How Our Aligning Behavior Shapes Everyday Life

Sociologists recognize that people do a lot of unseen work to make sure that our interactions with others go as we wish them to. Much of that work is about agreeing to or challenging what sociologists call the definition of the situation. Aligning action is any behavior that indicates to others the acceptance of a particular definition of the situation, while a realigning action  is an attempt to change the definition of the situation. For example, when the house lights dim in a theater, the audience typically stops talking and turns their attention to the stage. This indicates their acceptance and support for the situation and expectations that go with it and constitutes an aligning action. Conversely, an employer who makes sexual advances to an employee is trying to change the definition of the situation from one of work to one of sexual intimacy — an attempt that may or may not be met with an aligning action. The Theory Behind Aligning and Realigning Actions Aligning and realigning actions are part of sociologist Erving Goffmans dramaturgical perspective in sociology. This is a theory for framing and analyzing social interaction that uses the metaphor of the stage and a theater performance to tease out the intricacies of the many social interactions that comprise everyday life. Central to the dramaturgical perspective is a shared understanding of the definition of the situation. The definition of the situation must be shared and collectively understood in order for social interaction to happen. It is based on commonly understood social norms. Without it, we wouldnt know what to expect of each other, what to say to one another, or how to behave. According to Goffman, an aligning action is something a person does to indicate that they agree with the existing definition of the situation. Simply put, it means going along with what is expected. A realigning action is something that is designed to challenge or change the definition of the situation. It is something that either breaks with norms or seeks to establish new ones. Examplesof Aligning Actions Aligning actions are important because they tell those around us that we will behave in expected and normal ways. They can be totally commonplace and mundane, like waiting in line to purchase something at a shop, exiting an airplane in an orderly fashion after it has landed, or leaving a classroom at the ringing of the bell and heading to the next one before the next bell sounds. They can also be seemingly more important or momentous, like when we exit a building after a fire alarm has been activated, or when we wear black, bow our heads, and speak in quiet tones at a funeral. Whatever form they take, aligning actions say to others that we agree with the norms and expectations of a given situation and that we will act accordingly. Examplesof Realigning Actions Realigning actions are significant because they tell those around us that we are breaking from norms and that our behavior is likely to be unpredictable. They signal to those we interact with that tense, awkward, or even dangerous situations may follow. Importantly, realigning actions can also signal that the person making them believes that the norms that typically define the given situation are wrong, immoral, or unjust and that another definition of the situation is required to repair this. For example, when some audience members stood and began singing at a symphony performance in St. Louis in 2014, the performers on stage and most audience members were shocked. This behavior significantly redefined the typical definition of the situation for a classical musical performance in a theater. That they unfurled banners condemning the killing of young Black man Michael Brown and sang a slave hymn redefined the situation as one of peaceful protest and a call to action to the mostly white audience members to support the fight for justice. But, realigning actions can be mundane as well and can be as simple as clarifying in conversation when ones words are misunderstood. Updated by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Narrative Essay on One Thing I Would Like to Change about My Childhood

Narrative Essay on One Thing I Would Like to Change about My Childhood One Thing I Would Like to Change about My Childhood I had a happy and interesting childhood. As computers weren’t that popular among people and I didn’t have brothers or sisters, I spent almost all the time in the streets playing with other children. When I went to the kindergarten, I met two friends, with whom I started to play and spend every free minute I had. I was really happy till the moment when one of my friends went away to live in the other country. I still remember that moment. I just couldn’t believe my ears: Helen was going away for such a long period of time – 3 years, or even more. I didn’t know what to do and with whom to spend my free time, as with the other friend I wasn’t so close. Still, people say that time heals all the wounds, and I didn’t have another choice than to try to recollect myself and live further. After some time passed, I managed to overcome my disappointment to some extent. Helen wrote letters to me, but our correspondence was not as often as I wanted. I always was too busy to sit down and write a letter, and I think that she had the same problem. Thus, there were letters once a month, but they were a real happiness for me. I remember how I waited for the desired letter after I sent mine and how I was upset when I didn’t receive the answer for a long period of time. Now 8 years passed from that moment, but I still want to change this event in my life. Today there are several people with whom I like to spend my time, but I don’t have such friends as Helen. I just didn’t meet such people, or, maybe, I was afraid of meeting them, as I just knew I didn’t want to go through the same nightmare I did when my best friend went away. I still value this person very much and

