Essay from the year 2015 in the subject Sociology - Habitation, Urban Sociology, grade: A, University of Redlands, course: Social Contemporary Theory, language: English, abstract: Over and over again we have been taught the importance of confronting our problems and moving on like it's nobody's business. Often we do it alone, and when we fail, we sometimes hit rock bottom and feel like there is no way out. But what if I told you there was? And what if I told you that it started with the selfthat the critical part of rising up only required reaching out? Gordon (2004) and Collins (2000) directly emphasize that to make unquestionable progress, one must recognize the need to share the pain with other individuals who may be in a similar situation or simply wants to lend a hand. Including the self with others is a realization that the self is only the surface of the fleshthat there is more to an individuals mere physical and mental being. Collins strongly advocates this by asserting that the "self is found in the context of family and community" (113). Your relationships with others build on your individuality as you share values, beliefs, and desires together. This larger self allows utopian thinking into perspective when utilizing the components (larger self) that build it.