devianceexplored

[devianceexplored]

KK4: Interactionist theory

+ in Nimona again !!

Howard Becker's interactionist theory explores how society labels or identifies deviance and how deviants are positioned or treated within society. As mentioned previously, social norms or even the concept of deviance are relative as there is nothing that is universally condemned, instead these norms are created within society. This labelling theory ties into these ideas, as it revolves around how societies or at least the people in power set social norms through their interactions with individuals considered deviant. Generally, these interactions will be based on how they are labelled as well as how deviant behavior is represented through the stigmas, symbols, and motifs associated with it. This process of labelling often results in negative effects in those labelled as deviant, as they succumb to a self-fulfilling prophecy, partaking in behavior that further reinforces their given labels. An example within modern society would be the consumption of drugs or substances, such as smoking tobacco/cigarettes. Cities often have "no smoking” signs with a large red x like symbol over a cigarette, indicating that the act of smoking is deviant to society. Additionally, smoking is considered to have major risks for one's health, which may be a factor in a self-fulfilling prophecy. Smokers may accept that they are damaging their body through smoking, and as society has already labelled them as a deviant (in being a smoker and in destroying their health/body), they may indulge in other substances or harder drugs, inevitable leading to them being unable to escape deviancy as well as the deterioration of their life. Then, people like this are used as examples by those in power, to further create the social norm against smoking and/or drug use. 

The process of labelling can be described in three steps, identifying, defining, and labelling. These can all be expressed throughout the film "Nimona", following Nimona's character. With identification, behavior or traits are first determined by whether they present as deviant or normal by the people within society, more commonly through the people in power such as the government. Things considered deviant are generally stigmatized by the public and seen as wrong or different. Within the film, the existence of monsters, or “anything different” (51:12) to humans, is considered deviant.

In this, a lack of humanity is generally viewed as dangerous and wrong, which is further supported by the Institute, as they create an alarm system against monsters as well as the depictions of monsters being slain in the media in the film.

These views or stigmas against monsters relate to the next step, defining. In this, the views against monsters are applied not to the act or concept itself, but to the people who present or express these things. They are defined as deviant, or in this case, monsters. For Nimona, the fact that she wasn't human, that she was a “monster” was considered deviant, and society then began to fear or hate her for this, including those had once considered close to her.

Not only is the existence of monsters being described as deviant, but the people who are labelled as monsters are too, as people like Nimona are considered bad or wrong. This leads to the next step of labelling, where those considered deviant are reduced to how society perceives or more labels them. In this, people like Nimona are only ever viewed as deviants or monsters, they are unable to be seen as anything more than these stigmas, labels, or assumptions, that "no matter what" they do, they "can't change the way people see” them (52:04).  

This final stage of the labelling process commonly results in secondary deviance or a self-fulfilling prophecy. In this, those considered deviant start embodying their labels or resonating with them. They can't escape the perception of others, so they instead choose to double down on their deviance, often engaging in further acts that may even have more serious consequences. These effects of labelling are again expressed with Nimona, as after she faces the judgement and criticism of society, she starts to engage in increasingly deviant or even criminal behavior. She first decides to forgo trying to conform or fit in with her appearance as she dyes her hair pink which within “Nimona” is extremely deviant, seeing that no other characters in this world have non-natural hair colours. To further deviate from the norm, she shaves the sides of her head and as well as dressing in a punk like style rather than traditional clothing, she has multiple ear piercings and a facial piercing.

These changes to her appearance express her lack of attempts to conform, that she is no longer hiding or pretending to be anything other than how people view her, someone who is “different”. Nimona also has violent and criminal tendencies, as she graffities on walls, destroys noble properties, and gets into many brawls with the authorities.

