Getting Down With The Basics: What Is A Social Issue?

     Oftentimes, we find ourselves tiresomely and desperately scraping off any residual  intellectual idea for our English papers hoping to find any decent information we can impart in writing our papers on social problems. Oftentimes, we are stuck to realizing that none of what we say makes sense anymore and we begin to question life and existence, pleading to question “why the hell should we care about Social Issues anyway?” Now pause right there. Really, why should we care about social issues, problems, dilemmas, etc., when we’ve got our own lives to fuss over already? Why in the world do we have to know all these things and write essays about them? Sure, this may sound off as egotistic, selfish talking, but I’m sure at one put in your lives you have questioned the essence of all these matters.

1. How would one define a ‘social issue’?

     That’s the thing, it is really hard to draw the limitations of a certain social issue. The complexities of a ‘social issue’ lies in the way you see it manifesting in society. In simpler terms, if you don’t see a certain condition as a problem, then it isn’t one. This term in itself is a subjective matter and it varies per person.  Social problems are everywhere and they’re one of the few things you can never escape. These problems might as well cover all fields of life whether they may be health related, gender related, race related, etc,

     Project Legal says that it is a “condition that at least some people in a community view as being undesirable.” Undesirable is something not fancied for because it may be dangerous, unnecessary, or may negatively affect a certain person or group of individuals. Joseph R. Gusfield, on the otherhand, defines “social problems” as “a claim that some condition, set of events, or group of persons constitutes a troublesome situation that needs to be changed or ameliorated.” A certain way of living or a problem is not a social one if it does not interfere with already existing beliefs and views of individuals. Consequently, Social issues define ideals and standards held in society, and eventually molds the perceptions of a person to a group of people to regard something as either ‘good’ or ‘bad’, ‘pleasing, or ‘unpleasing’. 

2. How should I deal with social issues and 3. why should I bother knowing them?

     Due to the complicated nature of social issues, the best way to go about them is by defining them first, and then weighing its pros and cons. For instance, let’s take Sexist Advertising a try.

     You should care about knowing these things because not only do you have to enrich yourself with worldly knowledge but also contribute to a solution. Being aware of the issues taking place in the world today and being a part of solution making team only makes you a much better person. Also, if you want to learn how to read a newspaper, you might want to brush up on such worldly issues.

Some examples of social issues:

Abortion
Prostitution
Poverty
Corruption
Discrimination
Euthanasia
Capital Punishment
Illegal Logging

     
     Above all, being aware of social issues could do most good in the way we can improve our living conditions and in the way all parts of society take part in helping achieve it. If a certain issue is assumed to be troublesome, all members of society can pitch in with ideas and look for ways in making the situation more comfortable. Sure, not everyone will agree to all the conditions but at the end of the day, all that we deal with in this world are mere compromises.

✿ Bea Ticsay ✿
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