SOC 210
Prof. Raper Breaking the Norm In our lives there are certain standards that we uphold throughout our culture. Whether petty or significant, these standards are a large basis for many of the ways we think, act, and live. Within our society, these norms are based on a general consensus of what are accepted as normal actions or mannerisms to the whole society. In my line of work I have the chance to observe and interact with many different groups of people and many individuals all stemming from different backgrounds and subcultures. I work for an event marketing company and part of my job is to be very sociable and outgoing at any event we host. The majority of events we host are at bars or clubs, and a …show more content…
For example, a cosmopolitan is typically considered a feminine drink while whisky is normally a male drink. After noticing how stereotypical people become when it comes to alcohol, I decided to break the norm in drinking. To avoid appearing to be extremely abstract in my actions (I still have to maintain my prestigious social appearance), I chose to go with drinking beer through a straw. While this may seem odd to some, I found is both intriguing and hysterical the way people responded. Any given week I am out and about at bars, clubs, or restaurants, at least five days out of the week. This gave me plenty of time to order beers in many different places, under many different situations and bask in the relentless non-sense that ensued. In case the reader is not aware, sipping beer through a straw is an absolute atrocity in the world of beer …show more content…
Again I ordered a beer and waited until the rest of the party was settled in and made a point to order a straw from out waitress in a way that everyone would hear my request. I dipped the straw and took a long pull of the frothy goodness and looked up to an assortment of faces. Of the nine of us at the table, two of the group knew my intentions concerning breaking the norm and they buried their faces in their hands to hide the laughter lurking behind their lips. Jessica, one of my newest employees asked me if I had sensitive teeth and if that was why I was using the straw. After a cloud of laughter erupted between myself and those in the know, I explained my intentions to the group and that I did not have sensitive