Soc 101: Social Problems

Introduction

 Social problems occur as a result of human needs that are insatiable. On a daily basis, human beings strive to get basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter.

 After achieving these basic needs, men in his insatiable nature pursue other things such as looking for dignity, prestige, status, love and affection.

 It is when these needs are not met that they give rise to social problems. 

According to Bernard (1957), one dimension of looking at social problems is in the way people who are not directly involved in the problem perceive the victims of the problem as being responsible for their situation.

In every society, people find themselves in difficult situations arising from tensions and strains in the family, the neighbourhood, the community and the nations at large.

In trying to address these seemingly situations, they often protest, sometimes leading to violence indicating strong demands that something must be done to address these problems.

Most times these problems are expressive of the mood of the times which, in turn reflects social conditions in which people find themselves such as unemployment, over population, traffic congestion, diseases, hunger, mental illness, armed robbery, divorce, prostitution and many other associated problems as measured by the expectations of the people.

Long existing problems, such as crime, are expressive because it arouses concern that something must be done about it to either reduce or prevent it.