Sociology

8 December 2009WS4 Essay
    Gang violence is a problem experienced all over the world. The usual members of these gangs and the perpetrators of gang-related crimes are the youth. In the article Troubles in Smurftown: Youth Gangs and Moral Visions on Guam, it looks at the surge of gangs and gang-related problems in U.S. Guam and relates it to modernization. The changes in the tradition of the area somehow instigated the youth to look for a sense of honor and solidarity among their peers. Gang-related crimes and violence are the result of lack of guidance and attention from their elders, and a clear grasp of what’s right and wrong.

    Gang activity on Guam surged since 1993, and this has affected not only certain areas, but the island as a whole. According to the article, these island gang members are responsible for 60% of all the crimes in the area, most of which are involved in “burglary, robbery, auto theft, narcotics sales, petty theft, and physical violence (Schmitz & Christopher, 1997).” Gang warfare is also very common among rival gangs, especially with about 110 permanent gangs roaming the island.

    The cultural norms being violated in the situation presented by the article includes fighting and beating up children as young as 8 years old. Gangs in this area recruit even those who are very young, and because of gang rivalries, these children are oftentimes targeted. These gangs are also involved in burglaries, narcotics sales, and assault, among others. They don’t just violate cultural norms, they also break the law and disrupt peace and order in their communities.

    The one who has the power to label the behavior as deviant are clearly the adults living in this place. They are the ones who should oversee what their children are doing and guide them in their everyday activities to keep them from gangs. This is a deviant behavior because the society condones their existence and their activities. Young children aren’t supposed to be fighting or robbing, instead they should be in school studying for their own good. But because of modernization, the parents weren’t able to guide their children properly. They were engrossed in their jobs that they weren’t able to supervise them in their school and their lives. They were not able to tell them what’s good or bad, or at least advise them about the repercussions of joining a gang.

    Gang activity in Guam has surged since 1993, resulting to increased crimes like burglary, narcotics sales, and assault. Young children were the ones most affected, since they’re the ones who are forced by their peers to join gangs. At a young age, they’re already involved in fighting, and a life of crime. This could be attributed to the lack of support and guidance from they’re parents. They’re the ones who must look out for their welfare and tell them what they should do. Indeed, gang-related crimes and violence are the result of lack of attention and support from adults, which is why the youth has no clear grasp of what’s right and wrong.

Reference:
Schmitz, S., & Christopher, J. C. (1997). Troubles in Smurftown: Youth Gangs and Moral Visions on Guam. Child Welfare, Vol. 76(Issue 3), 18p.

WS5 Essay
    Our perception of our social status is dependent on how we see ourselves among other people. This results to our view of the consequences of our social status to our own lives and to the lives of others. In the article The Effects of Status Cues on Choices of Social Power and Influence Strategies by Anthony J. Stahelski and Carolyn F. Paynton, the effect of the social status on the influence over other people is analyzed. The findings of this research relates to the responses of my interviews of my wife and my father. Our social status compels us to set an example for other people in order to help them achieve a better status or to uplift one’s own.

    When I interviewed my wife regarding her perception of her social status and what she thinks are the consequences of the status, she responded with indignation. My wife, being a middle class Caucasian, thinks that the consequence of her status is that she needs to set an example for other white women to follow. Just like her, they should be able to understand different culture and not just judge others by their color or race. According to her, she needs to prove to everyone that she can make it as a woman, with the understanding that everyone is created equally.

    On the other hand, my second interviewee, my father, mentions that he wants to set an example to other males in the society. As an elder, he is compelled to help others somehow be like him, and motivate them to grow and became a leader. Right now, I think his actions are signs of the leadership that he mentions. Even though their isn’t a formal title of designation, the leadership he is pertaining to is the ability to influence people to be better. I think this perspective is similar to that of my wife, and that both of them understand that they need to set an example to everyone, regardless of the race, the color, and the beliefs among others.

    According to the article, people from different status often use influence tactics in order to convince others to do what he wants (Stahelski & Paynton, 1995). Our society is status differentiated so we can see a lot of these people influencing others, seemingly attempting to help them improve their own social status. My wife and my father may not realize this, but their attempt to set an example is actually their way of attempting to improve the social status of others. Somehow, our status or position in the society compels us to set an example for other people for their own improvement, or just to uplift one’s own.