The Merchants of Cool Film Analysis

The Merchants of Cool Film Analysis i.) Introduction: The Merchants of Cool is a movie that features the life of youngsters from an economical, social, cultural, political, and environmental point of view. This paper will analyze the sociological part of the Merchants of Cool movie. This is because the film is all about day-to-day human sociology since it features the true essence of the largest population which is that o youths. This paper would then analyze the following sociological themes as based on the film, Merchants of Cool; culture, socialization, sex and gender, marriage and family, social groups and social structure and social interaction (Sine, 2008). ii.) Concept Application: The Merchants of Cool movie features the real life happening in the day-to-day lives youths as the future determinants in the world. As a result, the main concepts of sociology are viewed in this film at different situations in different perspectives. The six primary concepts of sociology that are encountered by youths in their day-to-day life that are seen in the movie of the Merchants of Cool: a. Culture: Based on the movie, the Merchants of Cool, it can be seen that the culture of the youths is different from the ancient cultural practices. This can be seen from what they like, what they value and what they practice daily. In this movie, it can be seen whereby youths celebrate together through discos, and also takes pleasure in purchasing what they refer to as fashionable attires. Their culture is different from that of their parents. The youth culture is that whereby they do what they think works faster and with highest population supporting it. b. Socialization: Socializing is what youths like most as it can be seen in this movie. In the movie Merchants of Cool, youths are seen meeting socially in disco places, shopping centers and homes and they enjoy meeting one another. In the movie of Merchants of Cool, a boy is seen dancing with girls who did not work in the past generations. c. Sex and gender: Youths in the movie the Merchants of Cool, do not differentiate one another Or discriminate one another on the basis of gender and sex. It can be seen that boys and girls treat each other equally and thus, it can be seen that gender superiority does not really exist in the new generation of youths. d. Marriage and family: In the movie the Merchants of Cool, it can be seen that very few youths are married. Almost half of the youths aged 20 years old and above live alone and single. These youths do this because they want to enjoy their lives through doing what they want at any time. Those that live with their parents, also tend to do what they want despite the restrictions they are subjected to in their families. e. Social groups: In the movie of the Merchants of Cool, youths are divided into two main social groups. There is a high class social group which constitutes of those youths that have enough capital to acquire what they desire in life (Sine, 2008). Then the low class social groups which constitutes of youths that have less or do not have cash to purchase what they desire. All the same, all groups do not differentiate one another based on their social groups. f. Social structure and social interaction: The teens form a single huge and distinct social structure that can only be categorized into what they do, what they eat, what the wear, what they have and what they watch. But the fact is that almost 75% of the youths have a similar view of different things in life. This is what makes them form a single. The main ways through which youths socially interact include; games, discos, celebrations, academic institutions and working places. iii.) Theoretical Application: The basic and major theoretical applications in life are three and they are: Functionalist; is a theory that features the lives and situations that pertain to lives of people in their functional states in attempt to facilitate a swift life. This theory applies in the field of industry, academic field and other functional fields. In this movie, the lives of youths are featured from different perspectives as to how they achieve swiftness in their lives. Conflict theory; is a theory that applies in the situations of disagreements between individuals, organizations or nations due to one reason or another. There are cases where human beings at different levels or positions in life would tend to disagree or quarrel due to misunderstanding or difference in opinions (Rice, 2007). Symbolic interaction: this theory applies in a situation where people interact and as a result, something is born of the meeting. This applies in a case whereby, individuals, organizations, or nations meet or interact in one way or another and in the process; something develops as a symbol of their interaction. In this Merchant of Cool movie, the youths are seen interacting in different occasions and places such as academic institutions, discos and games centers. In this case, symbolic interaction theory is applicable (Fouberg, Murphy, Blij, 2009).