Week_6_Soc_120_Deviant_Behavior

While there is a division of meanings defining what type of behavior is labeled as deviant the most typically accepted is it is a behavior in which infringes the standards of the social order of a particularized society. A behavior identified as deviant often involves a violation or opposition against respected rules, regulations or what one person perceives as normal behavior from his or her point of view. While a number of different examples of human behavior that may be considered as deviant in one society but is not considered deviant in others come to mind, polygamy, a custom of having more than one significant other, is a prime example. Countries that follow the Islamic Law allow men to marry up to a total of four wives so long the man obtains permission from his first wife to marry another. Such countries include Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Yemen, to name a few. As history has revealed, the male gender in these countries is considered the more dominant. Women are scrutinized for showing too much skin or hair but a man can marry more than one wife, seems unjust however is considered normal in this culture. While practiced in the United States, polygamy is illegal. The United States too many individuals is a country of opportunity that involves local, state and federal laws all citizens and visitors are expected to follow. Typically, a marriage involves one man and one woman, what is considered legal and normal human behavior to most citizens. Many religious beliefs such as the Mormon faith, polygamy are a practice of faith. Again, although normal to Mormons polygamy is unnatural behavior by many other religions in the United States. Behaviors that are considered illegal or wrong in one country might appoint another to a higher social statute in another. Depending on the severity of deviant behavior a person who has a powerful status in society may be exempt or released of charges and prosecution over a person with less of a social standing simply because of his/her economic standing or who they know or are in the public eye. For instance, the social media plays a large role in rewarding celebrities for deviant behaviors such as drunk driving. Most often these behaviors can be considered as publicity stunts to bring awareness to movie releases or to gain a profit from interviews, reality shows, etc. Often these individuals would be fined a steady fee and released on a house arrest. Individuals of a lesser economic standing would most often not have the same treatment even though the laws, in the books anyway, are the same would probably be sentenced to days in jail and lose his/her license. Society has trained or educated the public that this type of preferential treatment to celebrities, white-collar and corporate offenders is acceptable and there is very little that can be done since the law makers are the ones allowing this type of behavior to exist.