Chapter Four; The Meaning of Social Control.

Peter Berger, the author of The Meaning of Social Control; speaks about social controls. He states "Social control is one of the most generally used concepts in in sociology. It refers to the various means used by a society to bring its recalcitrant members back into line," (p. 1). He goes on to mention three methods of social control, politico-legal system, economic pressure, and ostracism. The mechanisms of control keep the balance between the roles and actions of society/groups. Mechanisms of control vary pertaining to the purpose and character of the group in in question. I agree with mostly all of what Berger discussed, about violence being the oldest means of social control, and that it relates to the politico-legal method which is the method that I have been exposed to the most living in America this and; economic pressure, which is connected to how the economy would judge and ridicule you if you were to be disobedient in regards to organizational structure. The last is ostracism, where one is shunned for going against their groups beliefs this conventional (p.93) form of control was explain through given example of the Amish; and how if and Amish person was intimate with someone that was not Amish they would still be a part of society but no one would be aloud to speak to them. In chapter four the organizational structure (p. 93) connects to all three forms of mechanisms of control, because the organizational structure also varies depending on what group is being addressed, and  are the different rules and roles set for people to follow. Their rational actions (p. 99) are what decides if they are subject to any of the three forms of social controls. I find that these methods of control are needed just as organizational structure is needed because the two keep things balanced.


A statement made by Berger that caught my attention was "Society antedates us and it will survive us," (p. 4). After reading this line I thought, "what does this mean?" Society came before us and it will survive us; does this mean that our actions are against what society has organized for us to follow and thus we would be destroying our society, but society will not cease because the generation does not make society, but instead it is society that molds the generation. He continues with "It was there before we were born and it will be there after we are dead. Our lives are but episodes in its majestic march through time. In sum, society is the walls of our imprisonment in history." Leaving me to wonder what is ones actual worth to society?



Signed; The Outlook Blogger.