BAUTISTA, Rafael Antonio M.

The Contemporary World – Discussion Board 1

3MBIO-3 Mr. Mark Anthony Velasco

Contextually, the words “problem” and “issue” are often interchanged, due to the close
affinity of these words’ meanings. In congruence with matters concerning society, however,
these two things are and should be given proper distinctions. A social problem is something that
entails a particular solution to mitigate or eliminate its negative effects on a large group of
individuals in society. Furthermore, a social problem is well specified and confines within the
realms of a particular construct, therefore, it may not change its overall nature overtime.
Although this may not essentially change in form, it may, however, progress into something that
is of a worse magnitude than it was when not solved immediately. One particular example of a
social problem in the Philippines that has yet to be solved is the widespread poverty in different
regions of the land. The social issue, on the other hand, is largely predicated on its controversial
tendencies. It possesses a profound sense of controversy that may be subject to a discourse
between two opposing sides. Unlike a social problem, the social issue may be confined to a
smaller group of people and is not attributed to a certain formal or informal organization. Social
issues are extremely dynamic in the sense that as more perspectives are accounted for
regarding such, the nature of an issue may change, may be for the better or for the worse. An
example of social issues in the Philippines is the matter of homosexuality, along with it are
same-sex unions and things of the like. Both social problems and issues may hinder society
from fulfilling its social, political, and economical aspirations. Social issues are largely
dependent on different factors, generally (1) the awareness of the society pertaining to the
subject matter (2) the values deemed acceptable by the group or organization of concern (3) the
perceptual validity of the issue towards the public and (4) the prospective influence of the
society towards the alleviation or the negative aggravation of the issue1

Society, in its simplest definition, is the interrelation of social beings – specifically human
persons in an organized manner encompassing the different aspects of life. At the heart of
society are individuals who are social beings in nature, with varying behaviors that shape the
very structure of the aforementioned entity2. With that description alone, the rapport between the
two may be established, given the circumstance that one cannot function without the other.
Society is driven by the collective goals of the individuals that belong to it, and in turn, the
individuals that belong in a certain organized entity were tasked to protect not only their
1
Kay Stanney. "Realizing the full potential of virtual reality: human factors issues that could stand in the way”
(1995). 8-16
2
Arnold W. Green. “Sociology: An Analysis of Life in Modern Society”. (1968). 10-14
interests but the welfare of society as well. With society possessing the ultimate goal of
promoting a meaningful and prosperous life for all its members, it should create optimal
conditions that would bring out the best in every individual despite conflicts that may arise
occasionally due to the diversity of people conglomerated in such a single unit 3. Man, with all its
faculties, depends on society to establish its identity given that culture and norms are embedded
within such, and in turn, man serves as society’s driving force. Simply put, they are mutually
dependent on one another, aiding each in growth and development. Desire and fulfillment drive
man to function and society fulfills those needs, thereby establishing the fundamental framework
of life on Earth, the social nature of man, and his dependence on its peers and its culture and
environment.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Green, A.W. Sociology: An Analysis of Life in Modern Society. McGraw Hill Book Company,
New York, (1968). 10- 14. 

Hossain, F. M. Anayet, and Md. Korban Ali. “Relation between Individual and Society.” Open
Journal of Social Sciences 02, no. 08 (2014): 130–37.
https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2014.28019.

Stanney, K. “Realizing the Full Potential of Virtual Reality: Human Factors Issues That Could
Stand in the Way.” Proceedings Virtual Reality Annual International Symposium '95,
(1995)., 8-16. https://doi.org/10.1109/vrais.1995.512476.

3
F.M. Anayet Hossain & Md. Korban Ali. “Relation of Individual and Society”. (2014).