Durkheim defined the sacred as aspects of society that are understood as extraordinary, worthy of attention and that create feelings of awe and reverence. This can be seen in what the collective defines as both good and aspirational, as well as that which is defined as evil. In fact, some would argue, you can only understand what is good and what “we” should aspire to/stand for in relation to what is evil and condemned as unacceptable to who “we” are. Together, they create the extreme (sacred) boundaries for behavior in a society. Using current events, please create two (2) separate posts: 1) an act of what we understand to be the best (sacred) regarding (aspirational) behavior, and; 2) an evil act that is condemned by the wider society. These type of stories should not be hard to find, as the mass media tends not to focus on the profane (ordinary) aspects of daily life, but rather the sensational. To the extent “everyone” is talking about it, it helps integrate the collective and regulate our behavior, and create a sense of social solidarity.
A.
1) Celebrating the 4th of July is an important/sacred act that society believes to be normal. Independence is an important part of America’s culture in our current society.
2) There are plenty of evil acts condemned by our current society is excessive use of force by police. With the increase in technology, holding police officers more accountable is easier due to cameras. Police officers who are using this force too often/excessively are now being punished more than before due to being watched more carefully by society.
B.
1. Easter Sunday celebrated by many Catholics who believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. A belief system that brings peace and transforms ones behavior of being holy/good.
2. An evil act that was condemned recently was the defacing of the George Floyd Statue in NJ (Newark) and Sunday 10/10/21 in NYU. This shows society that racism and hatred still exist and comes in all forms.
C.
1) An act of what we understand to be the best (sacred) regarding (aspirational) behavior
– The celebration of Thanksgiving that derives from the Christianity religion – that is said to have been created in celebratory acts of the harvest. Brining together families and friends to enjoy and bask in each others presence while giving Thanks to their spiritual guide.
2) an evil act that is condemned by the wider society. These type of stories should not be hard to find, as the mass media tends not to focus on the profane (ordinary) aspects of daily life, but rather the sensational. To the extent “everyone” is talking about it, it helps integrate the collective and regulate our behavior, and create a sense of social solidarity.
– Hate crimes towards the LGBTQ+ community – the FBI launched as hate-crime awareness campaign in Aug 21′ because the hate-crime rate was rising rapidly (NJ being one of the states). This is an evil act – Displaying violence towards someone for who they love or their sexuality – our current society still shows hatred to others that are different from them or what they believe
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