you identify with, as your heroes or cohorts. This is an important group, and yet we have not given it a name. --- 11/30/1996
Sociology, groups. --- The question is whether a group has: (1) Accurate or inaccurate metaphysical views. (2) Just or unjust goals and tactics. (3) That is, people say "This is the way things are and this is what we think we should do about it." Each group thinks themselves viewing accurately and acting justly. Whether they are actually viewing accurately and acting justly is another matter. --- 1/10/2004
Sociology, groups. --- Two big question. (1) How should the group run (mechanism)? (2) How should the group be run (be lead)? --- 12/30/1992
Sociology, groups. --- Two types of groups in relation to the individual. (1) Static groups: slower relative to the individual. Holds back the development of the individual. (2) Dynamic groups: faster relative to the individual. Speeds up the development of the individual. (3) Most groups are static relative to the individual. Your friends do not want you to grow. Your friends do not want you to change. Your friends like you the way you are. Your friends say "Stay with us." They do not want you to grow away from them. However, creativity = change = growth = health. Friends hold you back. Groups often inhibit individual growth. --- 8/26/2000