Question
This week I want you to go out in your community and be deviant in some NON CRIMINAL way. For example, wear your clothes on inside out, carry a teddy bear around and treat it like a real human infant or talk out loud to yourself. You may work in groups…say if three people wanted to go on an elevator and face the wrong way and see what happens. Be creative in your deviance. Be sure that you do not violate any laws, do not harm yourself or others and do not put your self or anyone else at risk of harm.
Whatever deviant act you engage in doing it for an entire day or repeat it at least three times. Then in discussions tell me the following: (1) What you did to be deviant (2) Where you did it (3) What were the reactions of those around you or those that witnesses your deviance (4) Why you think people reacted that way.
Be sure to address each of the four parts of this assignment.
Answer
Sociology
As an act of deviance, I chose to walk around with a bright pink lampshade on my head. Its size and shape matched my head shape perfectly. It created an allowance though for sight, movement and conversation. Even though I had to tip my head back to communicate with people, the lampshade was not a hindrance to daily tasks. While doing it as an informal deviant act, I wore the lampshade after class while in school, at the local mall, and at an eatery after school with my friends.
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At school, many people took notice but very few made a big deal out of it. Most of my friends and peers in the school hallways made jokes and puns about it. Many people took photos with me wearing the lampshade, following a request to that effect. After school, a few friends and I headed to the local mall. On arrival, the security personnel seemed concerned for a moment before dismissing the incident as a joke. I received much more attention inside the mall with pairs and small groups of people stopping to stare. I particularly noticed that older people were more fascinated while younger individuals actually seemed irritated. Finally, we headed to the local eatery for quick snacks. This store was mostly filled with young peers from my school and a neighboring school. The response here was quite similar to the one in school whereby people made jokes about my behavior and a few even took pictures. By the end of the day, a few people had requested to try on the lampshade themselves.
This deviant act came off as a funny and humorous stunt to most of the people I interacted with. However, a significant section was disturbed by the act and dismissed it as weird. I observed that my peers and friends were more comfortable with my act as compared to strangers. In my view, my peers were more receptive because the behavior appeared to them to be all about a creative and interesting encounter. Furthermore, informal deviant activities had become a popular part of the school culture. There had been numerous deviant activities by students most of which had been entertaining and funny. However, at the mall, people were more reserved about it, with older people showing patterns of fascination coupled with shock and disbelief. In general, I did not get into any trouble for this act. I enjoyed this activity and the response I got from people in society.