This behavior she exhibits is a result of the label that the Institute and the citizens have given her. She feels that she is pushed into a corner with no other choice, seeing that no attempts will ever change the fact that society deems her wrong, saying that “they only see you one way, no matter how hard you try.” (14:35)  

This pressure and stigma that comes with the label forced upon her has other negative effects, a key one being its major impact on her mental health and wellbeing. She often struggles with suicidal thoughts/ideations, saying that she thinks of giving in to the people who hunt her down, and at the climax of the film, she attempts to take her own life as she is unable to cope with the hatred and judgement she faces being a “monster”. To make things worse, she had no support system to help her (before she met Ballister), as the people have outcasted her for her deviancy.  

Nimona’s character is a tragedy, a representation of the harm that labelling can cause. She expresses an all too true story, one that happens commonly in the modern world. People who are labeled as deviant will inevitably also be defined or given all the stigmas or assumptions that come with this label. They are set up to fail, as often all their attempts to change how they are seen make no difference. Yes, criminal acts and major violations of social norms should not be tolerated, but in less serious cases, the labeling and defining of people who engage in deviancy often causes majorly negative effects, further showing how bad it can get and why it shouldn't be as common as it is. Labeling should stop at the act; it shouldn't continue to the people. It's one thing to say smoking is bad than to say smokers are bad people. Yes, it may work to prevent negative deviance and keep the government in power, but it certainly isn’t in a way that supports people who are deemed deviant.

[devianceexplored]

KK3: Social control theory

+ in Nimona (again)

Deviance can be defined as diverging from acceptable or usual standards, as known as norms. These are socially acceptable things within society, whether formally or informally accepted. Travis Hirschi's social control theory centers around the idea of social bonds, suggesting that deviancy stems from the absence of these relationships and a lack of social control. The more distanced someone is from society, or the lesser bonds they have towards it, the more likely they will be to engage in deviancy, as they lack any influences that would drive them away from this behavior. These influences may also present as positive or negative sanctions, an example being facing judgement from your peers when acting out. The four key concepts within this theory are belief, involvement, commitment, and attachment. When present, social control can be seen, preventing deviance. A positive example within modern society would be the granting of public awards, especially towards “heroes”, such as the Carnegie Medal which is given to those who risk their lives to save others. This encourages and rewards good behavior that supports social norms and endorsing positive beliefs, which further expresses social control within Hirschi’s theory. 

This idea of control also carries on into "Nimona”, being a key part within the film. Their authority, known as the Institute, has control over the laws and media, using these to affirm and maintain what is acceptable within their society. A major part of the film would be the news stations, as the Director (the leader of the Institute) utilizes it multiple times, enforcing negative sanctions towards those who are deviant and broadcasting it for all the citizens to see. She would broadcast Ballister and Nimona's wanted posters, publicly shaming them and allowing for all to see what punishment their crimes faced as well as instilling specific beliefs into the people.

The people within the walls have no other source of information, relying solely on whatever the Institute chooses to show them. In this, they have complete control over what they see; in this the Institute can manipulate how people think. Therefore, they can enforce the social norms, values, and encouraged beliefs, discouraging deviance.  

Belief is a key part within the film "Nimona", as the citizens and authorities work hard to maintain their centuries-old traditions and values. They have a strong sense of what is right and wrong, declaring monsters and criminals as deviant and driving them out, saying that they are a threat to what they believe to be “our very way of life” (1:19:08).

This expresses the strong views upheld within the people. The citizens within the walls all endorse these beliefs, quite passionately at that, expressing them and upholding them in everyday life. In this, they fall into line and keep to their values, conforming rather than being deviant. For example, they believe that it is important to follow the law of Gloreth (the first leader from one thousand years ago), keeping monsters out and knights noble blooded. They are further rewarded for conforming to these beliefs, being called a "hero if they drive a sword into the heart of anything different" (51:08), discouraging deviance in the form of monsters (or really anything that is different from them).

Those who have a strong belief in this follow these laws throughout their life, unlike Ballister and Nimona. Both had doubts about these beliefs and less passion for upholding them. In this, the concept of belief was absent in their lives, resulting in the breaking of the laws and expressing deviancy. This supports Hirschi’s theory, since as suggested, the lack of beliefs made deviancy more likely. They had less morals or values to lead them towards what was generally accepted as “right”, leaving them to indulge in deviant behavior in the form of crimes, such as destruction of property, vandalism, and treason.  

