1. . Analyze this phenomenon using the work of Max Weber. Does Webers work in PESC support or undermine the claims being made in this piece (or something in between?). In what ways can you apply his work in Class, Status, Party to this piece?
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/02/religion-workism-making-americans-miserable/583441/
2. The plot of the 2017 film Get Out deals with a black photographer who visits the family and hometown of his white girlfriend. The romance quickly becomes a nightmare, however, and director Jordan Peele delivers a powerful satire of race relations in the USA. His film is also a nice illustration of some of the ideas of WEB DuBois. For this option*, apply DuBois concepts (double consciousness, the veil, etc) to this film.
*obviously you will choose this option only if you are familiar with the film. You may wish to discuss a particular scene or two that seem relevant
**Its possible you have not seen this movie, but you have seen a similar movie with a dominant theme of people experiencing double-consciousness. You are welcome to use this prompt for that movie. If you do, perhaps include a hyperlink to a scene that I can watch (in case I havent seen the movie
3. This option asks you to apply Max Webers ideas about disenchantment to a clip from a TV show. Remember that Weber believes a major downside of modernity is the rise of rational procedures that disconnect us from natural processes. One example of this kind of rationalization is the industrial food chain that provides most or the food we eat. Its incredibly efficient, but it might not feel morally fulfilling or uplifting. The following clip is from a sketch comedy show called Portlandia. In this scene, the characters are obsessively interested in the origins of the food they are about to order. Apply Webers ideas to their agonizing over their food. The scene is played for laughs, obviously. But are they seeking to re-enchant their lives?
**You may also use this prompt to discuss a different document, video, news item or current event of your choosing if you prefer. But it must be something applicable to the ideas I develop in the prompt.
4. The fast-food chain Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays, which deprives them of the opportunity to earn profits from people who would otherwise choose to eat there. This seems to contradict Webers assertion that in the modern world we can expect economic rationalism to replace economic traditionalism. Was Weber wrong? Is chick-fil-A an embodiment of BOTH of these economic modalities? For this option, please discuss the ideas* of Weber in connection with the business model of chick-fil-A
https://www.businessinsider.com/chick-fil-a-closed-on-sunday-business-strategy-2019-6#:~:text=Chick%2Dfil%2DA%20locations%20across,also%20a%20brilliant%20business%20decision.
5. This semester we have seen how Marx, Weber and Durkheim are all theorists of modernity. We have also seen how they each identified a problem, or downside to modern life, despite its advantages to earlier ways of living. Respectively they are alienation, disenchantment and anomie.
For this option, I would like you to briefly but cogently discuss these terms. This option requires a great deal of economizing about what you regard as important enough to include.
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