Pre-Scientific Explanations to Deviance This Lecture will cover
Pre-Scientific Explanations to Deviance This Lecture will cover: 1) Myths, Parables, and Stories about Deviance 2) Trickster Legends and Contemporary Legends 3) Demonic Perspective: First Casual Explanations of Deviance 4) Witch Craze: A model for Moral Panics 5) Moral Panics: Holocaust, Red Scare, Satanic Child Abuse Scares 6) Satanism: as a Moral Panic, Role-Playing, and Metaphor “The Devil Made me Do it!”
Prior to the Enlightenment, deviance was thought of as both causal and supernatural. (Pre 1700s) People understood life and reality (including deviance) in terms of myths, parables and stories…. They explained experiences and often were created to help people conform… in terms of social control, regulation and the consequences of non-conformity (we still often use these stories to raise our children) Many stories during this time were geared to children. Teaching children about the consequences of deviant behavior.
Example:
Slovenly Peter: Translated from German by Mark Twain Konrad the Thumb sucker – suck your thumb and it will get cut off. (These stories are considered too harsh for children today) The Boy who cried wolf – Don't be a liar something bad will happen Little Red Riding Hood – Don't talk to strangers. (Modern story) Original story was about sexual assault according to the professor. Pinocchio- don't lie The Emperors New Clothes – Story about vanity and public humiliation
All of these stories told children “If you deviate bad things are going to happen to you”. The Trickster Legend Common Archetype in folklore and mythology Often a comedic figure who breaks rules to achieve his or her own ends (However predominantly male) Still very common in modern culture/ media/ entertainment Varies in conception. Examples: Bugs bunny- Harmless Practical Joker Robin Hood – deviant in the name of greater good
Joker Batman – Malicious deviant
West African Mythology: most prominent trickster: Anansi (spider) or Papa Legba (Guardian of cross roads: access to the spirit world) The trickster embodies the paradox of deviance. They show both the appeal and the repercussions of deviance. Contemporary Legends - Differ from legends of the past in that they claim to be based on fact rather than fiction of fantasy. - These legends although highly believable are based on hearsay rather than fact. Some of them are horror stories reflecting urban fears (Stolen kidneys, hypodermic needles in phone booths or theatre seats)which often come from a desire for more social order. Or some like the trickster tales are stories with a humorous slightly ambiguous moral twist. Example: The Proctor and Gamble logo
It was on shampoo, soup etc – associated with Satanism – People claimed that the number of stars in the logo and the backward 666 in the beard was proof that the company was associated with the church of Satan. The claims made about the logo resulted in loss of sales and the company sued a bunch of people. Eventually they changed their logo. Early Explanations of Deviance: The Demonic Perspective The Earliest recorded attempts to explain rather than describe the nature of deviance. ⁃ Deviance was explained rather than described as being caused by supernatural forces. No one looked and physiology, medical environmental or natural reasons for “bad” things. No such thing as a coincidence. Think of miscarriages, failed crops, illness. The Devil caused these things. Dualistic way of looking at the world good vs evil. Huge impact on the study of deviance until 1970s. ⁃
⁃ The Pagan as deviant. Dominant religions have done their best in the past to discredit other religions... turning their gods and rituals into demonic entities and practices. (Movie the burning times) ⁃ Pantheistic worldview - the doctrine that regards the universe as a manifestation of the gods – Deviance and all bad things are the acts of gods and or hostile spirits. Therefore deviance and suffering were beyond human control. Deviance is not predictable or preventable. Multi-gods ⁃ Monotheistic worldview – Belief in only one god, deity or spirit. Deviance of all forms has some human accountability. People are accountable for giving into the forces of evil. 2 pathways – 1) temptation and 2) possession. Social Control of Demonic Deviance 1) Exorcism: Cleansing the body of demonic influence 2) Destroying the demonic influence via purifying the individual through extreme suffering or death. The Witch Craze: 1400- 1700 Prior to CE 1000 – Those who practices witchcraft were tolerated, misunderstood, respected at times, and viewed suspiciously at times - Church cannon law – witches were deluded Between C.E. 1000 – 1480: Witches were redefined as agents of the devil rather than harmless and misunderstood. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Contributing Factors 1) Roman Catholic inquisition 2) Malleus Maleficarum (a book) ⁃ Part One:Witches were a huge danger ⁃ Part Two: How to identify a witch ⁃ Part Three: Methods to prosecute, torture etc. Sex “The witches themselves have often been lying on their backs in the fields or the woods, naked up to the very navel, and it has been apparent from the disposition of those limbs and members…. they have been copulating with Incubus devils”. Midwives As soon as the child is born, the midwife, if the mother herself is not a witch, carries it out of the room on the pretext of warming it, raises it up, and offers it to the Prince of Devils, that is Lucifer, and to all the devils” Anti Male “But no one who reads the histories can doubt that there have always been witches, and that by their evil works much harm has been done to men, animals, and the fruits of the earth”
