"The only way of knowing a socially constructed world is knowing it from within. We can never stand outside it. A relation in which sociological phenomena are objectified and presented as external to and independent of the observer is itself a special social practice also known from within. the relation of the observer and object of observation, of sociologist to subject, is a specialized social relationship. even to be a stranger is to enter a world constituted from within as strange. The strangeness itself is the mode in which it is experienced." This quote by Dorothy Smith reminded me to the concepts discussed by George Simmel and his views on society. His theory suggests that we are strangers to an environment but depends on his distance or involvement in that area. We are far but close to our surroundings. Similar to what Dorothy states our social relationships depends on our social situation. These situations are determined by our objective knowledge. We are either separated or close to the world by our knowledge.
To put this in my own perspective, my internship requires me to be close to all surroundings and be familiar with the issues. My task for my internship is to be a sports intern for grades ranging 3-5. I am to host students to participate in volleyball and basketball games where they can compete and learn about the spot. In a theoretical approach I am far from knowing my surroundings yet I am familiar with the aspect of the sports. I an new to the environment and the children so adapting to this new concept of people and places is difficult however the sports come natural to me and I will be able to educate the students on this fact. This is not the only case of my strangeness to society, I am sure I will encounter more experiences feeling as if I am foreign to others around me but that is the beauty of habitualization and how our society functions.
I think this is a powerful quote that we can all relate to at some point in our lifetime.
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