[1] In The Sociological Imagination, Mills attempts to reconcile two different and abstract concepts of social reality: the "individual" and the "society.
Sociological imagination is an outlook on life that involves an individual developing a deep understanding of how their biography is a result of historical process and occurs within a larger social context.
[6] As per Anthony Giddens, the term is: There is an urge to know the historical and sociological meaning of the singular individual in society, particularly within their time period.
[7] Another perspective is that Mills chose sociology because he felt it was a discipline that "could offer the concepts and skills to expose and respond to social injustice.
This apathy expresses itself as a lack of indignation in scenarios dealing with moral horror—the Holocaust is a classic example of what happens when a society renders itself to the power of a leader and doesn't use sociological imagination.
The Holocaust was based on the principle of absolute power in a dictatorship, where society fell victim to apathy and willingly looked away from the horrors they committed.
[11] The underlying assumption is that the sociological imagination is best developed and exercised in introductory classes by placing course material in the context of conflict theory and functionalism.
For example, imagine a film that introduces a character from four different angles and situations in life, each of which draws upon social, psychological, and moral standards to form a central ideal that echoes the narrative outcome, the reasoning behind individuals' actions, and the story's overall meaning.
Viewers may determine what is morally permissible or not, discuss beneficial and efficient ways to help people, and produce new ideas through correlating ideologies and aspects.
Mills created tips to help conduct valid and reliable sociological studies using sociological imagination:[2]Herbert Blumer, in his work Symbolic Interactionism: Perspective and Method, developed the idea of a non-standard look at the world, which helps social scientists understand and analyze the study area.
They have made it easier for online communities to emerge around common identities, experiences, and interests, extending social networks beyond physical borders.
Additionally, social media platforms provide a venue for sharing the news, allowing users to access other viewpoints and contest prevailing narratives.