by Jessa Mae Lebumfacil
Understanding society through proximate life experiences, Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology’s (MSU-IIT) Sociology Society held its annual event, SocioTalks, with the theme, “Relationships in the Age of Uncertainties: Sociology of Love” on Wednesday, November 13.
Streamed live via Google Meet and Facebook, the event brought together participants to examine modern relationships through a sociological lens.
“We have a [...] plethora of different understandings of love, and I think this is a very good avenue for us to talk about these kinds of things to make sociology more interesting and open-ended,” Asst. Professor Fitzgerald Torralba said, marking the start of the event.
This year’s SocioTalks featured two distinguished speakers. The first was CJ Camille Sobere, a BA Sociology graduate with cum laude honors from MSU-IIT, and former secretary-general of the Philippine League of Sociology Students - MSU-IIT Sociology Local Core Group. She is also currently pursuing a Juris Doctor degree at Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan.
The second speaker, Jade Harley Bretañia, is a PhD candidate in Sociology at MSU-IIT and served as secretary of the Philippine Sociological Society in 2023 and as a Board Director in 2024. He is also a thesis coordinator for the Department of Sociology at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and an academic researcher at the UST Research Center for Social Sciences and Education.
During the first session, Sobere led an insightful discussion on “Alter Accounts and Relationships,” examining the ‘Alter Community’ as a distinct networked public primarily engaging online.
She highlighted cultural, personal, and intrapsychic factors that shape this community, outlining the phases of entering, participating, and eventually exiting it. Her analysis provided an in-depth look into how digital spaces impact relationship dynamics and foster unique forms of connection within these online communities.
Sobere also underscored the importance of expressing love authentically, independent of rigid social facts and institutions. When asked whether we are entering an era marked by the “death of love,” she responded by suggesting that there is no definitive formula for love but rather an imperative to act genuinely on one’s feelings.
This approach, she argued, allows individuals to navigate modern relationships without succumbing to societal pressures, encouraging a more fluid and adaptive perspective on love in uncertain times.
On the other hand, during the second session, Bretañia delved into the topic of “Modern Dating and Ghosting in the Digital Age,” offering a historical perspective on dating practices and their influence on societal norms. He highlighted how dating has evolved over time, with behaviors once considered taboo now widely accepted.
“At 2012, nag-simula na yung swipe left or swipe right apps, dito na revolutionize yung dating kase parang commodity nalang yung mga tao kase pwede mong pagpipilian if gusto mo sya o hindi by swiping left or right,” Bretañia emphasized.
The change in our perception due to the rise of dating apps such as Tinder reflects a major shift in how relationships are pursued and valued in the digital age, where convenience and choice often take precedence.
He also touched upon the concept of ‘ghosting’, especially in the context of modern romance. The relational dynamics of ghosting often involve emotional attachment and a lack of relational accountability, making it a complex social behavior with significant emotional impact.
Meanwhile, Bretañia outlined four different types of ‘ghosting’—opportunistic ghosting, avoidant ghosting, strategic ghosting, and reluctant ghosting—each representing different motivations and relational dynamics that led individuals to abruptly end communication without explanation.
This annual event, launched last year by the MSU-IIT Sociology Society, served as a space to ground the endless pursuit of extending the academic practice of sociology accessible to everyone.
Post a Comment
Any comments and feedbacks? Share us your thoughts!