Deviance

Deviant

adj.

     Differing from a norm or from the accepted standards of a society.

n.

     One that differs from a norm, especially a person whose behavior and attitudes differ from accepted social standards.

 

Deviant has a very negative connotation, but truthfully it is just somebody who is different. In mainstream society there are many ways to easily deviate from the norm.

To relate devience to a current event. The people participating in Occupy Boston are deviating from socities beliefs of sleeping inside, going along with the government and listening to the police. Every protest is a deviation from the norm, so naturally people oppose it.

 

 Many comedians use society as a backdrop for their acts. In this way they can poke fun of popular culture, critique and sometimes urge people to deviate from it. One of those comedians is Dave Chappelle. In his show "Chappelle Show" he pokes fun at different subcultures within society and by use of his humor and satire make people realize the error in their ways. I found clips about people who have deviated (regardless of if they knew it or not) from the norm assigned to them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=wITchV88Gjk

The first clip shows Differential Association because the character Bigsby learned to be hateful and prejudiced. It is obvious that if he was brought up a different way he would not have turned out that way. He learned to deviate from the societal norm for African-Americans. Obviously this situation is exaggerative but truthfully could happen. There are people out there who hate their own race which would deviate from society's veiw that one should love yourself and your kin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=nPjEjXyZ2vE 

The second clip plays upon the same topic but with the character knowing they are exactly what they hate. He says "we hate too" which shows that he is trying to fit in with the hate culture he is surrounded by. They deviate from the KKK norm and attack who they hate in a different way. It is interesting to look at this from a societal point of view because in this age being a member of a hate group like the KKK is deviating from the societal norms. These charaters then deviate from the initail deviation. So there are many way to deviate from whatever culture you deem to be your norm. It is all a matter of perspective.

 

Culture

Currently in the heart of downtown Boston sociology has a home. A group of people have taken up residence in a park downtown and made a tent city. Occupy Boston is the name of the event that has had people living in the streets since September 30th. They are protesting the state of the economy in Boston and the joblessness and financial strain that stems from it.
This new society that has developed basically on a street corner is not only an example of sub-American culture, but counterculture as well.
The people living in the Occupy Boston tent city are mostly homeless or jobless. They are a culture of people that differ from mainstream Americans. They live on the streets, beg for money, and sleep in shelters, some homeless people even get arrested during the winter so they have a place to sleep and three square meals a day. This is obviously very different from mainstream culture where being arrested has no positive benefits. Americans value hygiene and nice clothes, homeless people do not usually abide by these rules, whether it be by choice or not. In that way homeless culture is sub culture of american culture.
Occupy Boston is a protest. People are trying to change what they do not like about the government and society. They are going against the culture that we know by sleeping outside and by willing to be arrested, which most people aren't. It is the exact definition of counter culture it conspicuously and deliberately opposes certain aspects of  the larger culture, the part of society that listens to government and does not challenge what it says. The part of society that says people should live in houses. Occupy Boston is the perfect example of sub and counter culture.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/10/12/at_occupy_boston_students_homeless_veterans_find_a_common_ground/

Socialization!!!

The hardest part about writing about socialization is realising it is happening, because we are so used to it. Even harder is finding an article that you can see the socialization occurring in. The article I found is about a new app called Blendr that is a "straight" version of the app Grindr that appeals to homosexual men trying to find a hookup while at the club. The makers of Grindr sought to make an app that would be available for straight people as well, but for some reason instead of marketing it for hookups made it for friendships. The article cites critics of the new app and well as people like the author who believe it can be beneficial. 

The socialization I see in this article represents peer on peer socialization. It also represents how antisocial the world has become. The comments against the use of a friendship app shows that we are socialized by our peers to think it is weird to meet new people or find out if your "elderly neighbor could be the newest member of [your] book club." People think finding friends is "boring".


We are socialized to be anti-social. The author on the other hand believes that we can change, he want to socialize hetero sexual people to be nicer, and more open. He believes anyone can find true love, at the touch of a button. You just have to be social enough.


http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2011/09/30/the-gay-app-that-veered-straight/w5QkNfLuJrF3CDcuoh2zNO/story.xml