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1、TheSociologicalImaginationChapterOne:ThePromiseC.WrightMills(1959)Nowadayspeopleoftenfeelthattheirprivatelivesareaseriesoftraps.Theysensethatwithintheireverydayworlds,theycannotovercometheirtroubles,andinthisfeeling,theyareoftenquitecorrect.Whatordinarypeoplearedirectlyawareofandwhattheytrytod
2、oareboundedbytheprivateorbitsinwhichtheylive;theirvisionsandtheirpowersarelimitedtotheclose-upscenesofjob,family,neighborhood;inothermilieux,theymovevicariouslyandremainspectators.Andthemoreawaretheybecome,howevervaguely,ofambitionsandofthreatswhichtranscendtheirimmediatelocales,themoretrapped
3、theyseemtofeel.Underlyingthissenseofbeingtrappedareseeminglyimpersonalchangesintheverystructureofcontinent-widesocieties.Thefactsofcontemporaryhistoryarealsofactsaboutthesuccessandthefailureofindividualmenandwomen.Whenasocietyisindustrialized,apeasantbecomesaworker;afeudallordisliquidatedorbec
4、omesabusinessman.Whenclassesriseorfall,apersonisemployedorunemployed;whentherateofinvestmentgoesupordown,apersontakesnewheartorgoesbroke.Whenwarshappen,aninsurancesalespersonbecomesarocketlauncher;astoreclerk,aradaroperator;awifeorhusbandlivesalone;achildgrowsupwithoutaparent.Neitherthelifeofa
5、nindividualnorthehistoryofasocietycanbeunderstoodwithoutunderstandingboth.Yetpeopledonotusuallydefinethetroublestheyendureintermsofhistoricalchangeandinstitutionalcontradiction.Thewell-beingtheyenjoy,theydonotusuallyimputetothebigupsanddownsofthesocietiesinwhichtheylive.Seldomawareoftheintrica
6、teconnectionbetweenthepatternsoftheirownlivesandthecourseofworldhistory,ordinarypeopledonotusuallyknowwhatthisconnectionmeansforthekindsofpeopletheyarebecomingandforthekindsofhistory-makinginwhichtheymighttakepart.Theydonotpossessthequalityofmindessentialtograsptheinterplayofindividualsandsoci
7、ety,ofbiographyandhistory,ofselfandworld.Theycannotcopewiththeirpersonaltroublesinsuchwaysastocontrolthestructuraltransformationsthatusuallyliebehindthem.Surelyitisnowonder.Inwhatperiodhavesomanypeoplebeensototallyexposedatsofastapaceto
