Social Norms

[niche]

I wasn't sure where to put this one, so I'm hoping it fits here. I need help with an assignment I have due for school. I'm taking a sociology class and the assignment is to break a social norm and write a paper about the reactions of others. I really thought this sounded like fun, but I'm having difficulties choosing a social norm to break. Please have fun with this one, just remember whatever I do has to be legal. So far I've only gotten suggestions like wearing my bra outside of my shirt in public. The more suggestions the better. Thanks in advance to all who help me out with this!

-niche

[Squid]

Go around telling people that you have no plans to marry and breed and record their reactions.

Your parents might flip out, most people will take offense because they'll think you're putting down their choices, and you'll get a lot of questions about it.

Inspired by another thread in this area, you could challenge the concept of monogamy. That's a very prevalent social norm.

[ns123]

why don't you refuse to do this assignment as bucking a social norm of having to listen to a teacher authority figure. Why don't you NOT follow the social norm of going to school - and skip class for a week? See how your TEACHERS and parents react and write your paper about that?

I have issues to these assignments, because they normally end up teaching things unintended. If the aim of the assignment is to make the world a better place by changing ideas and values, there are better ways to do this than to "buck a social norm."

Wearing your bra outside of your shirt may be inappropriate - especially if there a small children around.

There are things as going against the flow for the better, but if you go against the flow just because, or just to agitate, that's not the right way to do it. If I were you, I'd buck the social norm of questioning the teacher who assigned this assignment, get to the bottom of the reason for assigning it and finding out just what this exercise is supposed to teach you.

[Angela]

How about simply placing your presence in ways that confront people: like standing facing the back wall in elevators, moving just an inch or two inside people's personal space (Danger Man does that all the time, it's freaky), or introducing yourself to random strangers for no reason.

[Playlife]

Originally Posted by Angela

moving just an inch or two inside people's personal space (Danger Man does that all the time, it's freaky)

I think this one is simply intrusive, if not rude.

[joelyle]

eat a banana with a spoon.

drive the speed limit

when someone casually asks how you are...run down a whole list of complaints/comments.

pay in exact change, even if this requires exta time to find coins,etc. And when the cashier asks if you FOUND everything: run off a whole list of what you did not find.

When ask how you'd like your eggs cooked: say one scrambled and one over-easy. Ask for one piece of wheat toast and one piece of white toast.

Talk to strangers.

Ask a panhandler for LOOSE change.

Talk to yourself out loud & ANSWER...

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Playlife

I think this one is simply intrusive, if not rude.

In that case, it's perfect!

I definitely had a hard time with Danger Man doing it, at first. Even now, sometimes I have to hold my arms away from my body to give myself a little more space.

[Angela]

... oh, yeah, and if you're a girl, don't smile, and sit in the dominant position, with your arms back over the chair or your hands on your head with your armpits pointing out, like a CEO.

That would actually be quite fun, I think, to practice walking, talking, just plain old being like the opposite sex and see how people react.

[niche]

These are great! Keep 'em comin'.

[Playlife]

How about not wearing bra at all? Why do you wear it at all? Wouldn't you feel more "free" without it?

[niche]

Originally Posted by Playlife

How about not wearing bra at all? Why do you wear it at all? Wouldn't you feel more "free" without it?

I'm not quite sure how free I would feel with my larger than average breasts flopping up and down uncontrollably. I would constantly feel the necessity to move at a moderate speed and not bounce. So no, no freedom unless one's boobs are of the smaller order.

[Playlife]

Originally Posted by niche

I'm not quite sure how free I would feel with my larger than average breasts flopping up and down uncontrollably. I would constantly feel the necessity to move at a moderate speed and not bounce. So no, no freedom unless one's boobs are of the smaller order.

I'd gladly come and hold your breasts from flopping by myself. Nothing beats skin to skin contact.

Ok, no more innuendo.

Is it another societal norm to move at unmoderate speeds? Why not move at a more steady pace then? It's good for your breasts!!

[niche]

Hmmm....not exactly where I had intended for this one to go.....

Thanks to everyone who responded. If there is anyone else out there with a good idea, let me know.

