Essay About Changing Image Of The Insider And Members Of Society

Insiders and Outsiders
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INSIDERS AND OUTSIDERS
Who are the insiders?
people who conform
behave according to the accepted rules
members of society
only insiders in their own group
Insider clubs and societies
Freemasons, Scouts, Guides, Trade Union, Working Mens Club,
Gentlemens Clubs,
own rules of behaviour for its members
protect the interests of their members
sometimes expensive to join
The changing image of the insider
insider today Ðo maybe outsider tomorrow
changing its views of what is and what is not acceptable
What is normal for society?
every society has its own rules or norms which govern the way it expects ist members to conform
laws to protect members
rules for sexual behaviour
accepted norms of dress and social behaviour
anyone not conforming may be considered abnormal or an outsider
boundaries are ill-defined / surprisingly wide
Who are the outsiders?
gypsies, hippies, homeless, punks, jews, homosexuals, lepers, travellers, unmarried,
individuals or part of a minority group
eccentrics, protesters Ðo chosen to be outsiders
people who are depending on alcohol, drugs or gambling Ðo are forced into becoming outsiders because the standards of their behaviour are not accepted
members of certain religious or racial minority groups
others become outsiders because of some disability or disease
Ðo lepers:
have been shunned and avoided
have an illness which could spread to others
were herded together in groups and driven from town to town
were forced into becoming outsiders because of physical diseas
Acting the part of the outcast
expect a cripple to be crippled
become suspicious and insecure if they fall short of these expectations
Fear and hostility
afraid of losing the job
be ashamed
want to hide the disease
Single parents
are seen as outsiders
people think they would get more money from Social Security than people who go to work
not all single parents are getting what they are entitled to, simply because they dont know their rights
are often happier without partner
The childless
because ot infertility
seem to regard themselves as failures
modern medical research has helped many couples
hurts them tremendously
Role reversal
has been traditional for men to be the breadwinner and for the wife to stay at home to look after the children
these roles are being reversed by young couples
this may be because the job market is such that it is easier fot the woman to get a job
other people think men who look after children would be odd
Illegitimacy
in the past children who were born to unmarried parents were regarded as outsiders by society and law as well
illegitimacy is not viewed in the same way in all countries
(iceland: 6% of all first born children are born outside of marriage – mothers
and babies are accepted)
The unmarried
not so long ago: woman of 30 years plus who had not married Ðo “old maid”
image of a rather unhappy, unfulfilled person
today unmarried woman are seen to be leading successful and enviable lives
AIDS – the new sexual plaque?
AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
doctors
are desperatly traying to fight the disease
are striving to educate the general public
refuse to perform biopsies on AIDS victims
victims are vulnerable to infection
people of 20 or 30 years are dying from this disease
they are often spurned
they are showen no sympathy
people say it would be difficult to know what to do with the sufferers