Citizenship and our Other Roles in Society
Playing Social Roles
Every day, we play a variety of different ‘roles.’ We are not always consciously
aware of switching roles, but we do it all the time. Some of our everyday roles
include:
•
Family member
•
Social group member
•
Citizen
•
Student/worker
•
Consumer
In each role you behave differently. Your behavior is determined by expectations
which may be written (rules or laws) or unwritten (socialization). Some people
are more worried about “being accepted by others” than are other people.
How concerned are you about being accepted by others? What are some
potential consequences of not being accepted by others?
Sometimes these roles overlap; at other times, they may come into conflict.
What are some examples of conflicting roles that you have experienced?
Level of Participation
You have a choice to make about how actively you will participate in each of your
various social roles. With those choices come consequences. If you are passive
rather than active, you may find decisions being made that you do not agree with.
The Citizen Role
Some people play a much more active role in citizenship than do others. As
students, these are the people who play an active role in student government.
As adults, these people may run for office, volunteer to serve on local
committees, or help with political campaigns. Other people play a more passive
role, simply paying taxes, voting, and following the news. How much or little time
and energy you spend on your role as citizen has to do with how much time or
energy you spend on your other social roles.
Just as in other areas of life, if you choose not to spend much time and energy
playing the citizen ‘role,’ you are giving up your right to have a voice and to make
a difference in how things happen in your town, state and nation.