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This really changed how the world thinks about safety and security. Even now, you can feel the effects everywhere.

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Module 6: Deviance – Tattoos and Body Piercings (Before 2008)

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Module 6: Deviance – Tattoos and Body Piercings (Before 2008)

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Before I was born, tattoos and piercings were seen as really rebellious and unprofessional. A lot of people thought only bikers, criminals, or gang members had them. It wasn’t normal to see teachers, nurses, or business people with tattoos back then. Now it’s totally different — tattoos are popular and seen as art or self-expression.

According to conflict theory, tattoos were considered deviant because people in power wanted to control what was seen as “normal” in society. Older generations, workplaces, and even schools decided that having tattoos meant you didn’t fit in or follow the rules. They used that label to keep their version of society’s norms in place. Over time, more people started getting tattoos, and that challenged those old ideas. Now it’s way more accepted, and even seen as creative instead of bad.

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Lots of people lost jobs and money, including families like mine. It made things harder for a lot of people growing up.

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It was a huge deal because he was the first Black president, and it gave a lot of people hope for change.

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I came into a world full of new tech and social changes that affect how we live today.

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1. Family

Module 4: Socialization
One of the biggest agents of socialization in my life is my family.

Manifest function: My family gives me love, support, and guidance.
Latent function: They also pass down our traditions, habits, and how we’re expected to act in society.

From my family, I’ve learned values like honesty, kindness, and respect. They also taught me basic manners like saying “please” and “thank you,” helping others, and taking responsibility for what I do.

Using Cooley’s “looking-glass self,” my family has helped me see how my actions affect other people and how their reactions shape how I see myself. They’ve really helped me build confidence, form my personality, and learn how to treat others with respect.

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Module 6: Deviance – Vaping (After 2008)

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Module 6: Deviance – Vaping (After 2008)

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When vaping first started getting big around the mid-2010s, everyone acted like it was no big deal. People thought it was safer than smoking, and lots of teens started doing it, even at school. But now everyone sees how unhealthy it actually is. Schools have rules against it, and people get suspended or fined for having vape pens. It’s gone from being “cool” to being seen as a serious problem.

From a structural functionalist point of view, vaping is seen as deviant now because society wants to protect people’s health and safety. When too many people do things that hurt themselves or others, it messes with how society functions. By calling vaping deviant, people are setting clear rules about what’s healthy and what’s not. It helps schools, parents, and the government keep order and protect the community’s well-being.

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2016: Trump Got Elected & Brexit Happened

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2016: Trump Got Elected & Brexit Happened

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Politics got super divided, and you could see how it affected people around me.

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2019: Kids Like Greta Thunberg Started Climate Strikes

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2019: Kids Like Greta Thunberg Started Climate Strikes

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It made me realize how important climate change is and that young people can make a difference.

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COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools and changed how we learned, Biden became president while the U.S. left Afghanistan, Russia invaded Ukraine causing global tension, major natural disasters hit Libya, Turkey, and Syria, U.S. politics got super divided with Trump’s legal issues, and new technology kept changing how we live while climate and social justice stayed important.

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ndependent variable: The years from 0 to 2020
Dependent variable: The percentage of people in the U.S. who said same-sex marriage should be legal

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The graph shows that support for same-sex marriage has gone way up over time. In the 1990s, not many people agreed with it, but now a big majority do. It’s a clear sign that people’s opinions have changed a lot as society became more open and accepting.

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This matters today because it shows how much more accepting the world has become. At school and online, people can be more open about who they are and who they love without getting judged as much. It also affects laws, media, and how families are represented it feels more normal now, which makes our generation more understanding of different kinds of people.

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My cultural artifact is the Bible. It’s used for reading, worship, and spiritual guidance. The Bible carries deep religious and moral significance, symbolizing faith, hope, and a connection to God.

Having or using a Bible shows that someone values spirituality, belief, and moral direction. Its verses and symbols share important lessons about love, forgiveness, and purpose.

In my culture, the Bible represents faith, community, and respect. Before printed copies existed, people learned its teachings through oral tradition and the church. It’s important to treat the Bible with care and respect, since using it carelessly or disrespectfully can offend those who hold it sacred.

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Module 5: Groups and Organizations

Primary Group (Family & Close Friends):
My family and closest friends have had the biggest influence on me. They’re the people I trust the most, and they’ve shaped a lot of my personality, the way I communicate, and how I handle things in my life. They help me stay grounded and remind me of my values.

Secondary Group (Basketball Team):
My basketball team is my main secondary group. Being on the team has taught me discipline, teamwork, and how to deal with pressure. It’s also helped me get better at communicating and working with different kinds of people.

Status & Roles:
In my primary group, I’m a supportive family member and friend. On my basketball team, I’m a player who shows up, puts in effort, and tries to be a positive teammate, on and off the court.

Socialization & Behavior:
These groups both influence how I act. My primary group shapes my personality and how I treat people, while my basketball team pushes me to work hard, stay responsible, and be a better teammate.

