SOC 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Permanent War Economy, The Affluent Society
Document Summary
Born in middle-class family in texas-cattle rancher, father was an insurance agent. Went to university of texas, austin very early on. Openly opposed wwii bc he believed that the industrial buildup to the war would lead to a permanent war economy. Moved to columbia university-second center of sociology. Kept the spirit of critique alive during the 1950s-the discipline of sociology is growing and consolidating. Belief in the social utility of social research-make policy based upon it. He was able to the drift of things much earlier than other people could. He knew in advance what has happened to american society since his death. From the individual"s viewpoint, much that happens seems the result of manipulation, of management, of blind drift, authority is often not explicit; those with power often feel no need to justify it. Hidden truths of society-advertising itself in new media as. In the shadow of the american century"s dream.
