The lessons in class made me understand that master statuses are important elements that explain sociological factors that shape the behaviour of people in any given society. While most of my family members and friends have clearly shown differing affiliation to master status, I have also had personal experience with education as the overriding master status in my life. However, the fact remains that everyone has their unique identifying characteristics that overshadow all other social positions of the situations individuals face. Race is key master status among individuals since while some may subscribe to the importance of equality in the society, others tend to be discriminative on the basis of race or ethnic belonging. Race matters since it is an important aspect that leads to understanding of the concept of racial discrimination. Race is believed to be a social construct such that it exists only because the society attaches meaning to it. However, the idea of racial discrimination has since ceased to exist in most nations with importance attached to the need for equality in important sectors such as health care. The fact that the society lets everyone know who they are has contributed to situations such as difficulties in forgetting the ethnic belonging even when settled in a new environment.
Sexual orientation is an important element that defines personal identity of individuals. Sexual orientation is important in the society as it goes to the heart of social and personal identity of members of the society. For instance gays may find that their being gay supersedes other aspects that define personal identity since they tend to behave differently from the members who are straight. However, the idea of gay being a master status for some people has not gone well with most of my friends and relatives who believe that such actions are a violation of social norms. As a result of sexual orientation on the basis of being gay, most people seem to have seriously disapproved such behaviour hence evoking social consequences for such traits.
Physical ability is also a key master status in the society where is several cases, the society tend to dehumanize those with disabilities. It is therefore important that the physically disabled be allowed to feel as part of the society by making them understand that they could still be useful to the society even with their condition. My friends particularly have a special place for the disabled in the society where they are involved in community programs aimed at making the disabled feel as part of the society. The fact that some people may not view physical disability as a normal thing is a creation of the society where some members tend to behave in ways that do not conform to social expectations. Age serves as a master status for most of my friends since the youthfulness makes them makes them do things that are in line with their young age. Such actions include dressing styles where the youths are more fashionable and willing to go the extra mile of acquiring the latest fashion even when there is a high price tag attached. Age is also a master status for those who would wish to maintain their body in such a ways that they look young for a considerable period. This means that many people would be unwilling to fail to maintain themselves since poor lifestyles are associated with fast ageing. A good number of people would therefore let lifestyles that make them appear young supersede other factors that affect their well-being. Economic standing is an important component of the society such that while others tend to attach more value to grater wealth, other would prefer living a simple life so long as they are able to sustain themselves. Most of the young people have their eyes set on acquiring greater wealth in future such that they tend to work extra hard to ensure their achieve their objectives. However, the older people may prefer pursuing other factors that improve their well-being such as concentrating on improving their health.
The young people are more worried about their economic standing that the older members of the society hence wealth becomes the master status for most of the young working population. Spirituality is a master status embraced by a number of people in the society who are driven by the need to help the rest of humanity such that the people conduct their affairs in what they believe to be the right thing to do rather than relying on their personal initiativeness. The need to subscribe to religious rules and behave based on good acts for humanity therefore supersedes other factors surrounding such people in the society. Education is an important element in the modern day societies such that the young people are encouraged to focus more on their studies. The fact that there is a belief that education is key to building the future of an individuals through getting good jobs accompanied by attractive salaries makes it a master status in the society.
Personally, I attach more value to my education that everything else since I believe that it is education that builds the foundation of a good life in future. My master status is to see myself through the various stages involved in the curriculum which means achieving all the levels involved in higher learning. I believe that through my commitment to education, I will be able to achieve the social status that accompany the learned people in the society and will be prepared more to fit in the corporate world. My commitment to education is also riven by the fact that I appreciate the role that has been played by my parents in all the years I have been through the education system which means that achieving the highest levels of education will also make everyone around me happy. My dream is that I will be able to use my educational knowledge help people in the community through contributing to policies that focus on improving the welfare of the society.
References
Barnartt, S. (2005). Report of the ASA Committee on the Status of Persons with Disabilities (PWD). Washington D.C: Gallaudet University.
Epstein, C. (2006). Great Divides: The Cultural, Cognitive, and Social Bases of the Global Subordination of Women. New York: City University of New York.
Gergen, K., & Gergen, M. (2000). The New Aging: Self Construction and Social Values. New York: Springer.
Hill, P., Pargament, K., & Hood, R. (2000). Conceptualizing Religion and Spirituality: Points of Commonality, Points of Departure. Journal of Theory of Social Behaviour, 52-62.
