Sociology 1 Begins

Well, summer session is over, and I can proclaim my Cultural Anthropology class a success. For those of you who have any interest in learning how to view other cultures from a non-nationalistic viewpoint, give a class like this a try. If a person really makes an effort, a class like this can change how one views others, and perhaps make one a bit more understanding.

This term, I get to try my hand at Sociology. Even though I prefer the premise of Cultural Anthropology more, this class also seems to focus on seeing society with different eyes. However, if the first chapter of the textbook is any indication, this class is going to be a struggle. Which leads me to my rant: textbook writers.

Textbooks for college students are supposed to be challenging. They are supposed to make a student think. But that doesn't mean that the presentation is to be so wordy and obtuse that a student new to the subject is confounded and annoyed. I consider myself a well-read individual with a good vocabulary and a decent brain. Yet the first chapter of my Sociology text is written as though the authors are just trying to show the reader how much smarter the writers are compared to the students. How about this; try to make a difficult subject easier, and save the complex descriptions until after an intro? Do that, and you won't make your subject sound like the domain of a bunch of snotty-nosed egotists. Instead, you might be talking with some future enthusiasts of your subject.

Enough rant. I'm going to try to reprogram my stupid cellphone now. Word of warning: you might want to avoid the Sony Ericsson w600i. It's a pain.