Another major part of the film would be the concept of attachment, and how it is explored through Nimona's character. Throughout her life, she has been outcasted from others with no family or friends to support her. In this, she has no one to influence her life or care about regarding the opinions or judgement of others, nor any attachment or connection to society. This only changes when she meets and befriends Ballister. Before he enters her life as one of her only friends, she has no morals, as she graffities on walls, fights with knights, and destroys monuments to the noble. Yet as they bond, she faces his criticism and starts to accept Ballister's beliefs and morals as her own. Not only does he directly influence her values, but in having him in her life she has someone who she cares about, and in turn, she cares about his opinion of her. This encourages her to deter from the deviant behavior that she knows he doesn't approve of, and as to avoid sanctions such as scolding or grounding, she conforms to what is acceptable, earning his praise and relationship as a friend.  

"Nimona” as a film endorses Travis Hirschi's social control theory, being an example of how the four concepts of belief, attachment, involvement, and commitment can help prevent deviancy and encourage social bonds as well as allowing for citizens to be connected to each other and their society. Utilizing Nimona's character arc, the film shows how the lack of and presence of relationships can majorly change people's behavior, as she grows from a criminal to a friend. Yet "Nimona” also expresses and critiques the dangers of the abuse of power within the authorities regarding social control. The Institute controlled the laws and sanctions, enforcing these over the citizens. In theory, this shouldn't be a problem, but the complete control and power that they held allowed them to abuse their role, using the media to manipulate their civilians into conforming to what they deemed socially acceptable behavior. The Institution's power over the laws and news is alike to our own government's authority, with each sanction or reaction being directly controlled, as is what they choose to show the population, and as a result, there is total control over what is regarded as acceptable within society. Though this theory is true, finding that deviance can be caused by the lack of connection, especially to society, the enforcement of social controls and sanctions can become abusive as seen in the film. This can then be applied to a smaller scale, such as within families. Usually, the sanction within a household would be discipline by a parent or guardian, but just like the government these sanctions can border on abuse. It's important to realize this, as the enforcement of control and presence of sanctions can lead to authoritarian ideals. "Nimona” expresses a bad execution of Hirschi's theory, reminding people of what to avoid.

[devianceexplored]

KK2: Emilie Durkheim’s functionalist theory

+ in Nimona

“Nimona”, the movie, takes place in a kingdom/city surrounded by walls, protecting them from the monsters they believe to be outside. In it, a commoner named Ballister Boldheart becomes a knight, swearing to dedicate his life to protecting the city from these monsters. He would be the first commoner to take this oath, yet during the ceremony he is framed for the murder of the queen. He becomes an outcast and a fugitive, and as he tries to clear his name another outcast (who is actually a monster) known as Nimona decides to help him. Throughout the film, Ballister learns that Nimona as a monster is not a threat and becomes her only friend. They discover that their government known as the Institute framed Ballister and lied about the threat of monsters in order to keep their society from changing from their traditions and rules that had kept them safe for centuries. After a battle they expose the institution, creating a great change in their society as they build a new one without the institution. Both Nimona and Ballister are framed as heroes rather than the villains the society thought them to be.

Functionalism is defined as a “theory based on the premise that all aspects of a society—institutions, roles, norms, etc. —serve a purpose and that all are indispensable for the long-term survival of the society.” (- Britannica). The entire concept of deviance is viewed as a necessary part in this, rather than being something to eradicate, despite the heavy emphasis on conformity. Its purpose being to provide an example of what is unacceptable within society. In this, society's cultural norms and values are affirmed, allowing the citizens to remember what is right with a clear example of what is wrong. In Nimona's character, she struggles with the pressures to conform from both society and from Ballister. As a shape-shifting monster, her animalistic or monstrous forms are depicted as dangerous or violent in the Institutions reports, further affirming and instilling fear of monsters (or more anything that's outside of the norm or deviant) in the people. It also pushes her to conform, as she is often told to “just be normal”  (33:04) as things would be “easier if she look(ed) human” (33:13), as she would be able to better fit into the Institutions carefully curated society and its norms.

