What Makes a Good Human in the Social Imagination?

What's new in Sociology? Well, essentially, there is nothing new under the sun, only a re imagining of everything that ever was, is and will be as far as us humans are concerned.

Indeed, the truth is that people do not change... they think that they do but they don't. All one has to do is read the 'brave new' titles found gracing the top of sociological papers appearing in sociological journals and or bi-monthlies. 

Titles that paint a wild picture of current issues and imagined struggles. Such titles can make you think that the body of the articles will provide brand new insights into human behavior and the so-called struggles people face today. However, they are actually poor abstract and meaningless attempts to say what has already been said by some of Sociology's best thinkers. 

I have always been a classic social theorist. There are a few human socio-psychological types when we consider social dynamics of individuals belonging to one group or another; and those types (one or group) tend to be dependent on place... the existing given environment in the place they find themselves living out their lives. 

Needless to say, those environments though relatively differing in terms of socio-cultural, historical and geographic are not incredibly or hugely different if we were to look objectively. What I mean is this... one can look down from above, get a bird's eye view, and see human beings doing what they do: eat, sleep, defecate and fornicate. Thus, they look like most other men/animals in a way that makes them appear very similar indeed.

But, there is a difference between humans and certainly from 'other' animals. So, what makes humans different from animals? Well, there are a number of things I could list but one attribute that is truly original is the concept of exchange (one thing (s) for something else) or simply described as the mutual agreement of the concept of exchange which entails a recognized, recorded and established value of an exchange with its desired outcomes: accumulation of power, position and wealth. 

That alone makes man unique...how money, a thing of value from earning, investing or taking by force (paper/coin), is made and spent. Max Weber knew this very well and a concept that Karl Marx failed to grasp. One could claim that education and equality (equal access and reward) are what make the playing field fair but one has to figure in how reward is used... how money is spent once someone has either earned it, gained from investment or stolen it. 

What if money (paper/coin) are no longer used but digital points or rewards for good social conduct are appropriated. Well, even if that becomes true/real, it does not negate the reality of how they will be used as in spent... what we spend our accumulated wealth no matter what it looks like, tells a lot about you as an individual and also as a group.

Of course, you can and will observe that people spend a lot of time and certainly money on necessities: food, clothing, and shelter... so what's new?  But, what is a lot? Maybe this is where inflation comes in. Even so, there are differences in choices especially in terms of quality and or value for money spent.

This is indeed an observation that enters into the reality; yet, the irony is that the quality of a thing used in exchange can be or often is subjective... though it can be made to look/appear objective even when it is not by both inside and outside influences. One can and should ask... is it wisdom then that makes a good human a wise 'spender', or is it that a truly good and wise human is just a better spender? 

There are plenty of tales and proverbs in all cultures that talk of such wisdom...the telling of how a man spends what he has available to him whether its money or time required by duty/responsibilities built into daily existence and relationships, or time and money spent on his/her own person in terms of everyday comforts, pleasure, leisure, caring, loving or not... etc.  

What makes a good human in the social imagination? One that makes the most of his time and money for by what other measure is there... Right?

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.… ~ Proverbs 3:5-7.