Normative Behavior Essays - Social Philosophy, Philosophy Of Life

Normative Behavior Is individual behavior truly a formation and development of individual concepts or is it simply a conglomeration of normative behavior expectations? It is a question wrought with complex variables. Many scientists, both social and physical would agree that behavior is developed by environmental expression as well as genetic factors. Unfortunately, this is the junction where their union begins to disjoint. Some argue that socially expected behavior drives the behavior of an individual, while others may hold that individual expression is just that, unique and characterized by self-introspection. However, others take hold of the viewpoint that behavior is developed through both individual expression as well as culturally learned normative behavior. Normative behavior has been more than apparent in development of behavior patterns among virtually all individuals. According to social scientists, virtually all behavior stems from normative behavior. However, this would in turn mean that we, as individuals make no choices. Are we truly confined to the hive mind? Are we, only one sheep, in a flock of million. Sheep without any apparent say in our course, forever doomed to follow the societal wills that is our shepherd? It is obvious that society guides the course of the people within it. Society controls the people through its mores and folkways. It keeps its members in line with threats of humiliation or retaliation. Societies mores are the most important code of conduct. These mores are the laws on which the societies are based, with violation of these codes resulting in very harsh punishments. Societies folkways are less stringent codes of conduct. Violation of these folkways often results in exclusion or general feeling of social disapproval. This common way of feeling and acting helps delineate right and wrong. Although both have significantly different levels of importance within a society, any violation usually results in some form of punishment. Moreover, they both contribute to mold the society's inhabitants, with anyone not following these norms immediately labeled as outcasts or social deviants. Ralph Waldo Emerson a renowned Transcendentalist, identified the concepts of normative behavior within a literary sense in his rather fervent speech The American Scholar. Emerson berates the academic community for sometimes going beyond the written word. Emerson begins by condemning those bookworms who would place literature on a pedestal, perhaps forgetting one day that indeed the work may be great, but it was not the words of an omnipotent being. Instead he argues that it is merely words from a man, a being that can never be perfect. Calling for a change in thought among literary circles, he urges contemporary writers to lay their foundations on previous authors creative process, allowing them to release their own talents, rather than have them strain to model books they had previously assimilated. His solicitations for the removal of the pedestal on which many pieces of literature lie bring the readers to ponder what are the true deeper meanings within themselves. As a transcendentalist his views on individualistic thought and expression are reflected in his speech. His preaching against the herd mentality, whether it be regarding literature or within life, define the virtues for which Emerson obviously hopes to share. Nevertheless, Emerson does not discard literature itself as flawed. Instead he maintains the necessity of free thought when interpreting the texts; the persistent need for analysis and self-introspection. With this message Emerson walks the fine line between two schools of thought. Moreover, history has shown that the ideas can and are manipulated. Although not all literature stipulates manipulation, most literature is a subtle form of coercion. The doctrines laid out to create sensationalism by yellow journalism in America during the 19th and 20th century has persistently shaped minds. The media has often been blamed for giving the minds of John Q. Public a thorough washing. However, Emerson also points his finger at public, criticizing them for allowing such blatant manipulation to take place. To Emerson and many others, the group sees, hears and thinks as a hive mind, believing that their doctrine is golden, merely because previous minds found them to be so. Where were the processes of thought? Was it all merely recognition of events, predigested for the masses? These neat prepackaged ways of thought seemed to fit rather snugly with many

Argument Essay Sample - The Proven Technique

Argument Essay Sample - The Proven TechniqueIf you have written a good deductive argument essay but still struggle with your understanding of the necessary skills to write an effective argument, then you are definitely missing a very crucial component. You see, there is a very important technique that every persuasive essay must include. This is how the writer utilizes his or her true feelings of the subject.If you have ever seen a persuasive essay, then you might have noticed that the writer comes up with a rhetorical question and responds to it in such a way that it will answer the question. If the rhetorical question posed is how many times can a person breathe in and out at the same time, the response would be to answer by saying how many times the average person can do this in under a minute. Thus, the question is answered. As an argument essay example, the rhetorical question would be 'How many political leaders are there in United States who is corrupt?'Since there are already many numbers in this rhetorical question, the writer uses his feelings to his advantage. He goes on to say that most politicians are either dishonest or incompetent and therefore he or she must vote for someone who is honest and competent. The writer uses their feelings to demonstrate the flaws in the politician in such a way that his readers can visualize the politician's behavior from the perspective of his own feelings.We all have experienced this and so does the reader when we see a written argument that makes us lose our sense of the truth, but that is not the point. The point is that this technique of manipulating feelings should be included in every persuasive essay as well as every persuasive speech.Why is this technique so important? It is important because persuasive essays must be a direct appeal to the reader's feelings. When you are writing a persuasive essay, you must rely on your feelings, and you must use those feelings to persuade your reader. It is an effective wa y to directly communicate with your reader because it works almost exactly like empathy.When you think about it, a persuasive essay is, indeed, a direct appeal to the reader's feelings. Think about it, if you were to do a survey asking people how effective a persuasive essay is, almost everyone would answer with words like 'very effective'impressive.' This is because it persuades them with its content, not by any traditional techniques.To get into the root of this idea, consider this: almost everyone who has ever read a persuasive essay has had the opportunity to read the same piece of writing at least once. Since everyone has read this argument, he or she knows exactly what is being discussed. Thus, when you get right down to it, persuasive writing is essentially a conversation between you and your reader, which mean that you must work very hard to communicate your point of view and your feelings to the reader.By using this technique of emotions and feelings, you are actually demon strating to your reader that you know exactly what he or she is feeling. Since this is the foundation of persuasive essay writing, you need to learn how to use your true feelings to your advantage in order to succeed.