Middle Sexes film 1

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Justin Orndorff

Soc 360

Social Deviance

Film review #2

“Murderball”

            The thesis of Murderball disrupts many stereotypes society has about people with disabilities.  Society looks at the disabled as weak and feeble, Murderball contradicts their perceptions on what a quadriplegic can actually achieve. Murderball attempts to humanize societies view on the disabled and opposes their views and labels regarding the disabled community.  What can be done about our perceptions of the disabled?  I believe the answer lies in Evidence-based practices.  Evidence-based practices utilize an assortment of research methods involved with theirtreatment programs.  These research methods include; contingency management, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy. (Glasner-Edwards, Richard Rawson 1).

            As I watched Murderball I thought about how society views someone born disabled meaning they were “ascribed” a disability at birth, or someone who “achieved” their disability as their master status?  Mark Zupan an “achieved” quadriplegic got drunk at a party and passed out in the back of his best friend’s truck.  Mark was later thrown from out of the truck after his best friend who was also drunk got into the truck and crashed the truck leaving Mark a quadriplegic.  So in this scenario, Mark Zupan achieved his master status of being disabled by making a choice.  Do social constructions judge the disabled population in different spectrums such as, “ascribed” being born disabled, or do they judge them differently when their disability is “achieved” becoming disabled by a choice made regardless if the disabled new the outcome of the decision?

            Society brands and labels the disabled as helpless and vulnerable.  Society also assumes that everyone in a wheelchair could walk if they wanted to.  This statement isn’t necessarily true for some disabled.  Society values able bodies over disabled bodies.  Why?  Murderball challenges society’s assumptions about being disabled.  Murderball shows in detail just how the disabled are able to drive cars, have sex, have jobs, and of course play sports.  So why consider them deviant and if so how can we change this perception?   

            The main idea behind the film Murderball is how we as a society label or brand the disabled.  The norms society has about the disabled are due to the concept of social internalization.  Social internalization is a set of norms that are pre-determined by society which are significant to that particular individual being labeled or branded as disabled.  Steven J. Taylor states “from a sociological or anthropological perspective, disability can be viewed as a social construct.”   FromTaylor’s standpoint it would be the same as if you were analyzing homosexuality or the mentally retarded; we as whole label and brand the disabled in the same way we do anyone that’s outside the norm. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary 2).

            Internalized ableism is defined as discrimination or prejudice against individuals with disabilities.  (Merriam-Webster Dictionary 2).  The arguments I found to be most convincing were the fact that all the disabled in the film could do day to day activities.  They could drive cars, have sex, play sports, and have jobs.  The name itself “Murderball” supports the entire idea about how the disabled can accomplish anything. 

            I’d like to study and how society views “ascribed” disabled versus an “achieved” disabled.  Why would someone brand or label an “achieved” disabled person or an “ascribed” disabled person differently.  Just because someone becomes disabled via an “achieved” status why would society judge them differently or more harshly then someone born with their disability via an “ascribed” status of disability?  Evidence-based practices could be a possible means to understanding society’s bias about the disabled and why there seen as deviant.  Evidence-based practices are derived from Evidence-based medicine and focuses on treatment effectiveness, aid in constancy, institute responsibility of health service providers, help decrease societies views of the disabled. treatment and increase the general quality of treatment. (Glasner-Edwards, Richard Rawson 1).

Train the providers to utilize evidence-based skills using conventional methods.  Data suggests that supervision and criticism enhances a providers post-training ability, compared to providers who receive their skills training through a workshop or class without feedback or supervision.  There needs to be more access to informational training methods that providers can utilize in order to implement Evidence-based practices and enhance the provider’s exposure to Evidence-based practices. (Glasner-Edwards, Richard Rawson 1).

I believe that by incorporating Evidence-based practices into a clinical setting or educational setting will enhance society’s view of the disabled.  Possible outcomes could range from the dehumanization, stigmatization, and fetishism people see and seek from the disabled.

References

1. Glasner-Edwards, Suzette., Rawson Richard. “Evidence-Based Practices in Addiction Treatment: Review and Recommendations for Public Policy.” Health Policy. (2010): October; 97(2-3): 93–104.
2. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. 2012.  Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ableism>.
3. Taylor, Steven J. Readings in Deviant Behavior CH. 26 You’re Not a Retard, You’re just Wise. Boston: Pearson, 2010.

