the importance of sociology
Often, in all aspects, from science to finance to theory, we forget/gloss over our own role in what we observe. Fligstein contests the market-driven theory of economic history that fails to recognize the importance of social processes therein. In medicine, in poverty, in employment, we leave out a fundamental part of the explanation, thus skewing our understanding of it. If we want to change the world, as we so often proclaim, in order not to botch it, let’s get it straight first.

How fascinating it must have been to live and study during the Enlightenment, a time when the world was only beginning to be opened up and science only starting to discover her secrets. Truth existed and could be found—how spectacularly awesome that must have been! Today, we go to university and pay good money to be trained in perspectives, in methodologies. In a postmodern world, we know that we know local, historical, socially constructed truths that will be out of fashion and replaced by the time our kids are studying. What lustre does such an offer have for seekers of truth? Not much. And so we settle for making money, writing poetry or having kids, without much caring for what life and the world are really about. Depressing.