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Analyzing a Sociological Issue

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Modernization of indigenous culture is nothing uncommon and happens on a daily basis. Time is the only variation between subjects. Depending on many factors, a culture can be transformed over a long period of time or just overnight. The modernization of North America and Western Europe occurred during the 18th and 19th centuries and has since spread to many Eastern European and Asian countries (Macionis, 2011). Modernization is a combination of sorts, including industrialization and urbanization and is defined as the transformation of a society or culture from a rural and agrarian condition to a secular, urban, and industrial one (Macionis, 2011). Modernization is not necessarily modern in the general sense or a revolutionary view; it is …show more content…

While the United States is currently going through massive changes concerning this usage (i.e. solar power and nuclear power), the industry still has quite a ways to go (Glendinning, 2010). According to “Institute For Energy Research, “Between 2011 and 2040, natural gas consumption is expected to increase by 21 percent and coal consumption by 7 percent. The EIA foresees fossil fuels maintaining their status as America’s leading source of energy consumption between now and 2040, supplying 78 percent of our nation’s energy needs in 2040." These numbers are forcing more allocation of resources and focused energy to be put into the right areas. With that in mind, we could see massive improvements in the energy side of things. Even though we use far more energy and as a direct result produce more pollutants, it should also be noted that we live a far more comfortable life style than many indigenous societies. Thus a direct result of this is that modern society has a better prospect concerning longevity.
Many modernized societies have seen fit to extend the lives of all its citizens regardless of ability through socialized or universal health care, whereas in many indigenous cultures, one will see higher rates of death. This is especially true for infants, not to say that it is deliberate, but they can simply not be given the same amount

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