This is also done in Balllister's character. After his supposed murder of the Queen, his face and crime were spread throughout the kingdom, allowing for all the citizens to see exactly what he had done as well as the punishment he would face.

In this, he became a criminal instead of a knight, which further expressed and affirms the norms and values within the walls. Had Ballister become a knight, his knighthood would have challenged the centuries-old traditions and values of the Institution, as it is made clear that all the knights of the past and present hailed from a noble lineage, knighthood being passed down within the bloodline. Being the first ever commoner to be one, he blurred the line between the nobility and commoners. In making him out to be a murderer the Institution expressed and affirmed two different values, that murder is a criminal offence and will be punished, and that commoners should know their place instead of challenging the rankings that they were born into. In contrast, characters like Ambrosius who conform to these norms can live peacefully and play their role within their society, and in acting like a famous figure he acts as foil to Ballister, being a perfect example of what a good citizen should be like.  

This further ties into the concept of the clarification of a society’s moral boundaries, as shown through the sanctions and backlash that both Ballister and Nimona face. Not only were they wanted criminals, but they were sentenced to jailtime, and specifically with Nimona, banishment and death. Deviance and the intolerance of it is learnt, as there is no universal view on what is immoral or not as seeing that there is no inherent wrongness in anything. In punishing or responding to deviant behavior, the morality of the behavior is clarified, allowing for values, norms, and codes to be created and followed. This is expressed further in Nimona's character and her relationship with a girl named Gloreth. Before the people knew of monsters, Gloreth met and befriended Nimona in the woods, where her town couldn't see them. Gloreth had never known monsters before, nor had she known the fear and hatred towards them, so she easily enjoyed her company despite Nimona not being human. Yet, when she brought Nimona into town, Gloreth's parents as well as the townspeople were horrified, pointing pitchforks and weapons at Nimona and calling her a monster.

In seeing this, Gloreth turned against Nimona, disregarding their deep friendship and joining the people in attacking her. There was nothing inherently wrong with Nimona, yet the morality or acceptance of the existence of monsters was deemed wrong or deviant by the people, and only in seeing their reactions was Gloreth able to understand the values and codes held by society. The boundary was set, that monsters had no place in their world, and what followed was the creation of the walls, knights and the Institution, keeping their world safe and under control.  

Though deviance is commonly used negatively, as to set a bad example, its very existence can encourage positive social changes, rewriting what is considered acceptable or the norm. When specific values are no longer held by the majority, they are replaced by newer and more accepted ones. What was once considered deviant may be acceptable. This is true for Nimona, as she and Ballister publicize their truths as well as the lies that the Institution had been spreading, leading to the abolishment of the Institution and with it the values it upheld. Both Nimona and Ballister were deemed as heroes, their identities as monsters and outcasts becoming accepted within society.  

“Nimona”'s story acts as a reflection of modern-day society, showing a fairytale interpretation as well as a best-case happily ever after. Like “Nimona”, functionalist ideals dictate a major part of the world and everyday life, deviance being criticized and used as an example of poor behavior, whereas conforming is praised and encouraged. And much like “Nimona”, what the government considers to be deviant and the sanction for it is generally a more complicated matter. A key example in both this film and the real-world would be criminals, and how they are treated. In both examples they are condemned, their sanction being imprisonment and, in many cases, publicly so. Often the media will capitalize on their crime, broadcasting it for the world to see and learn exactly what not to do. Yet these criminals and prisoners are generally not aided or attempted to be rehabilitated into functional members of society. Their sole role is to be a bad example, to allow for the rest of society to have their values, beliefs, and norms affirmed. In this, deviance is used as a tool to coax people into conforming, conveying the absolute control people in power have. The power that the Institution had over the laws and media parallel the control our own government has, each sanction or reaction being directly controlled as well as what they choose to show the populations, and from this, there is absolute authority over what is considered acceptable within society. In theory, this should not happen, as deviance is also meant to encourage social change, though in practice this abuse of power is far too common. "Nimona” expresses the toxicity and negative outcomes that come with functionalism, acting as a reminder of its poor execution and effects in the real world.

