Sociology - Sociological Perspective Sociological Term Paper

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Elaine confronts Gail for it, but later has no choice but to give them to Gail as payment for helping Jerry and George coordinate an unrelated scheme with an NBC executive. The issue culminates in Elaine's eventual admission that she actually enjoys the fact that other people notice her shoes and talk about them with envy. When Jerry asks her to give Gail the shoes, Elaine responds, "No, but these were the only really cool ones like this! Don't you see how everybody likes 'em and how everybody talks about 'em?" That issue comes up again in another episode (the Scofflaw") when an ex- boyfriend (Jake) of Elaine's refuses to tell Kramer where he bought the frames for his glasses. Kramer admires them and asks, "... where did you get those eyeglass frames?"

Jake responds, "I can't tell you that." When Kramer then asks, "So you don't know where you got 'em?" Jake responds, "Yes I do. But I don't want anyone else to have them."

Social Conflict Theory in Seinfeld: Social conflict is a sociological theory according to which people and social groups within society occupy different relative social positions (or classes) within the community, based on their wealth or accumulation of other valuable resources (Macionis

2003).
That concept is illustrated best by the series episode "The Airport." Elaine and Jerry share an airplane where Jerry is seated in first class while Elaine flies in coach. Whereas Jerry is treated to every conceivable amenity and overly indulged by flight attendants in the first class section, Elaine suffers in comparative discomfort and without a meal in coach. In contrast to the politeness and doting attention Jerry receives in first class, Elaine is treated rudely as a second class citizen.

Eventually she sneaks her way onto the first class section but is immediately discovered and ejected back to her original seat. She reacts with a social commentary directly on the issue of social conflict theory, "OK, fine. I'll go back... You know, our goal should be a society Without Classes!" REFERENCES

Gerrig, R.J., Zimbardo, R.G. (2005)

Psychology and Life 18th Ed.

New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Henslin, J.M. (2002) Essentials of Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach. Boston: Allyn and Bacon Macionis, J.J. (2003) Sociology 9th Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. http://www.seinology.com.....

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