[JSB]

Originally Posted by Playlife

I'd gladly come and hold your breasts from flopping by myself. Nothing beats skin to skin contact.

Ok, no more innuendo.

Umm...that was WAY past innuendo!

[Jarrod]

Originally Posted by ns123

why don't you refuse to do this assignment as bucking a social norm of having to listen to a teacher authority figure.

That was great.

Talk to people you don't know? (Even within school, talking to people of different year levels)

[niche]

I've thought about going up to complete strangers, perhaps interrupting a conversation, and briefly state my name and that I don't plan to marry or breed. Or even perhaps instead tell them that I'm looking for an appropriate breeder with certain qualities. I didn't like that one as well though. Then I also thought about just going up to complete strangers and saying, "Can I have some money?" Maybe knocking on a door or two around my neighborhood. (It's a safe neighborhood.)

As for not doing the assignment, well this is a college course. I'm paying the school to have the authority figure give me such assignments so not doing it would be in a sense waisting my money.

[Playlife]

Originally Posted by niche

Hmmm....not exactly where I had intended for this one to go.....

Thanks to everyone who responded. If there is anyone else out there with a good idea, let me know.

I hope I didn't offend. If I did, my sincerest apologies.

I'm actually a good boy. Really.

[niche]

Originally Posted by Playlife

I hope I didn't offend. If I did, my sincerest apologies.

I'm actually a good boy. Really.

Thank you for the apology. All is forgiven.

[The David]

My sister had an assignment like that in a psychology class. We sat under tables
in the school cafeteria and made a little fort with torn up napkins. It wasn't really that adventurous, but we did get attention from a photographer who attended the school.

One of her classmates put stickers all over herself and walked through a store. She says that a little girl pointed at her, and then the mother pulled her away and gave the student a nasty look. Some people are really easily frightened.

Something that would not be rude, but may be weird enough, is to visit Wal-Mart, or some other place known for employee dissatisfaction, and just go out of your way to be extremely nice and friendly to the employees. You might get some interesting reactions, and you're doing a good deed. If you approach random shoppers, that may actually be creepy.

[The David]

Oh, and any mention of "my larger than average" anything is just asking for it. So I think you've already finished your assignment. If you still aren't satisfied, go to Wal-Mart and strike up a conversation about how larger than average you are, and record the reactions.

[Trezker]

There's one thing I do frequently that people react to if they're not used to it.

When someone asks me something that's not a yes/no question I just answer "No!". I also almost unconsciously pronounce it in a subtle but inappropriate manner. It's all just a way for me to express my extreme lack of interest in the question.

The most common questions are of course.
How are you? No.
How's the weather? No.
What have you been up to lately? No.

[Playlife]

I'll propose walking slower than anyone else. As if you were on an evening walk, nowhere to hurry.

Most people are always in a hurry to somewhere, so it would be a welcome change methinks.

[Angela]

Tretzker's post reminds of a fun article I read the other day, in which a woman did an experiment of saying "Yes" to everything ... all invitations and requests... for 30 days. She had a blast. Of course, she had to make an exception or adjustment a couple of times, but she ended up doing things she wouldn't have thought possible. Sounded like fun to me.

[danas]

Originally Posted by Angela

Tretzker's post reminds of a fun article I read the other day, in which a woman did an experiment of saying "Yes" to everything ... all invitations and requests... for 30 days. She had a blast. Of course, she had to make an exception or adjustment a couple of times, but she ended up doing things she wouldn't have thought possible. Sounded like fun to me.

that sounds like fun...

what about doing something like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4

[danas]

oh, and a friend of once walked backwards all the way down a main shopping street

[Sam988]

Fart loudly on a full elevator. I'm aware you wouldn't do it but imagine. If someone could stand the embarassment, he would certainly get an A in this assignment


THESE are just the perfect videos that you could use, maybe wouldn't even need to do something yourself, just analyze these videos for your essay. Funny as hell. It's a hidden camera by the way.

YouTube - Homem Berinjela na Feira Erótica--2006

YouTube - Homem Berinjela - Academia

YouTube - Homem Beringela no Salão do Automóvel