Where are the majority of clothes that you wear and the technology that you use on a regular basis made? What are the conditions of the workers in these factories? Why might people in the United States be willing and able to rationalize exploitation of people on the other side of the globe in order to keep up their lifestyle?

Why might sociologists be interested in investigating social networks that exist online? In what ways are they similar from more traditional social networks, and in what ways are they different? Do you believe U.S. society will continue on its existing trajectory of increased reliance on technology—that is, will it be maintained or decreased in the near future? How will this influence social interaction in organizations?

Which type of Toennies’s societies would you prefer to live in: gemeinschaft or gesellschaft? Why? Give specific examples.