Beliefs and Deviance - Essay Example

Beliefs and Deviance Beliefs are prevalent in the world and control human nature to a great extent. Beliefs vary according tocountries, religion, race and time. Many people live according to their beliefs as they do not want to deviate from the norms f the beliefs. Therefore, many individuals have been on the verge of ensuring that they have vast control of their activities ensuring they have utter respect for the norms and beliefs. Therefore, the whole society has initiated various ways of ensuring that all the beliefs are catered for.

In essence the beliefs have a strong holding in a person’s life as he or she has to fully coincide with all the beliefs to have full acceptance din the market. Deviation is the straying away from the stipulated societal norms. It involves one doing what is against the status quo as prescribed by the society and communities we live in. Notably, beliefs may be deviant if they fall outside the acceptable norms (Macionis, 345). In view of this they may be considered wrong eccentric, dangerous or irrational by the members of a given collectivity in a particular society.

Essentially, deviating from what society presupposes to be right may not directly mean one is wrong but only that some people will not be contented with the action or behavior. Norms are stipulated by habitual practices which set the boundaries within which any member in the society must live within. Remarkably; deviance applies not only in the way one behaves but also in his ways of thinking which encompasses a broad spectrum of one’s life. Our thoughts explicitly, indicate our ideas or opinions on what we best consider as right though mostly it goes against the normative behaviors.

Deviant beliefs are vital for their revelation of the basic societal processes and affirming the beliefs structure under which the culture of a given society are built. Notably, for any social change defiance forms the first step and so must be continuously monitored to detect any societal malpractices in advance. These changes are prompted by the fact that the societal norms are oppressing and holding the people captive contrary to their expectations and endeavor for growth and development. In the current world, change is inevitable.

Therefore, many people in the society change in accordance to the changes in the world. Frequent changes are experienced in the developing world as people endeavor to make responsible changes that will accord a better life (Macionis, 235). Therefore, the changes ensure the people have a better encounter to the world. Therefore changing times have to come with changing people. However, changing people are often declared deviant members of the society. Beliefs have greatly impacted our lives especially in deciding on the life aspects which needs change as time and technology changes.

Adversely, beliefs have continuously impacted on social relationships. Some societal norms are quite strict on how we should relate to one another. In effect, friendship has been jeopardized with many friends opting to ignore the friendship rather than living in denial. In view of this accessibility to the much needed support from the esteemed friends and peers in the society is lost. Moreover, these beliefs have greatly subscribed to strict religious controls which are stagnating the changes in society as established by time and fashion.

In addition technology has been suppressed greatly keeping us in the traditional cocoons of doing things. These have created discomfort irritability in deciding what to follow and the norms to ignore. Deviance on the other hand has caused a lot of suffering in persevering the hard controls and punishment rendered in straying from the norms. Many are the instances of severe depression and stress occasioned by the breakdown of the stipulated beliefs. Deviance does not mean doing activities that are wrong in the society.

However, it is a matter of engaging in activities that are not considered right by many people in the society (Macionis, 341) Going against masses in the society is considered deviance as many people are opposed to the activities that are done by the deviating members. In essence, the society needs a consideration that many people should adhere to decisions that is taken in masses. People that are in opposition of making such decisions are considered as deviant members of the society. Therefore, all people must adhere to the norms of the society to avoid being termed as deviant members.

People with decisions that are considerable by most of the people are considered to be in the right lane. However people with decisions that are not in line with the masses are deviant members with weird decisions. In practicality, the decisions in the society should be taken by masses. Beliefs are considerable actions that are chosen by the whole society in line with their traditions. Many people consider beliefs as very important steps that should be given utter respect. People opposing beliefs are often regarded as deviant members.

Therefore, there should be an acceptance to the use of beliefs in the society. Many of the societal beliefs should be regarded with utter respect as the society has respect for the beliefs. Therefore, full acceptance of beliefs is an acceptable factor that the society should endeavor to achieve. Personally, I have grown up in a society where deviance to certain things is greatly prohibited. For example, defying parents’ directions is greatly prohibited by my community. In certain instances, I got punished for defying my parents’ instructions.

While defying teachers commands at school is prohibited, on few occasions we went against what they teacher said especially where we believed that we were being subjected to inappropriate conditions. Works cited Macionis John J. Society: The Basics.New York: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2010. Print.