Player Piano

Chris White January 29, 2001 Dr. Nieckars Sociology 11-C Social Control and Deviance In our textbook, “Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach,” Henslin defines social control as a group’s formal and informal means of enforcing its norms. Two prime examples of social control are positive and negative sanctions. A positive sanction is a reward or positive reaction for following norms. A positive sanction could possibly be given to someone who tries to break and change norms in society for the advancement of the community. A good example of this would be Dr. Martin Luther King’s movement for civil rights. A negative sanction is the opposite, an expression of disapproval for breaking a norm. These reactions can be severe and formal, or they can be mild and informal. How do these ideas of social control apply in the society created by Vonnegut in “Player Piano?” In the book “Player Piano” by Kurt Vonnegut, there are many examples of positive and negative sanctions. A perfect example of sanctions affecting lives in a dramatic way was the aptitude test taken by all citizens. If you do poorly on it, then you have to live the rest of your life in the Army or in the Reeks and Wrecks. On the other hand, if you perfo

My parents knew, like all parents, that in order to stop a child from doing something bad, they had to attach negative sanctions to their rules. These are just a few of the many examples of positive and negative sanctions in the book "Player Piano. If this rumor had gotten out about anyone else, there could have been serious consequences for that person. Throughout high school, part of my motivation !came from the fact that I wanted to get into a college that I wanted to go to. When it comes to formal, negative sanctions, I have not had any experiences. " How does social control and sanctions fit in to my life and the society that I live inIn my life, I have been affected by many forms of informal sanctions. Once again, Paul is lucky because, to Kroner, Paul is a special person. Everyday we are influenced by numerous positive and negative sanctions, either formal or informal, that affect our lives greatly ------------------------------------------------------------------------BibliographyVonnegut, Kurt, Westinghouse, 1976. In school, by doing well in a class, I would be given the opportunity to move up into a higher class. His carelessness with the pistol was highlighted by a cynical statement from Shepherd: ""no man who"tms bright enough to be manager of the Ilium Works is dumb enough to leave a pistol around loose. When the police find out that Paul had never turned his gun in, they could have put him in jail. They would ask a question like, "Why would you feel the need to go over there and interact with those people" It is definitely frowned upon to have any sort of relationship with the people of Homestead. On the other hand, someone who conforms to these values and morals is more likely to move up and succeed in the corporate ladder set up by Vonnegut in his novel. This is because I do not break the law. So, those who do not to well receive negative sanctions from the government and society, while those who excel will be the recipients of many positive sanctions.