Hamlet Love for Ophelia Free Essays

Hamlets Love For Ophelia Although the play Hamlet was written nearly 450 years ago by William Shakespeare, scholars still pose the question, â€Å"Did Hamlet really love Ophelia? † I believe Hamlet had feelings for Ophelia, but he never demonstrated true love for her. Several times in the play Hamlet denies his love for Ophelia. If he truly loved her, he would not want to hurt her. We will write a custom essay sample on Hamlet Love for Ophelia or any similar topic only for you Order Now When Hamlet accidently killed Polonius, he did not try to console Ophelia. If he truly loved her, he would have been at her side to provide comfort in her time of grief. Even at Ophelia’s funeral, he did not profess his love for Ophelia. If he truly loved her, he would have proclaimed his love for her to those present at the funeral. Hamlet’s actions prove that he didn’t have true love for Ophelia. The first time Hamlet denies his love for Ophelia is in Act III Scene I. Hamlet declares â€Å"I did love you once† after Ophelia has broken up with him. Ophelia replies â€Å"Indeed my lord you made me believe so. † Hamlet then pronounces, â€Å"You should not have believed me. † This demonstrates that Hamlet really did not love Ophelia. He continues on to express his lack of feelings for her, â€Å"I give you this plague of dowry; be thou chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shall not escape calumny. † He tells her to go away or he will destroy her good name. Although he might just be spewing words of bitterness because Ophelia has ended their relationship, if he really cared for her he would not want to slander her reputation. His lack concern for her virtuous character supports the argument that he does not truly love Ophelia. In Act III Scene IV Hamlet accidently slays Polonius. After doing so he feels no remorse and announces, â€Å"Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell. I took thee for thy better. † He believes Polonius got what he deserved. His lack of remorse for killing Ophelia’s father show he is not concerned with her feelings. Rather than feeling saddened by this unfortunate event, Hamlet takes delight in the fact that he has killed an eavesdropper who should not have been in the room listening to a private conversation. Not only is he pleased with the fact he has killed Polonius, but he also hides the body so there can be no proper burial for Polonius. If he truly loved Ophelia, he would want to express sorrow for her loss and support her through her grief. The death of Ophelia’s father causes her to go mad and she never recovers from the loss. Ultimately, she drowns in the brook, possibly committing suicide. Hamlet never goes to Ophelia to comfort her even though her actions indicate she is loosing her sanity. He leaves for England, at the urging of Claudius, rather than stay in Denmark where he could have monitored the health of Ophelia. If Hamlet truly loved Ophelia, he would have been there for her in her time of need. In the final act Hamlet is at the graveyard when he learns of Ophelia’s death. He is speaking with a gravedigger when Claudius enters with Gertrude, Laertes, a priest, mourners and a coffin. Hamlet hears Laertes voice and realizes he is speaking of Ophelia and it is her funeral. Hamlet enters the scene and jumps into Ophelia’s grave. Laertes proclaims’ â€Å"The devil take thy soul,† and he grapples with Hamlet. It is at this point Hamlet declares his love for Ophelia. â€Å"I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her? † Hamlet only expresses his love for Ophelia after fighting with Laertes. He is trying to out do Laertes with his show of emotion. Even his mother is not convinced of his true love. She states, â€Å"This is mere madness. † In other words she is saying this too shall pass. Hamlet will get over Ophelia’s death. If he truly loved Ophelia, he would have grieved longer over her death. His display of emotion at the graveyard was only in response to the grief of Laertes and not a true love for Ophelia. If Hamlet had truly loved Ophelia, his actions would have demonstrated his true feelings. Instead he only professed his love for Ophelia when it was convenient for him. He used her for his gains and did not really show compassion for her. Even in her death he did not express genuine love for her. How to cite Hamlet Love for Ophelia, Papers