Superiority of Men – Women as sexual deviants “It does not appear that men thus devilishly fornicate with the same full degree of culpability; for men, being by nature intellectually stronger than women, are more apt to abhor such practices” Modern Beliefs about demonic deviance Anti-Christ… People who have been accused include: Harry Potter, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Gates ⁃ more focus on men then women ⁃ more satanists than witches ⁃ Modern versions of Witch Hunting: The Holocaust Hitler, The Red Scare – Senator J. McCarthy, Child Molestation and abuse in day cares. Movie – The Burning Times Professor says to think about Deviance and the power people have to create types of deviance. How is deviance socially constructed? How does deviance change over time? What is the impact of Labeling? Notes: ⁃ ⁃ ⁃ ⁃ ⁃ ⁃ ⁃
Heathens persecuted as witches. - We still call these women witch doctors. Witch comes from the word wic – “to bend” to will or mind Idea of witches as evil is not dead. 85% of people killed during witch-hunts were women. Churches built of pagan shrines and goddesses turned into saints. Virgin Mary – seen as a goddess by some, lady of the world, mother of god Joan of Arc – killed for being a witch. o Heard voices of Saints – at the time it was okay for women to have visions, or be prophetic.
⁃
Midwives –birth control and abortion interfered with gods plan. Also eased the pain of childbirth, which is the punishment for eve’s sins.
⁃
Poor women, those who begged for a living or the old were easy scapegoats.
⁃
Having the explanation of witches for all the troubles took pressure off of the established power- church and government. Being old used to be considered good – you were a wise women- survived. Changed to hag/ witch.
⁃
⁃
Costly to charge a witch and process her – the cost came from her property if she had any. It provided employment for layers and judges.
⁃
3rd degree- comes from three levels of torture- often died
⁃
Prior to the Enlightenment, deviance was thought of as both causal and supernatural. (Pre 1700s) People understood life and reality (including deviance) in terms of myths, parables and stories…. They explained experiences and often were created to help people conform… in terms of social control, regulation and the consequences of non-conformity (we still often use these stories to raise our children) Many stories during this time were geared to children. Teaching children about the consequences of deviant behavior.
Example:
Slovenly Peter: Translated from German by Mark Twain Konrad the Thumb sucker – suck your thumb and it will get cut off. (These stories are considered too harsh for children today) The Boy who cried wolf – Don't be a liar something bad will happen Little Red Riding Hood – Don't talk to strangers. (Modern story) Original story was about sexual assault according to the professor. Pinocchio- don't lie The Emperors New Clothes – Story about vanity and public humiliation
All of these stories told children “If you deviate bad things are going to happen to you”. The Trickster Legend Common Archetype in folklore and mythology Often a comedic figure who breaks rules to achieve his or her own ends (However predominantly male) Still very common in modern culture/ media/ entertainment Varies in conception. Examples: Bugs bunny- Harmless Practical Joker Robin Hood – deviant in the name of greater good
Joker Batman – Malicious deviant
West African Mythology: most prominent trickster: Anansi (spider) or Papa Legba (Guardian of cross roads: access to the spirit world) The trickster embodies the paradox of deviance. They show both the appeal and the repercussions of deviance. Contemporary Legends - Differ from legends of the past in that they claim to be based on fact rather than fiction of fantasy. - These legends although highly believable are based on hearsay rather than fact. Some of them are horror stories reflecting urban fears (Stolen kidneys, hypodermic needles in phone booths or theatre seats)which often come from a desire for more social order. Or some like the trickster tales are stories with a humorous slightly ambiguous moral twist. Example: The Proctor and Gamble logo
