Why Do people do what they do? What is the difference between explanations in terms of social structure and explanations in terms of individual agency?. Sociology

If you want to understand why people do what they do, look at the groups that they are apart. People, friends, work, television, school, music, media - all these groups shape who we are.

If your family are all unemployed, then it is okay for you to be unemployed. You can choose not to do it, but it can be difficult for you to do that, say if you lived in Bridgewater for instances, or a suburb with the high unemployment rate, then life can be that much harder for you to break free. The social structure helps us shape the way who we are and what we should be doing in society. Think about the clubs, classes you attend, and they are all social structure. It shapes how we behave, what to wear, how to speak. Structure means being immovable. Men should not wear makeup, and women should wear makeup. Society has shaped the way we think. But we all have agency, and we are not a puppet on a string. We can create and shape our lives. We can still choose or not choose. We can always shave our heads, grow hair long, wear dresses, and even move away. Another hand, it would be difficult for someone that lives in a country town, or has no money or feels pressured by family, friends, to break free.