Social Construction of Reality

I was raised in a large metropolitan city, living next door to a motorcycle gang. My parents had a large social life, distributing illegal drugs. I was taught my religious beliefs from my grandmother; traditionally we were Roman Catholic. I guess you could say I had a lot of ‘street smarts’. However, I did not live the life that was depicted at church, nor did I live the life I thought God had planned for me. I witnessed abuse, lived in fear, and learned to trust my own faith in God.

My parents were on the low to medium social status scale. They were very social people and loved to entertain others at the home. I enjoyed the times people were there because there was no abuse when anyone else was around. My parents behaved very differently in every situation. At church, they pretended to be faithful and church-going people but at home they often lacked the ability to follow through with the words of the Bible; often times reversing what they said and did. When they were around family, they were more often than not high on some sort of drug so they could assimilate themselves as one of the family. In public they were funny, happy people; laughing often, making jokes, and enjoying life. I did not want to live my life this way and vowed to be the same person in every situation. I have always searched for a better life and have tried my best to break the cycle of abuse and dysfunction.

I made my own world with few close friends and many acquaintances. I studied diligently to earn good grades and I tried to fit in with the upper-class students by participating in cheerleading. Many people view me as stuck-up and being better than everyone else. I do not live to please others but I live for a better life than I once had experienced. I am friendly and outgoing; this I show to everyone in my peer groups and family. I am consistent in my behavior with friends and family. I do not act differently for a different group of people. I stay true to myself, my beliefs, values, and morals. I believe I fit somewhere in the middle class of society, however I earn a low income.

I can fluctuate between lower and middle class because of my social status within the community and my low income. I can relate to many people on a variety of issues, many of which I have experienced in my personal life. I am not afraid to share my views and stories with others. In fact, I enjoy sharing my life with others as a way of influencing them in some positive way. I am not ashamed of my past but rather learn from my past and share my insight with others.

References

Macionis, J.J. (2006). Society: The Basics (8th ed). Pearson Education, Inc.