Do people shape our society, or does our society shape the people?

An exclusive and select few decide(d) the direction our society (local and global) is to take.

The rest falls into place (if we continue to allow it). I see people following the crowd, like sheep. Sheeple. Never questioning.

But as humans we obviously have an impact on society. And we do shape it. Dont get me started on the direction were going though..........

Ahh, an excellent thinking question...I would argue that society shapes people in todays society although this certainly can change nor has it always been the case. That said, I think people today are very influenced by what society tells us through the media. If you want to be accepted you have to wear certain brands. Want to be popular or liked by the opposite gender? then go must be attractive, sexy and physically fit. During presidential elections, people can easily be swayed in one direction just by an announcer wording a question a certain way. Furthermore, up until last year, I worked in a public elementary school as a tutur and one thing that I noticed often from one school year to the next was that, kids would change from one year to the next, specifically from 5th grade to 6th grade. In many cases, and it was saddening to see, was that the kids would often change who they were inorder to remain part of the group they were friends with in 5th, or they felt that they had to change so as to have more friends and in very few cases was it the kids changing the group instead of the group changing the kids.

I believe that people shape more the society. And a lot of people with the same notions shape and make the society what it is.

Illuminati shape society and the people

civilization is a product of an orchestrated mentality following a strategy of more than 6000 years and sticking to a planned Agenda of the same age

under the direction and control of the same forces

I think we have to stop thinking of people living in society and society as different things. It seems that often, when people ask these questions, they refer to society as some far away thing floating above everyones' heads. We are all part of society, and society is a part of all of us.

The short answer to your question is: both of these things happen.

Think about it: even if you decide to reject all societal norms, society is changing you because you are reacting to the actions of most other people in it. You are simultaneously changing society, because you, as part of society, are changing. If you decide to go along with societal norms, society is shaping you because it is dictating the way you act, and you are shaping society because you, as part of society, are upholding the status quo. Every person both is changed by and changes society.

People make up a society, a society makes up a community, a community builds a country.

So, yeah, people shape our society. It is their thoughts, actions, etc that moulds and creates the society we live in today.

people shape our society

Great people can shape our society, but society shapes the world. eg Osama B Laden has shaped us to distrust Muslims, Why? for the actions of a few............ Mandela is hailed as a great man (Please do not get me wrong I DO respect him) but in the 60's he promoted violence and hatred and did not condone MURDER against his opponents, that was why he was jailed!!

Without people there would be no society.

combuination of the two. We shape socirty but it does have an influence on us, the good and the bad