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American Patriotism : The Functionalist, Conflict, And Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

Decent Essays
American Patriotism can be defined in different ways. When people think of the word patriotism, most often say "to love one 's country". That is true in some aspect, but being patriotic means much more than that. In the words of Mark Twain, he states, “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” True patriotism is to support what 's best for this country and contribute in ways to help that can be beneficial for everyone. However, to a socialist, patriotism can be viewed within three main perspectives: the functionalist, conflict, and symbolic interactionist perspective. A functionalist views society like one main living organism in which each part contributes to the survival of the whole. In other words, a functionalist perspective emphasizes how the parts of society are structured to maintain its stability. In this sociological approach, if an aspect of social life does not contribute to a society 's stability or survival, it will not be passed on from one generation to the next. The media is one example of the functionalism that happens into society. Whatever news it may be, society needs the media to exist. It is a vital piece of everyday life that many people depend on to function. The media gives the public vital and timely information and facilitates opinions that people need. Like the events of 9/11 back in 2001. At that time, people looked upon the news to help them cope. Emile Durkheim, one of sociolgy 's
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