Walden Two
The sociological perspective turns the world we think we know into uncharted territory. It forces us to go beyond the surface of people's beliefs and behaviors and identify the social forces that shape them. Walden Two by B.F. Skinner examines the possibilities of living in a sort of counterculture. Utilizing the conflict perspective, Skinner reconstructs elements such as technology, beliefs, norms, and values to create the "perfect" culture.The community called Walden Two is conceived through the conflict theory. The idea is that no member should have any more money, power, esteem, or status than any other member. Imbalances in any of these will eventually lead to a conflict or struggle. There is no currency in Walden Two; no one receives wages and nothing costs money. The issues of money and power associated with money are moot. Esteem and status are neutralized by means of no one person having a specific work role. Everyone is entitled to work anywhere. An example of the community's effort to avoid inequality is the unique set-up of the dairy farm. Knowing the nega
tive image conjured up by the smell of a farm, Walden Two creates a farm that will prevent this problem from influencing the opinion formed of those who choose to work in the dairy farm. "Behavioral engineering" allows the members to have the same beliefs and values. The norm is to do for all children as if they were your own. The basic belief structure of Walden Two is that every person is equal. The members value their free time, their happiness, and their privacy. Walden Two gives a glimpse of life without such power struggles, which leads to better overall human relations. The beliefs of the community are intended to prevent conflict. These members value their community above all else. The "housewife" was attempting to achieve independence and, as with any other time in history, everyone was trying to get a balance between work and leisure. The "behavioral engineering" is just one aspect of technology that seeps into the other elements. Skinner originally wrote this book in 1948, a time in history when the people of the world were ready for a change. This is not a practice that would be considered acceptable by the outside society. Everything is done for the community; all the work that is done, subjecting their children to "behavioral engineering"; it is all for the good of the community. By removing the stigma of odor attached to farmers, the community removes the f!eelings of inferiority, as well as superiority.
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