Sociology of Planet (notes)

What kind of deviant is your world?

Anomie: Basic premise- a disjuncture within the cultural system between the Goals (values) which define our lives and the culturally determined, institutionalized, legitimate Means (norms) for achieving them.

Merton argues that deviance results from the culture and structure of society itself.
Since members of society are placed in different positions in the social structure (e.g. they differ in terms of class position), they do not have the same opportunity of realizing the shared values. This situation can generate deviance.

Cultural Goals and Institutionalized Means
-Members of American society share the major values of American culture, particularly the goal of success, largely measured in terms of wealth and meterial possessions.
-the accepted ways of achieving success are through education, talent, hard work, drive, determination and ambition.

In a balanced society an equal emphasis is placed upon both cultural goals and institutionalized means, and members are satisfied with both.

Therefore, there is a tendency to "reject the rules of the game" and strive for success by any means necessary. In this situation where "anything goes", norms no longer direct behavior, and deviance is tolerated if not encouraged.

Conformity
-Social order is maintained because model behavior of members represent the cultural patterns, even if they are secularly changing.
Behavior -> basic values -> society
-Society does NOT exist if there is not "deposit of values" shared by interacting individuals.

There values are the most common and widely diffused.

Innovation
Emphasis on success-goal "wealth and power"
How conformist is your society?

Ritualism
when you reject the cultural goals
Scaling down/abandoning cultural goals for personal aspirations
-Althought attempting not to accept cultural influences, abiding by institutional norms.
Not generally considered to represent a social problem.
Fairly frequent because dependent upon individual lack of achievement or ambition.
Ritualist: familiar and instructive comments:
"I'm satisfied with what i've got"
"Don't aim high and you won't be disappointed."
"I just work here; I don't make the rules."

Retreatism- may be lease common form of adaptation
"in the society but not of it"
-outcasts, vagabonds, chronic drunkards, street people, etc.
-individuals have assimilated standards of both cultural goals and institutional means -> but they not accessible -> individual is shut off.
Escape mechanisms: defeatism, quietism, resignation, detachment
These people are condemned because they represent a "non-productive liability"

Rebellion
-Collective adaptation
-Involves genuine transvaluation
-Experience of frustration leads to full denunciation of previously prized values
Key difference: resentment condemns the object being craved; rebellion condemns craving.
More likely to occur if the institutional system is a barrier to satisfying goals.

Values of Planet (Serpentes): Cultural goals
-The goals of this society are overall conformist, the 'rules' of society all have roots in religious beliefs passed down through generations of families
-Serpentes culture values family bonds first and foremost, because their survival on both an individual and societal level depends on cooperation and dedication within clans.
-Value is put in trust and teamwork, less on the individual and more on the family as a whole.
-Thus, there is a lot of value on healthy relationships with each other.
-Rituals and religious institutions are also highly valued