Who's In Control of Your Life?
Channel: LIVING SOCIOLOGY
Date: 2019-11-27

First Person, Plural on CFUV-fm, Victoria, BC
Originally aired May 9, 2002

We examined the age-old question of how much we control our own and each other's behaviour. What is the relationship between the individual and society?  Does society make us do anything? Or Are we in control of our own destinies?  We took this question to the streets and asked people in Victoria who they thought controlled their lives.  Most answered "me" but with a variety of hesitations and qualifications.  Others mentioned family, friends, pets and jobs as sources of control One person suggested society and another suggested nobody was in control.

We looked at Horatio Alger stories, including a spoof of the Alger stories written by Mark Twain. Such stories recreate a narrative of individualism and control.  Richard Dawkins's concept of memes was discussed.  Is the idea that we are in control of our life something based on our experience or is a meme passed on from generation to generation?  We create our own meme -- the Howard Jones Effect.

Finally, we examined The Matrix as the ultimate sociology movie. 

copyright: Carl Wilkerson and Pattie Thomas

http://sociologylegacy.pbworks.com/w/page/90843711/Episode%2001%20Who%20Is%20In%20Control%20of%20Your%20Life