Breaking A Norm Analysis
1
Introduction to Sociology
Breaking a Norm
September 26, 2011
All Money Has Value, Right?
Making a purchase with a $100 bill is just as discouraged as making a purchase using only
Pennies. In the fast-paced world that we live in cashiers and customers expect our small, everyday purchases to be a quick process. When a consumer in line feels like the transaction is taking longer than they expected, that consumer has no problem letting everyone around them know how they feel.
Tapping of their feet, heavy sighs, grunts, and sometime even verbal expression. Even the impatient consumers that are “nice” have a way of letting someone know when they are taking too long. Some offer to pay, or even help make change for larger bills, …show more content…
or trade bills for coins. I entered a convenience store to purchase a $2.25 pack of gum with a $100 bill and was instructed by the cashier of the sign on the front of the door that states they do not accept bills larger than $20.
However, the customer that had just completed their transaction of fuel and snacks that totaled at $75 was able to use a $100 with no problems. I brought the lack of consistency to the cashiers attention, and while debating the subject, a line began to form behind me. I turned to acknowledge the growing crowd and was met with unfriendly scowls and a couple sighs. One of the men behind me in line opened up his wallet and offered to make change for me so I could use a smaller, more acceptable currency, to buy my gum. I returned to the same convenience store after the cashiers on duty had changed shifts and attempted the same purchase of gum, only this time I had a cup full of pennies. As I started pouring the monies out onto the counter, I was immediately stopped by the cashier. She said that she could …show more content…
not accept all pennies for a transaction. I looked around for a sign stating this and did not find one, so I asked the cashier if they had that “rule” posted. When she replied No, I continued to count out $2.25 in
Pennies. A line started to form behind me again, only this time, the impatient customers were more
hostile.
I received scowls, grunts, and sighs; but a lady in line said, “Common! Seriously?!” and when I turned to apologize for the delay I was causing, she frowned and asked me to move over and let others purchase their goods. My method of payment was not ‘as good’ as theirs. I thought that it could be possible that the reaction that I received was only because of the store that I had chosen to make my purchases at and that I should attempt my transactions at a store that was more acceptable of a slower pace consumer. I went to my local grocery store to buy the same $2.25 package of chewing gum, however the reactions were nearly the same. After the cashier scanned the gum and gave me the total, I handed her a $100 bill. With a frustrated sigh, she marked the bill with a counterfeit marker to check its validity and called her manager over to retrieve change for the bill from their cash office. As a small line began to form behind me, I turned to apologize for the delay and I received quick, short smiles and a couple nods, however, while waiting for the manager to return
with my change, two of the waiting customers left my line and went to another open register. Again, I returned to the same grocery store after the shift change and I attempted my purchase one more time. After I was told the total and I started counting out pennies; although the cashier was helping me put pennies in stacks of 10, she was obviously frustrated. Every time a customer would come into line behind me, she would advise them that I was paying with all pennies and that they would have to wait or they could move to the next available cashier. I looked at the customers and apologized and they would say, “No problem” and proceed to the other un occupied registers. The man that was directly behind me and that had all of his groceries already loaded onto the conveyer belt became irate with me. He asked me why I was making such a ridiculous purchase with solely pennies. I told him that pennies was all that I had and he said, “Then I guess you do not really NEED that gum then, huh?”
Two customers who decided to wait until I was finished become impatient with the time consuming task and offered to purchase my gum for me. Although you can purchase almost anything with money, you cannot use all monies to purchase something. Pennies and $100 bills hold just as much value as any other form of payments, but are not as socially accepted for smaller purchases. Our everyday lives are about what we can do in the most convenient way, for ourselves and mostly to not inconvenience others.
Introduction to Sociology
Breaking a Norm
September 26, 2011
All Money Has Value, Right?
Making a purchase with a $100 bill is just as discouraged as making a purchase using only
Pennies. In the fast-paced world that we live in cashiers and customers expect our small, everyday purchases to be a quick process. When a consumer in line feels like the transaction is taking longer than they expected, that consumer has no problem letting everyone around them know how they feel.
Tapping of their feet, heavy sighs, grunts, and sometime even verbal expression. Even the impatient consumers that are “nice” have a way of letting someone know when they are taking too long. Some offer to pay, or even help make change for larger bills, …show more content…
or trade bills for coins. I entered a convenience store to purchase a $2.25 pack of gum with a $100 bill and was instructed by the cashier of the sign on the front of the door that states they do not accept bills larger than $20.
However, the customer that had just completed their transaction of fuel and snacks that totaled at $75 was able to use a $100 with no problems. I brought the lack of consistency to the cashiers attention, and while debating the subject, a line began to form behind me. I turned to acknowledge the growing crowd and was met with unfriendly scowls and a couple sighs. One of the men behind me in line opened up his wallet and offered to make change for me so I could use a smaller, more acceptable currency, to buy my gum. I returned to the same convenience store after the cashiers on duty had changed shifts and attempted the same purchase of gum, only this time I had a cup full of pennies. As I started pouring the monies out onto the counter, I was immediately stopped by the cashier. She said that she could …show more content…
not accept all pennies for a transaction. I looked around for a sign stating this and did not find one, so I asked the cashier if they had that “rule” posted. When she replied No, I continued to count out $2.25 in
Pennies. A line started to form behind me again, only this time, the impatient customers were more
hostile.
I received scowls, grunts, and sighs; but a lady in line said, “Common! Seriously?!” and when I turned to apologize for the delay I was causing, she frowned and asked me to move over and let others purchase their goods. My method of payment was not ‘as good’ as theirs. I thought that it could be possible that the reaction that I received was only because of the store that I had chosen to make my purchases at and that I should attempt my transactions at a store that was more acceptable of a slower pace consumer. I went to my local grocery store to buy the same $2.25 package of chewing gum, however the reactions were nearly the same. After the cashier scanned the gum and gave me the total, I handed her a $100 bill. With a frustrated sigh, she marked the bill with a counterfeit marker to check its validity and called her manager over to retrieve change for the bill from their cash office. As a small line began to form behind me, I turned to apologize for the delay and I received quick, short smiles and a couple nods, however, while waiting for the manager to return
with my change, two of the waiting customers left my line and went to another open register. Again, I returned to the same grocery store after the shift change and I attempted my purchase one more time. After I was told the total and I started counting out pennies; although the cashier was helping me put pennies in stacks of 10, she was obviously frustrated. Every time a customer would come into line behind me, she would advise them that I was paying with all pennies and that they would have to wait or they could move to the next available cashier. I looked at the customers and apologized and they would say, “No problem” and proceed to the other un occupied registers. The man that was directly behind me and that had all of his groceries already loaded onto the conveyer belt became irate with me. He asked me why I was making such a ridiculous purchase with solely pennies. I told him that pennies was all that I had and he said, “Then I guess you do not really NEED that gum then, huh?”
Two customers who decided to wait until I was finished become impatient with the time consuming task and offered to purchase my gum for me. Although you can purchase almost anything with money, you cannot use all monies to purchase something. Pennies and $100 bills hold just as much value as any other form of payments, but are not as socially accepted for smaller purchases. Our everyday lives are about what we can do in the most convenient way, for ourselves and mostly to not inconvenience others.