When one hears the term ‘social deviance’ one immediately thinks of hooligans with cans of spray paint, bent on harming society. Well, I do, anyway. The word deviant has bad connotations in our society, but it actually only means something that differs from the norm. When you really put your mind to it, social deviance does not have to be inherently bad. In fact, every new idea--whether good or bad--starts out as deviant.
Take for example, the abolition of slavery. To begin with, abolitionists were seen as deviants, but today we consider them heroes and slavery is now deviant in our society. What about women’s suffrage? It’s bizarre to think that only ninety years ago, women were second-class citizens. Those who believed women deserved more rights were scorned for going against social norms. An idea is only deviant until it is accepted by society.
There have been plenty of social deviants who changed our world for the better. Martin Luther King stepped out against social norms and helped African Americans obtain civil rights. Our founding fathers went against social norms of government and gave us democracy.
On the other hand, there have been social deviants who wreaked havoc upon society. Adolf Hitler believed that Jews, African Americans, and homosexuals were genetically inferior to “Aryans.” Had this become accepted belief, Hitler would hold a position of honor in our society, and his hate campaign would be a social norm. Although Hitler’s ideas were not accepted by society, this does not make him any less of a social deviant than Martin Luther King.
It seems strange to compare the two, but both proposed change and both had ideas that went against the social norms of their day. It is only after society has accepted or rejected their ideas that these people are termed heroes or villains.
Same sex marriage is an example of an idea that is undergoing the change from socially deviant to socially accepted right now. A couple of decades ago, homosexuals were practically put in the same category as criminals. They were considered sexually deviant and looked down on. Homosexuals are still sexually deviant, because the majority of the population is heterosexual, but they are also becoming more socially accepted.
In conclusion, the term ‘social deviance’ means little more than something that goes against a norm. It can refer to an idea or person that is bettering society or one that is harming society. The fine line between these two types of social deviance is determined by society as a whole.
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