The Sociology Of Deviance, Kai T. Erikson - 1563 Words

Among any community there is a set of boundaries that must be respected under penalty of being labeled as deviant. Consequently, a community will create agencies of control in order to punish and fight against all the forms of behavior considered as deviant. In his Study in the Sociology of Deviance, Kai T. Erikson defends the point that deviant forms of behavior are a natural and beneficial part of social life. One of his main arguments is that, in our modern society, â€Å"the agencies of control often seem to define their job as that of keeping deviance within bounds rather than obliterating it altogether† (Wayward Puritans 24:2). Now, what if society gave to its agencies of control the role of annihilating deviance? What if the set of†¦show more content†¦It is a perfect example because the story takes place in an environment of integral conformity and describes a scene of pure deviance where Vonnegut’s disseminated strong messages. By analyzing Vonnegutâ⠂¬â„¢s short story with the help of both â€Å"The social animal† by Eliott Aronson and â€Å"Wayward Puritans† by Kai T. Erikson we will point all the wrong aspects of perfect conformity in a first paragraph. And, in a second paragraph, we will discuss more about the importance of deviance by analyzing the last scene. Across the whole text we have information that makes us deduct how absurd life turns out to be when everyone ends up being equal in every way. For example as the text states, April drove people crazy for not being springtime yet. Or also, George and Hazel’s lives turned out to be just an eternal moment of amnesia: since George is endowed of an intelligence superior to the norm, he has to wear a mental handicap radio in his ear that emits a sound to erase his thoughts every 20 seconds or so. In other words, because of the new Amendments, George leads a life comparable to one of goldfish who is wondering in his fish tank. Is it really worth to pay such a price so that everyone is equal? Being equal made everyone renounce to a part of their most fundamental liberties and also to the beauty of arts. For example, the ballerinas shown on television make a poorShow MoreRelatedSociology: Value Conflict1346 Words   |  6 PagesSociology ï ¿ ½ PAGE * MERGEFORMAT ï ¿ ½1ï ¿ ½ Running Head: SOCIOLOGY Sociology ï ¿ ½ Sociology Value Conflict Objectivity means that the conclusions arrived at as the result of inquiry and investigation are independent of the race, color, creed, occupation, nationality, religion, moral preference and political predisposition of the investigator. If hi research is truly objective, it is independent of any subjective elements; any personal desires that he may have. Having said that, one can argue whetherRead MoreWayward Puritans Book Review Essay1064 Words   |  5 PagesAs a sociologist, Kai T. Erikson looks at history as a reflection of changes in societal norms and expectations. 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A lot of my classmates endedRead MoreLabeling Theory3326 Words   |  14 PagesDeviance, like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder. There is nothing inherently deviant in any human act, something is deviant only because some people have been successful in labelling it so. J. L Simmons The definition of the situation implies that if you define a situation as real, it is real only in its consequences. INTRODUCTION Labelling theory, stemming from the influences of Cooley, Mead, Tannenbaum, and Lemert, has its origins somewhere within the context of the twentieth century. HoweverRead More Evaluation of Sociological Theories Essay1854 Words   |  8 PagesEvaluation of Sociological Theories Deviance can be described as: Nonconformity with existing/traditional social norms. This nonconformity is often said to be pathological when it challenges power and privilege; yet it is said to be indicative of innovation or creativity when the gatekeepers of morality approve it. 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