The Sociological Imagination of C. Wright Mills explores how a private problem can become a public problem, when viewed on a larger scale. He explains how the two are inexorably linked and argues that these public problems are driven and created by those experiencing personal hardship. For almost every problem an individual faces, there is a corresponding public problem. They influence our daily lives, whether it's employment, beauty standards or mental health; they torment the individual, but society is far from innocent. Mills' work offers valuable insight into the human condition and provides a sense of understanding of the issues we face. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay Mills first published The Sociological Imagination in 1959, and since then, it has revolutionized the field of sociology. The sociological imagination is a concept that allows us to show the link between personal troubles and social issues. Furthermore, he then explains how any man "can understand his own experience and evaluate his own destiny only by situating himself in his times", and through this lens one can better understand his actions by understanding their place in history. This brings clarity and helps remove some of the fear of the unknown, as it leads to greater understanding. By looking at the past, the sociological imagination also allows sociologists to better understand history. It makes us realize that the way people live and think today is very different from how they used to be. It can be difficult to understand the plight of those who came before, but with context it becomes easier. Mills then goes on to discuss the individual relationship with society. “By the fact that he lives, he contributes, even in a small way, to shaping this society and throughout its history. “Just as the individual is shaped by societal pressures, so too is society shaped by the actions and thoughts of the individual; neither can exist without the other, and while understanding each person's place in history allows them to gain greater insight into their own lives, it also allows them to shape the future. Mills also discussed personal issues versus public issues. He argued that personal problems occurred at the individual level and were limited by the scope of biography. For example, if a man is unemployed, others might be inclined to look down on him and blame his character for his lack of employment, whereas if unemployment occurred on a larger scale and a high percentage of the population found himself without work, this It is impossible to place the responsibility on the individual; rather, we should look to society to find the cause of this problem. When you consider something a public issue, the factors considered change completely. One is forced to look at tendencies rather than an individual's circumstances. Perhaps the cause of such rampant unemployment could be blamed on the economy, oversaturation of markets, or a variety of different factors. When examining a social issue, we are obliged to take into account the social, cultural, political, hierarchical, historical and economic factors that may have influenced the situation. Mental health is a public and private issue that is close to my heart. Mental health is an interesting topic that wasn't even recognized in society for a very long time. It is impossible forsomeone who has never had the experience of truly understanding what someone is going through, but is still able to empathize. In the media, the term “mental illness” is stigmatized; it brings to mind images of a person suffering from hallucinations locked in a white padded room. Even though most mental illnesses aren't visible, people are still uncomfortable talking about them, as if mentioning something they have. Little control makes you a social outcast. Many people with mental illness choose to self-medicate and may develop substance abuse problems. Luckily, I never made it that far, but many aren't as lucky as me. In my situation, it was more of a slow, insidious killer. I've had a lot of people in my life who suffered from depression or anxiety, and when I saw them, I saw someone with serious problems, who needed help. To me, compared to them, my problems were nothing, and I just had to get rid of them and move on, because why did I deserve to get help when I wasn't in the state of my loved ones? By neglecting my problems, I had hoped they would go away, but instead they got worse. Initially, I thought that even though I fit the symptoms, it was just my mind trying to trick me into feeling special, and I had learned not to trust myself. I believed that everyone would answer the checklist if they gave enough logical excuses and the results were wrong, so I ignored them and they moved on. For a while, I really thought I was getting better, but instead what was happening to me was that everything else was getting worse, and comparatively speaking, I wasn't that bad. The symptoms increased exponentially and I found myself becoming apathetic towards the world; I no longer enjoyed my usual activities and the future held nothing for me. Every day I woke up, I just counted the minutes until I could go back to sleep and shut out the world. When I woke up, I felt a sense of helplessness, like I had no control over my life and was just looking for a reason to get up. Eventually the situation got so bad that I lay awake in bed every night hoping for a plausible enough excuse so I wouldn't have to get up again. Despite all these obvious signs of a problem, I stuck to my ability to overcome it and simply tried to run out of time. But eventually, I was forced to face my issues and finally forced myself to talk to a professional. Through extensive therapy, I was able to improve and manage my symptoms. Although I was privileged to be able to see a therapist, not everyone is so lucky. We live in a time where mental health is no longer seen as a personal failure. Previously, if someone was suffering from a mental health problem, they were told to get over it and received no further help. Many veterans returning home from the war suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, but no one was willing to acknowledge that this problem was real and society was not equipped to deal with it. PTSD was not officially recognized until it was added to the DSM in 1980, and affected individuals could be successfully diagnosed. This is a public issue because it was society that sent them to war and refused to help them. Society told people that the problems they were facing weren't real, and their denial magnified the problem; those who suffered felt alone and cut off from the rest of their.