Robert Merton Social Structure And Anomie Analysis

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In 1938, Robert Merton published the "social structure and anomie." He was the first to step away from the Chicago School of Theory, which believed the lower class fostered deviancy and the rejection of the middle class values led to higher crime rates. Merton on the other hand, believed that American values that are instilled in everyone causes crime. In essence, what he's trying to get across is that our values and goals to achieve economic success can lead to very serious crimes. Merton believed it was the amount of stress we put on pursing the "American Dream." He believed that up if a person put in enough hard work and educated themselves the could obtain this goal legitimately. It was the individuals who were considered to be low on the socioeconomic status level that have a harder time reaching these goals. This is due to theirs means of achieving the goal. A person from a low economic status would have to push harder to achieve the same goals as a person from the middle class. This could lead the individuals at the lower class level trying to obtain economic success through illegitimate means. For Merton, goals are equally available to all whereas means are not, as just shown. Merton stated anomie is the weakening of cultural norms who he got from Durkheim. Technically this means a person will lose their societal norms to achieve their goals. Thus, once again leading to illegimate forms of obtaining that goal. The person will no longer see the difference from right and wrong, because the overall goal has blinded them. In Merton's theory there are five modes of adaption. Not all of these modes lead to crime or deviant behavior. It is the route the person chooses to take in order to deal with strain that will lead the... ... middle of paper ... ...rimes, some of us everyday just by speeding. Even if we do conform to this mode of adaptation we are no better than any other. Frank's mother, Paula, only wanted economic success without ever doing anything "wrong." She married a man that gave her riches, and when he began to fall she began to cheat. Here where she leaves her mode of conformity and switches over to adaptation if innovation. She does this and finds herself marrying another wealthy man so she can live a lavish life again. Frank was influenced to a life of the American Dream through the lavish life his father led and his mother truly being spokesperson for it. Moving her from France, during World War II to find a means of a better life. The life he grew up living was a picture perfect story of what the American Dream is. To grow up in money and be able to attend a private school in your youth. Franks

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