Question

restate the main ideas of the sociological philosophers from the powerpoint (ex. karl marx thought...)
jean - jacques rousseau thought that humans are naturally good but were corrupted by society. he believed that official legal political orders rely on social contracts, whereas individual acts are done based solely on general goodwill from their hearts for the common good of society.
apply that sociologist’s theories to a current societal situation (ex. how would marx view the protests that have happened over the summer of 2020?)

Explanation:

Part 1: Restate Rousseau's Ideas

Jean - Jacques Rousseau held two main ideas: 1. Human nature is inherently good, but society corrupts humans. 2. Political and legal orders are based on social contracts, while individual actions stem from goodwill for society's common good.

1. Rousseau's view on human nature: He thought humans are naturally good. In the context of social media misinformation, many people who spread misinformation may not have malicious intent initially. They might be misinformed themselves or share content out of a sense of wanting to help (like sharing what they think is important news), but the social environment of social media (with algorithms promoting sensational content, echo chambers, etc.) corrupts this natural goodwill.
2. Social contract and individual acts: The "social contract" in social media could be seen as the implicit rules of platform usage (like being respectful, sharing accurate info). But when misinformation spreads, it shows that the official "contract" (platform rules, legal regulations on online content) is not enough. Individual acts of sharing misinformation often come from a misplaced sense of goodwill (wanting to inform others) but are corrupted by the social media environment. For example, during a pandemic, people might share unproven home - remedy information thinking they are helping others, but this misinformation can harm public health.

Answer:

Jean - Jacques Rousseau thought humans are naturally good but corrupted by society. He believed official legal - political orders rely on social contracts, and individual acts come from goodwill for society's common good.

Part 2: Apply to a Current Situation (Taking Social Media Misinformation as an Example)