[devianceexplored]

KK1: The Relativity of Deviance

+ in the perks of being a wallflower The perks of being a Wallflower is a film depicting the high school experiences of main character Charlie and his group of friends, showing how their differing personal lives and identities bleed into their school atmosphere as many of them deviate from what is considered normal or acceptable by both their peers and teachers. Many times, Charlie is seen as an outcast or loner, in his school, family, and even within his friend group. Throughout the film there are moments where his behavior is accepted by those around him, even if it seems to deviate from common or general social norms, expressing the relativity of deviance. 

Deviance is defined as “the fact or state of diverging from usual or accepted standards, especially in social or sexual behavior.” (Oxford Dictionary) It is defined by the social norms in society, the expectations on how people should behave or be. In this, it is a sociological concept; it is relative. This means that it is forever changing, being affected by subjects of time, culture, context, age, and socio-economic status.  

Deviance is often explored throughout the film with the main cast, a key example being in Patrick's character. He is openly gay and cross-dresses in multiple scenes throughout the film as he plays a queer character in a theatre project. Being gay or queer is frowned upon in many societies even in modern times. This is seen in the film as Patrick is bullied for his sexuality, being called slurs and a “f*ggot” (1:11:21), and because of this, his boyfriend tries to avoid him in public to escape the judgement of his peers. He insists that he “doesn’t want anyone to know” (24:34), being ashamed and fearful of the reaction of the other students at the school as well as his family, saying that “his dad would kill him”, and that “he was going to hell”. (29:05) They are breaking away from the heteronormative code of society, that being heterosexual or straight is the norm and being gay isn’t, it’s deviant. Additionally, not only does his relationship divert gender norms but his passion in theatre does too. Patrick is and acts in a way that a traditional man doesn’t. “Normal” men in the eyes of society are expected to dress masculinely and have a wife and kids, yet Patrick does not follow these expectations.

Another example of deviancy explored is the consumption of illicit drugs, such as marijuana and LSD. The recreational use of these drugs is considered deviant within society and therefore unacceptable behavior, being against the law. This is seen in TPOBAW, as law enforcement can be seen getting involved as Charlie gets found by the police whilst he is using LSD. “Normal” people do not engage in this behavior, as the expected social norm is to stay a healthy law-abiding citizen. Drugs are often associated with unhealthiness as there are major risk and health factors to overdosing or commonly consuming drugs. In this they are also equated to a lack of decorum or class, as derogatory terms like “meth-head" or “druggie” are used to describe drug users, often being associated with people in lower economic classes. 

Still, deviance is a relative concept, as in different contexts behavior that was once thought of as deviant may be seen as acceptable or normal. In TPOBAW, the very same example of Charlie's drug use can be applied. When he was out on the street, it was not acceptable to the people around him, especially not to the law or his parents. This contrasts with the scene earlier, where he attended a party with other teenagers at his school. Along with the other people in attendance, he drunk alcohol and took drugs on multiple occasions. For the people at the party, this type of behavior was not only normal but acceptable, and the majority of the people present were partaking in this “deviant” behavior. They didn’t consider it serious, cracking jokes even, saying he was “baked like a cake” , 24:40 (Slang for being high off marijuana). In this context, his drug usage was not seen as deviant to his peers. This is often true in real life situations as well. Many teenagers will smoke or consume drugs, and to their peers this is generally seen as not out of the ordinary, yet their parents or other adults in their life will have a wildly different opinion. This further expresses the notion that deviance is a social construct, an idea that has no clear definition. The idea that deviance is the diverging from social standards does not consider the differing views of the population. What is thought to be standard in one context (setting/time) may not be in another, especially when considering the many groups that make up the society, making it situational or contextual.