Sociology Essay Example: Inequality and Globalization

The world is dominated by differences in wealth, power and status. Social stratification defines some groups having a higher rank and power compared to others, resulting in some having privileges over others. As a result, social groups or individuals are treated unequally.

Race

Cases of police brutality against the blacks have been reported in America. According to the New York Star Times, there had been a video circulating in the social media of police mistreatment of the blacks. Benzaquen, Cave, and Oliver (2015) agree that the results of these actions has been various deaths, some people have been apprehended and accused of major crimes, and unjust sentences in the court of law. As a result, the police officers have faced the court of law being charged with brutality. This is a detrimental case to the whole society. As such, there have been demonstrations of blacks who feel that they have been mishandled, coupled with federal investigations, and changes in policy and the attitudes towards a different race.

Gender

Gender discrimination mostly affects the women in the workplace. Ji-In Houck is a woman who filed a case in the court of law claiming that she was being paid half of what her male colleagues were being paid. She explained that other female attorneys were paid less compared to the male having the same experience. This demoralized the woman who is working hard to making a living. Consequently, the institution faced a considerable amount of lawsuits, which damaged the companys image coupled with losses due to expenses in the suit. The whole society is dominated by such kind of inequality (Miner & Cortina, 2016). The girl child is always being empowered, but it becomes hard for the community to fight for the womens rights in a male dominated world.

Apple Company

Apple is an American based multinational technology company that aims at revolutionizing how people communicate. With its various innovations, it has increased the love of technology and social media and has especially influenced the culture of the young generation. Besides, with the increased ease of operating the device, then both old and young are using it.

Global stratification refers to arrangements of people in different social classes while local culture refers to daily personal experiences in identifiable localities. Apple Company has been of enormous impact in social stratification. With its intense creativity and innovation, it means that it can produce high-quality products. However, its products are too expensive such that they target the upper class. Its gadgets are first accessible to the upper class; then when they saturate the market, they lower the prices for the average citizens to afford.

An advantage of social stratification is that it ensures order in the society. With social stratification, there is class, status, and power, which influence respect. However, it brings about division and a rift between the rich and the poor.

The most significant winner in the case of social stratification is the company. People always want to retain their social class. As such, they are readily willing to purchase products, which show that they are still wealthy no matter the financial burden (Mare, 2014). Apple compared to its competitor, Samsung, has made long strides in technology with stable cash flow. This company quickly regains back its production cost and starts making profits.

In summary, inequalities have been present in the society for the longest time possible. However, the advancement of technology and appreciation of globalization has continued to separate people the more. This is because the high class is always purchasing the most expensive gadgets while the poor are too low on credit to afford such kind of a life.

References

Benzaquen, M., Cave, D., & Oliver, R. (2015, July 30). The Raw Videos That Have Sparked Outrage Over Police Treatment of Blacks. Retrieved January 23, 2018, from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/19/us/police-videos-race.html

Mare, R. D. (2014). Multigenerational aspects of social stratification: Issues for further research. Research in social stratification and mobility, 35, 121-128. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0276562414000080

Miner, K. N., & Cortina, L. M. (2016). Observed workplace incivility toward women, perceptions of interpersonal injustice, and observer occupational well-being: Differential effects for gender of the observer. Frontiers in psychology, 1-7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4868856/