It was on shampoo, soup etc – associated with Satanism – People claimed that the number of stars in the logo and the backward 666 in the beard was proof that the company was associated with the church of Satan. The claims made about the logo resulted in loss of sales and the company sued a bunch of people. Eventually they changed their logo. Early Explanations of Deviance: The Demonic Perspective The Earliest recorded attempts to explain rather than describe the nature of deviance. ⁃ Deviance was explained rather than described as being caused by supernatural forces. No one looked and physiology, medical environmental or natural reasons for “bad” things. No such thing as a coincidence. Think of miscarriages, failed crops, illness. The Devil caused these things. Dualistic way of looking at the world good vs evil. Huge impact on the study of deviance until 1970s. ⁃
⁃ The Pagan as deviant. Dominant religions have done their best in the past to discredit other religions... turning their gods and rituals into demonic entities and practices. (Movie the burning times) ⁃ Pantheistic worldview - the doctrine that regards the universe as a manifestation of the gods – Deviance and all bad things are the acts of gods and or hostile spirits. Therefore deviance and suffering were beyond human control. Deviance is not predictable or preventable. Multi-gods ⁃ Monotheistic worldview – Belief in only one god, deity or spirit. Deviance of all forms has some human accountability. People are accountable for giving into the forces of evil. 2 pathways – 1) temptation and 2) possession. Social Control of Demonic Deviance 1) Exorcism: Cleansing the body of demonic influence 2) Destroying the demonic influence via purifying the individual through extreme suffering or death. The Witch Craze: 1400- 1700 Prior to CE 1000 – Those who practices witchcraft were tolerated, misunderstood, respected at times, and viewed suspiciously at times - Church cannon law – witches were deluded Between C.E. 1000 – 1480: Witches were redefined as agents of the devil rather than harmless and misunderstood. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Contributing Factors 1) Roman Catholic inquisition 2) Malleus Maleficarum (a book) ⁃ Part One:Witches were a huge danger ⁃ Part Two: How to identify a witch ⁃ Part Three: Methods to prosecute, torture etc. Sex “The witches themselves have often been lying on their backs in the fields or the woods, naked up to the very navel, and it has been apparent from the disposition of those limbs and members…. they have been copulating with Incubus devils”. Midwives As soon as the child is born, the midwife, if the mother herself is not a witch, carries it out of the room on the pretext of warming it, raises it up, and offers it to the Prince of Devils, that is Lucifer, and to all the devils” Anti Male “But no one who reads the histories can doubt that there have always been witches, and that by their evil works much harm has been done to men, animals, and the fruits of the earth”
Superiority of Men – Women as sexual deviants “It does not appear that men thus devilishly fornicate with the same full degree of culpability; for men, being by nature intellectually stronger than women, are more apt to abhor such practices” Modern Beliefs about demonic deviance Anti-Christ… People who have been accused include: Harry Potter, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Gates ⁃ more focus on men then women ⁃ more satanists than witches ⁃ Modern versions of Witch Hunting: The Holocaust Hitler, The Red Scare – Senator J. McCarthy, Child Molestation and abuse in day cares. Movie – The Burning Times Professor says to think about Deviance and the power people have to create types of deviance. How is deviance socially constructed? How does deviance change over time? What is the impact of Labeling? Notes: ⁃ ⁃ ⁃ ⁃ ⁃ ⁃ ⁃
Heathens persecuted as witches. - We still call these women witch doctors. Witch comes from the word wic – “to bend” to will or mind Idea of witches as evil is not dead. 85% of people killed during witch-hunts were women. Churches built of pagan shrines and goddesses turned into saints. Virgin Mary – seen as a goddess by some, lady of the world, mother of god Joan of Arc – killed for being a witch. o Heard voices of Saints – at the time it was okay for women to have visions, or be prophetic.
⁃
Midwives –birth control and abortion interfered with gods plan. Also eased the pain of childbirth, which is the punishment for eve’s sins.
⁃
Poor women, those who begged for a living or the old were easy scapegoats.
⁃
Having the explanation of witches for all the troubles took pressure off of the established power- church and government. Being old used to be considered good – you were a wise women- survived. Changed to hag/ witch.
⁃
⁃
Costly to charge a witch and process her – the cost came from her property if she had any. It provided employment for layers and judges.
⁃
3rd degree- comes from three levels of torture- often died
⁃
