What the hell have I signed myself up to?
The question was a goldfish swimming in the aquarium of my head, its pitifully short 3-second span of memory depletes the chances of boring it to the point of leaving. Still, I sat through the awkward silence that only being in an unfamiliar company could bring, watching as more strangers trickle in, and waiting out the grace period.
But why sociology, an elective subject that sounds so far-fetched from my music path, at least theoretically? I needed time-out; that was what I remember telling myself. I wanted to tend to my rebellious nature, to proof I don’t have to be enclosed in purely a music world simply because my peers expected me to; I yearned for diversity, if anything but to enrich and equip myself for the future; most of all, I desperately wanted to break free from my comfort zone, to strip away any sense of familiarity. So, I challenged myself to pick a subject no one else chose: sociology.
Fair enough. In fact, I was pretty gungho about it, this braving myself up for a one man war. I even spent a mamak session with Jing Hua and Joanna discussing about the 6 degrees of separation theory. The concept, also known as the Human Web, paints the idea that everyone is on average no more than six steps away from any other person on Earth, making it plausible to connect any two people in the world in six steps or fewer. Jing Hua said it was covered in her psychology class, but if you asked me, I would say that fell under sociology.
Still, it got me pretty hyped up regarding my courageous choice, like I was doing a stint for Home Alone, though this would title ‘Class Alone’….till the moment I stepped into class. It was relatively empty and the space was considerably large (compared to those in the music faculty) that I felt naked and acutely self-conscious. I was never good at new environments and meeting new people, though I was narcissistic enough to pride myself so.
Then Ms Yap spoke. I know it sounds crude, but it was like she just farted, because she blew me away. Probably because of her cultured English, but she introduced the topic and explained about the difference between anthropology and sociology in such a zest-induced way that I sat up straighter. I can’t really recall her words as my nocturnal mind didn’t function at such an unholy hour (11am IS despicably early, as far as holiday-mood time zone is concerned), but a quick click of mouse tells me that anthropology deals with human culture as well as the physical and social characteristics that create that culture, whereas sociology studies the functionality of human society including origins, development and organization. In simpler words, anthropology is viewing the sphere of human society on the outside while sociology is from within. Of course, I will later on alter and refine the definition parallel to my understanding of the subject.
She also mentioned that sociology studies about being out of the norm, in addition to my point of it being in the norm. Now that was interesting, since I seldom see myself as one who fits in; less so in high school, but in college, it was startlingly obvious. I had always thrived to be different, and relish the fact that I am, like the time when it was a trend to pick up Japanese or Korean during the long break after SPM, I refused to, and learnt French instead. Then again, it might mean I was only being idiosyncratic, which everyone is, for that matter, or I was just plain rebellious. Still, it was something in sociology I would like to read more into.
All in all, it was an informative class, and an intriguing one at it. I certainly don’t regret taking it, despite the heavy workload and effort I’m expected to put into it. Who knows where I’ll bring this skill to, in the future. Merging it with music and create something new of my own? Whatever it is, time and society’s effects on me will tell.
Meanwhile, I’ll just savor the fact that we have lots of reading materials in store and that more than makes up for all the assignments and sufferings ahead.
No comments:
Post a Comment