           

             

Deviant I am

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Justin Orndorff

Deviant I am? Labeling theory conflict theory

How am I deviant?  Well considering that I have five kids, a job, and full-time schooling there are many corners that I have to cut in order just to survive.  Many of these so called corners that I have to cut many may consider to be deviant.  And as I read through the different theories of deviance in the book I am in fact deviant as hell.  I speed like there’s no tomorrow just to get from place to place. Picking the kids up from school, getting to school or work on time can be next to impossible to say the least.  Howard Becker describes deviance “as the infraction of some agreed-upon rule.”  Well if that’s the case where do I begin?  I speed, I’m a little over weight, I am a smoker, I live with my girlfriend and we are not married. (1)

            John Braithwaite says “The best place to see reintegrative shamming at work is in loving families….Family life teaches us that shamming and punishment are possible while maintaining bonds of respect.” I work at the Department of Licensing (DOL) and many of the older women I work with disapprove of me living with my girlfriend while were are not yet married.  We both have children from previous relationships. So how can I maintain respect at work while im being judged or shammed at work for living with my girlfriend (unmarried)? (1)

            Myself being a smoker, am I deviant?  I can’t smoke 50 feet from any public entrances.  Back in the day when I was a child you were allowed to smoke on airplanes, in restaurants, etc.  Why now are there laws prohibiting smokers from so many places?  Is it for health reasons?  Why has time affected society’s view on smoking as being deviant?

            Edwin H. Sutherland and Donald R. Cressey both describe the Differential Association Theory as a violation of the law or a learned criminal behavior.  So if im 10 feet outside of a building smoking when your supposed to be 25 feet away from the doorim breaking the law in their view, therefore portraying me as a deviant member of society.  What if its pouring down rain and I need to have a smoke and if I stand 25 feet away from the doorway to have my smoke I get soaking wet, then I get sick, then I have to miss work, which in turn reduces my pay check to rubble, which prevents me from buying gas or feeding my kids or making rent.  Then what?  Should I be so concerned with what others might consider deviant?  Ill go ahead and answer that “hell no.”(1) (2) (3)

(1)    Thio, Alex, Thomas C. Calhoun, and Addrain Conyers. Readings in Deviant Behavior. 6th ed. Boston: Pearson Education, 2010. Print.

(2)    www.seton.com/best/no-smoking-within-25-feet-metal-signs web 2012.

(3)    www.allstatesign.com/no-smoking-within-25-ft.html web 2012.

   

How do you spot a deviant?

Justin Orndorff

Social Deviance Sociology 320

Blog #1

How do you spot o deviant?

            For my first blog, “How do you spot a Deviant” I’ve chosen people with body art.  Some of my best friends have most of their entire bodies covered in tattoos along with stretched ears and numerous other piercing.  But for now I’m just focusing on how people perceive people with tattoos.

     The population I’ve chosen to analyze are people with body art, tattoos, mainly and most importantly people with visible tattoos.  The sample within my population will be four of my closest friends.  People that are frequently measured as deviant are people at the bottom end of the socio-economic scale, drug addicts or people that look different whether it’s a birth defect or someone with too many tattoos are more often then not considered deviant by society.  Deviance in this analysis is that we respond to, through social control reactions, as deviant.

Many of my friends have tattoos.  One of my closest friends, “Matt” has almost his entire body covered in tattoos among other body alterations I need not mention in this blog.  Matt is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met in my life.  Matt will do just about anything for a friend.  He’s helped me move countless times, given me rides, babysat for me, and numerous other things.  Matt’s never asked for anything in return.  Matt also doesn’t do drugs, has no criminal record, works full-time, and goes to college. 

Know I realize that I know Matt very well, over 15 years in fact, but your run-of-the-mill stranger doesn’t.  So when Matt and I go into a store or a restaurant people look at us or should I say Matt as if he just got out of prison.  I can see the disgust on peoples faces as they look Matt up and down and even give me the occasional stink eye for just being with him from time to time.  I myself do not have any tattoos, well no visible ones anyway.  Am I better person because I’m not covered with tattoos?  My short answer is of course “NO”. 

Matt’s tattoos send a very obvious message to society.  That is I’m diverse and that he’s chosen to cover his body in art which comes in the form of tattoos.  People don’t know Matt when were walking into a store.  They don’t know that he has no criminal record; he doesn’t smoke or use drugs.  So then there is no deviant behavior, just a deviant stereotype seen by society.  So then it’s ridiculous to assume that one may perhaps judge deviance on appearance alone.  So then it’s simply Matt’s tattoos that send a deviant message to society.

What do people have to gain by avoiding or separating themselves from Matt or people covered with tattoos?  The answer is the path of least resistance.  People are chicken shits simply put.  And they have nothing to gain by accepting someone like Matt in the fear that they themselves might be judged for associating with an “outsider” like Matt.  So the consequence then of having what many may consider being too much body art is being ostracized from society.