The first thing to note when reading "The Sociological Imagination" (first published in 1959) is that when C. Write Mills refers to "the 'man'/'men'' actually refers to the entire population rather than specifically to males. This is typical of writing from this period, but in modern society it is often considered outdated or incorrect. Using sociological imagination allows people to change their outlook on society. This allows us to think differently and emphasize the importance of social sciences. Mills begins by describing the situation of people in the 1950s; he states that people are not solely in control of their lives. He believes that the events that occur in life are the product of people's social environment. An example of this would be unemployment, as people often find themselves unemployed during times of economic hardship. It is therefore not the fault of the individual but rather that of society in difficulty. This therefore means that a person's individual life is influenced by society and the changes they are going through. To understand the changes in a person's life, we must first look at society and its infrastructure and assess their impact. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The three main questions to ask yourself when using this method are: what is the structure of this society, where does it fit in human history, and what types of people are the most powerful . Write highlights two main characteristics that must be examined if one is to understand society effectively. The first step in sociological imagination is understanding your own place in society and understanding the common social interactions/struggles of others in the same position. Only then can people truly understand what their chances in life are. Mills emphasizes that no matter how insignificant a person seems, everyone has an impact on society. This once again shows that the events that happen in a person's life are influenced by those around them. To understand the impact of biography, there are three key areas to study. These are: the types of men and women in society (this can be done by looking at things like gender, class and religion), how these groups are formed and what types of people are dominant in these groups/in society as a whole. Mills, however, also states that there is a difference between personal problems and public problems, but that the two must be combined and studied. One of the key points highlighted by Mills is the impact and influence of history on modern society. He explains that to fully understand society, one must observe both the individuals who compose it and the history of this society. However, the ordinary person often fails to see the extent of history's influence. To fully understand this, we need to look at the key features of our times and be able to relate these to key features of history. When trying to understand the impact of history on society, there are three questions to ask yourself: what is the history of this society, how did it become this way, and how has our society been shaped through the changes in history. This will help you identify where this current society fits in history..