Human behaviour has been, for a long time, vividly influenced by an individual’s milieu, of which “social norms” or “social standards” comprise an unequivocally indispensable segment. Social norms are commonly defined as “certain standards or guidelines to which human behaviour must conform without the use of legal force.” Such norms involve:
These norms vary from country to country, group to group, and one social class to another. Society demands balance, and to create and maintain that balance, it inevitably becomes imperative to have a set of rules, guidelines, and patterns that govern the ethical and moral attitudes of people. Any interference in the same could have a variety of negative consequences, including the destruction of that social symmetry.
In a country as beautiful as India, extensively rich in culture and diversity, there has always been a need for a “glue” that socially binds all the differences and blends them into “one” to promote social cohesion. Thus, the moral values, teachings, and dictums contributing to the development of personality are what this land is known across the entire globe for. Our adherence to family values and social norms has always brought us, as natives of this country, together and closer.
However, there are two misconceptions that one has regarding social norms. Firstly, people often believe that everything they do and every reaction they show is driven by the broad contours framed by social norms. However, there are a few factors responsible for an individual’s behaviour that are independent of social norms. Sometimes, people may also tend to produce certain reactions opposite to what social norms suggest, owing to their lack of adequate knowledge or immense attachment to or emotions surrounding the same.
Secondly, not all norms result in correct behaviour by a person; some do have gloomy repercussions. Let’s go through the following information to do some further digging:
We contemplate from the above that descriptive and injunctive norms can create a feeling of forced behaviour by others, leading to mental distress. On the other hand, moral norms allow for relaxation. They permit people to behave independently of what society wants them to do. People find a direction to follow their own hearts and be protected from the burden of social standards, which can lead to the deterioration of people’s lives, as elucidated from the examples aforementioned in the case of descriptive and injunctive norms.
Well, there can be a plethora of answers as to what makes people wish to conform to such standards. Broadly,
Thus, it is commonly believed that what society wants us to do and what we feel in our hearts are truly the best actions. However, it is important to contemplate the aforementioned line carefully and dig a little deeper into it. The line consists of two basic conditions for any action to be a perfect cue:
The first condition, prima facie, seems to be a prerequisite, but the second one forms the conclusive evidence for any action to be true and genuine. In light of the second condition, it becomes necessary to implore people to begin questioning things before doing them. If the answers are satisfactory, it should be done wholeheartedly; otherwise, it should be avoided. There is a reason for it. When one lives in a self-created environment where his own life is sabotaged by some unjust societal standards, resulting in a restrictive and confining impact, life most likely begins with no meaning, confidence, or bliss. This brings us back to questioning the validity of the very first condition.
Of all the arguments, we uphold the view that occasionally it is okay not to be bound by societal standards, which can have multiple reasons as to why. Sometimes there is a disparity between what a group of people collectively believe to be ethically correct and decide to act in that manner and what is actually correct. In such cases where people identify that adherence to such norms could be a hindrance to their development and growth, there becomes a need for a “mental revolution.” Either the entire group is asked to adopt liberal standards, which allow everyone to choose what they want, or different people go ahead with their own beliefs about what is right and what is not.
However, it should be noted that such changes do not happen overnight; they require consistent efforts and steps taken by some of society’s most powerful individuals to kickstart the process. Such individuals are not trusted by society in the early stages, but eventually they are believed to be right and followed. But not everyone is able to begin the era of reform. Various studies have shown that 90% of people desire to lead a peaceful, uncomplicated life, and “acceptance by society” eases this out. Only ten percent of this population musters the courage to deviate from society and take the uncharted path simply because they believe it is morally correct or a healthy alternative for their own betterment.
Sometimes, the government takes actions to change the mindsets of people by banning certain immoral exercises or acts opposed to public policy that were being performed by groups in the name of social norms or morally correct practices. Such intervention by a legal authority or the country’s government becomes critical to ensuring that the society follows a healthy and progressive path that leads to a reformed culture.
Thus, we must understand that social norms are meant to provide a road map for healthy social cohesion, not to overburden people by robbing them of their mental freedom in decision-making. The ability to express oneself is the only key to a person’s healthy mind and personal autonomy. In a world full of people driven by conformity, it takes guts to stand tall and choose oneself. Making oneself a priority, on the other hand, eventually leads to a happy lifestyle and a person’s well-being!