I consider myself as a “gentle driver”. I seldom rush, I always give a way, and I always signal before changing line, and most of all, I have been constantly mindful to keep all traffic rules.
I dare say that I have been benefited from it for myself as much as towards others. It is really to your own advantage to follow rules. Be kind to others is in fact be kind to yourself. There are many areas in our life which share the same principle, which fits in the old Chinese saying “To loss is to gain.”
We are living in society, and being with others means that we need rules, regulations, and institutional systems to run our society smoothly and efficiently.
Before one can follow rule, there must be a system
I have been to certain part of China, where the sight of traffic was terrifying. There is just simply no rules, or no one respects rules. The fundamental sound rules are essential for efficiently and orderly operation in any area of social life, e.g. family, school, company, government and country.
The rules ought to be respected and followed not only for the benefit of collectivity but also for individuals
It is quite obviously, if you don’t follow the rule on the road, you might run into accident, not only endanger your own life but other users of road. The traffic rules are really for the benefits of all road users.
However, the rules are often broken by people, which sociologists call “Deviance behavior”, why do some people just don’t follow the rules even it is seemingly to their own benefits?
Robert Merton's famous Deviance Theory may give us some helpful clues.
Though held the basic functionalist thinking, but unlike Parson,Merton recognized the possibility of dysfunction of any given systems, and or institutions. He did not assume the legitimation of existing systems as status quo, but suggested that there may be the alternative functions which would do the same or better jobs.
To Merton, deviance behavior happens when there is discrepancy between one's cultural goal and institutionalized norms. He uses anomie a major independent variable, his definition of anomie is somewhat different from Durkheim's. Anomie, for Merton, is a discontinuity between cultural goals and the legitimate means available for reaching them. In depicting his model graphically Merton chose to use a + sign to indicate acceptance of the goal or means to achieve the goal and a - to indicate the rejection or unavailability of the goal or means to it. He thus arrives at five modes of adaption, or types of deviance.
| Anomie | Deviance | |||
| Cultural Goals | Institutional Means | Modes of Adaptation | ||
| + | + | Conformity | ||
| + | - | Innovation | ||
| - | + | Ritualism | ||
| - | - | Retreatism | ||
| +/- | +/- | Rebellion |
The mode of conformity is for a person who attains goals and has the means to achieve the goal; Both innovation and ritualism indicate the discontinuity of goals and means. Retreatism is the one who totally rejects the goals and without means.
Rebellion is a combination of a rejection of goals and means and substitution with other goals and means.
Deviance behavior creates disturbance to a system, sometimes, even break down. At the same time, such behaviors (especially rebellion) might be a challenge to an unsound rules or unsound system.
“Whenever there is oppression, there is rebellion” was the famous of word of Mao Zhe Dong. It is so true that when rules of any given system are not sound, it will be soon or later be challenged. Deviance behavior in that sense brings forth some positive changes to societal development.
So to obey a rule is good, sometimes, to disobey a rule is even better. Any rule broker is subject to negative sanction from collective of society. One must have strong determination and clear vision to be able to stand by for the pressure from his/her world. That is what we often say “Fine produce fine steel.”
What I would say to you, my dear friends,
1) To learn the rules of game
2) Respect and follow them
3) However, don’t just follow them blindly.
Finally, you need to identify the true rules you ought to obey. There is one, I would suggest, to know and be known by God, who sets all rules in the world.
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