5.4a1 Social Solidarity and Anomie
Durkheim claimed that deviance is inevitable because it serves essential social functions. Defining some behavior or attitudes as deviant clarifies social norms, helping distinguish what society sees as right and wrong. Deviance and crime thus reinforce boundaries between “us” (conformists,) and “them” (deviants), and thereby contribute to social solidarity. Social solidarity refers to the cohesiveness people feel among themselves and others.
Durkheim argued that punishment also strengthened social solidarity, thereby further setting symbolic boundaries between law-abiding people (the in-group) and deviants (the out-group). Even gossip about deviant behavior strengthens the bonds between the people sharing it. For example, reality television often focuses on various forms of deviance. Some shows focus on groups considered deviant like teen moms, large families, or polygamous families. Others highlight deviant behavior like excessive alcohol use, nonmonogamy, or deceitfulness. These shows persist because viewers bond over their shared rejection of the deviance portrayed in these shows (Lindemann, 2022). Finally, deviance also contributes to social change, such as the behavior and attitudinal change about marijuana use, as described earlier in this chapter.
Anomie
The absence of norms contributes to deviance. Durkheim named the social condition in which norms are unclear, absent, or transforming as anomie. Anomie occurs during times of disruption. For example, the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 were characterized by anomie. Local and state governments ordered non-essential businesses (gyms, movie theaters), schools, and religious organizations to close and or people to stay home. Remaining open and visiting non-essential businesses was deviant. Moreover, individuals also deviated by refusing to wear masks or wear them properly (over their nose and mouth), keep social distance, or stay home when they felt sick.
Photo 5.4
Wearing a Mask Under the Nose Is Deviant