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One major trend from Inequality for All is the growing gap between the rich and middle class. Since the late 1970s, middle-class wages have stayed mostly flat while income for the top 1% has skyrocketed. The film’s “suspension bridge” graph shows how income inequality peaked before major crashes in 1928 and 2007.

My grandparents benefited from the strong unions and steady jobs of the 1950s–1970s, which allowed them to buy a home and raise a family on one income. My parents, though, entered a workforce with shrinking unions and stagnant wages, meaning both had to work to keep up with rising costs.

For my generation, inequality makes upward mobility harder. College is more expensive, debt is higher, and stable jobs with benefits are harder to find. It feels like the “ladder” to the middle class keeps getting steeper with every generation.

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Racial and ethnic inequality in the U.S. has a long history, seen in gaps in wealth, education, and job opportunities. Conflict theory suggests this happens because dominant groups keep control of resources, while marginalized groups face obstacles that limit their chances to succeed.

This affects me indirectly through the schools, neighborhoods, and workplaces around me. People I know experience benefits or setbacks based on their race, and for those from different racial or ethnic backgrounds, these barriers can be even more serious, including discrimination and fewer opportunities to get ahead.

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theory: Conflict Theory

Conflict theory says that gender inequality exists because certain groups have more power than others and use that power to stay in control. In this case, men have historically had more control over jobs, pay, and leadership positions. This system keeps women and other genders from having equal opportunities.

How This Affects Me

I’ve seen gender inequality show up in small ways, like when people assume certain activities or subjects are “for boys” or “for girls.” It’s made me more aware of how society teaches us to fit into certain roles, even when we don’t want to.

How It Affects People I Know

Some of my friends who are girls or identify as LGBTQ+ have felt judged or left out just for being themselves. It can affect their confidence and make them feel like they have to hide parts of who they are.

How It Affects Others

People who are transgender or nonbinary often face more serious challenges, like being treated unfairly or not feeling safe in public spaces. These issues show how important it is to keep pushing for equality and acceptance for everyone, no matter their gender or identity.

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module 10  Social Institutions: Politics 

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module 10  Social Institutions: Politics 

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Politics

When I turn 18, I’ll be able to vote.

Political issue that matters to me:
The high cost of college. A lot of people my age worry about being in debt before we even start our adult lives.

What would make me choose a candidate:
I would pick someone who supports lowering college tuition, helps students avoid huge loans, and focuses on making education affordable.

Are my views my own?
I think they are partly my own, but I’m also influenced by my family, school, friends, and what I see online.

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Social Institutions: Religion

This part of my timeline shows how religion affects my values and how I was raised.

Religion: Christian

Change from my grandparents’ time:
My grandparents’ generation usually went to church every week and religion was a bigger part of everyday life. Now, more people my age are Christian but don’t always attend church regularly. People today feel more free to question or explore their beliefs.

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Social Institutions: Education

This entry represents my school experience.

School Type: Online

Manifest function (intended purpose):
School teaches us knowledge and skills so we can graduate and get a job or go to college.

Latent function (unexpected effect):
Even online, school teaches time management and responsibility — not just academics.

How the education system affects my success:
Things like the quality of the program, access to technology, support from teachers, and the resources a school provides all affect how well students do. It’s not only about how hard we work — the system matters too.

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Social Institutions: The Economy and Work 11

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Social Institutions: The Economy and Work 11

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Social Institutions: The Economy and Work

Economic Issue:
Rising cost of living (everything getting more expensive).

How it affected me/someone I know:
Prices going up has made things tighter for my family. We have to budget more, and I notice it with small stuff like groceries and gas.

How it might affect my future:
I’ll probably have to be smarter about money and find a job that keeps up with how expensive things are getting.

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Social Institutions: Family

Family Trend:
More young adults staying at home longer because rent is too high.

How it affected my family:
Some of my cousins still live at home because it’s just cheaper. It’s pretty common now.

How it might affect the future:
Families will probably stay together longer, and people might wait to move out or start families because everything costs so much.

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Past Social Movement: The Women’s Rights Movement: The Women’s Rights Movement, especially during the 1960s–70s, changed a lot about what life looks like today. Because of this movement, women have way more opportunities in education, jobs, and everyday independence. I definitely experience life differently because of it. I can choose my career path, get an education, have financial independence, and have basic rights that women in earlier generations didn’t have. A lot of the freedom and equality I have today exists because women pushed for it decades ago.

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Present-Day Social Movement: Mental Health Awareness: Why this issue matters:
Mental health awareness is a movement I think is important to the future of society. A lot of people struggle with anxiety, depression, or stress, and it’s becoming more common, especially for younger generations. This issue matters because untreated mental-health problems affect everything—school, relationships, work, and even physical health. The more we normalize getting help, the healthier and more stable our communities will be.

Future impact:
How society handles this now will affect future generations in a huge way. If we invest in mental-health resources, reduce stigma, and create better systems of support, future kids and teens will grow up in an environment where they can get help early and not feel ashamed. But if the issue keeps getting ignored, the problems will only get worse. So the way we deal with it today really shapes the quality of life for people in the future.