26 seconds of pure embarrassment from when Kesha tried to give Jerry Seinfeld a hug during a red carpet interview. Useful for illustrating Goffman and Dramaturgy. #Sociology
Sociology in Wall-E (2008)
"Wall-E as Sociological Story Telling" -- Pop Culture Detective, 2017, 15:25 -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1-vPQKwXbY
Video's Description: "Pixar’s Wall-E is a masterpiece of animated filmmaking about two adorable robots falling in love, though I’d argue it also serves as an excellent example of sociological storytelling. Social systems are one of the most important, and most misunderstood, concepts in my work on media and masculinity. So in this video essay I use Wall-E's Axiom star liner (and the board game Monopoly) to illustrate how social systems operate in our culture".
Credentialism: Fake Degrees
Fake degrees: Exposing Canadians with phoney credentials (Marketplace) -- CBC, 2017, 22:26 -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHTg5zzFEKE
There is a claim made in here that half of new PhDs in the US are from fake instituions where one can purchase a degree without having to complete any work. Though I wish they investigated the process of getting one of these degrees a bit more thoroughly, this video does a good job highlighting the scope of this deceptive practice.
Subcultural Tastes
Why people keep watching the worst movie ever made -- Vox, 2017, 5:32 -- https://youtu.be/k27mr6p-yhY
Big shout out to Vox @Voxdotcom for explicitly incorporating a major sociological concept, cultural capital, into their video on fans of “trash cinema”. It’s a good example of subcultures and while there is lots of subjectivity here, the idea of having a good taste in bad taste should make for an interesting discussion. I wonder what John Waters would think…
Falsifiability & Karl Popper
Why You Can Never Argue with Conspiracy Theorists (Argument Clinic, Episode 4) -- Wired, 2017, 4:11 -- https://youtu.be/3kJp8as4fE4
A hypothesis must be able to be proven wrong in order to be suitable for logical and scientific inquiry. Conspiracy theorists tend to advance non-falsifiable arguments resulting in no amount of evidence being able to sway their (often ridiculous) stance. In the words of Shaquille O'Neal, "I drove from coast to coast and that shit looked flat to me”.
Impression Management and Bill O'Reilly: "DO IT LIVE!"
Bill O'Reilly: "F*** It! Do It Live!" -- Inside Edition, 1989-1995, 1:35 -- https://youtu.be/Qy-Y3HJNU_s
A timeless example of impression management, the managed self, and front-stage/back-stage behavior. My favorite part of this tantrum is 1:18 when he momentarily snaps back into a composed impression. In 5, 4, 3, ...
Transgender Rights
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver -- HBO, 2016, 16:46 -- https://youtu.be/hmoAX9f6MOc
A humorous yet critical look at the dire state of trans rights in the United States. With the Trump Administration recently rescinding federal rules on bathroom access for transgender students, it is imperative that we enlighten our students to the injustices and oppression faced by this often-ignored segment of the LGBT community.
It was never about the bathrooms, just as it was never about the water fountains. -Anonymous
Heteronormativity-- The World of the Heterosexual is a Sick and Boring Life (Throwback)
Female Trouble -- John Waters, 1974, 1:42 -- https://youtu.be/gAa_e_L0rpc?t=15s
A fabulous scene from John Waters' 1974 classic Female Trouble starring Edith Massey as Aunt Ida. Here we get to see a still-relevant critique of heteronormative families as Aunt Ida attempts to turn her nephew. Happy Valentines Day!
Sexy Coffee and Deviance
Bikini Baristas: Coffee and Controversy in Washington State -- Zagat, 2016, 9:16 -- https://youtu.be/OlyFh97zy7M
How does a society respond when deviants push the moral boundary of what is considered socially acceptable? Residents in this town want the population to unite against coffee baristas who show off their bodies to attract customers. We see the beginnings of a moral campaign (it's all about the children, right?) in this interesting example which speaks to the functional view of deviant behavior. This is also a good example of Merton's innovators (accepting societal goals but rejecting the standard means).
Sex, Sexuality, and Technology
"Crush", Dark Net (S1 Ep1) -- Showtime, 2016, 28:09 -- https://youtu.be/vo3xUGJIDY4
Available for free for a limited time-- This episode explores how technology and the Internet affected our sexual relationships through 3 vastly different profiles, all loaded with data for context. The couple who met on a BDSM fetish website introduces us to the concept of pervertables and raises questions surrounding consent; the young man in Japan who is in love with Rinko, a character on his Nintendo 3DS, challenges our typical notions of a relationship; and the young woman who had her nude photos posted to over 2,000 revenge porn websites with no legal framework to turn to for help. All of these stories highlight social problems related to sex in our digital world.
Original Source: http://www.sho.com/dark-net/season/1/episode/1
Drug Laws, Xenophobia, and Propaganda
The Sinister Reason Weed is Illegal -- CollegeHumor, 2016, 6:02 -- https://youtu.be/CJlqsdezhhk
From the show Adam Ruins Everything, this video explores the xenophobic origins of US marijuana laws and briefly touches on the political rationale behind the War on Drugs.
The Collective Shaming of Deviance on Benefits Street
Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe -- BBC, 2014, 6:26 -- https://youtu.be/JkrX5J73Vi4
This is a humorous example from the UK of the functional role of deviant behavior. We see society come together to shame those receiving benefits from the state (known as welfare in the US). This is also an insightful example of how deviants are exploited for entertainment and ridicule. "Poverty porn" would be a good term to discuss in addition to the many sociological concepts evident in the clip.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03qgvsc