The world in which humans live is perceived and understood within the physical and social world based upon a sense of shared predictability called æorderÆ. æDevianceÆ or æOthernessÆ is a way of challenging human worldview assumptions, or that which is taken-for-granted as a sense of normalcy and/or naturalness.
On a fundamental level, deviance calls into question basic human beliefs and ideas: in a way, deviant behavior threatens humans. On a social level deviance challenges the present boundaries of social order: the existing web of human relationships, values, reality and meaning
Control is therefore necessary to help maintain order. Internally, this occurs through human socialization. Externally, humans create another system of norms, sanctions and enforcement.
Deviance is problematic to the human social order, and yet essential and intrinsic to any conception of the same social order. Deviance is problematic due to its disruptiveness; on the other hand, deviance is essential because it defines the boundaries of the shared human reality; and lastly, deviance is intrinsic to a conception of order that defines what is real and expected, by defining what is acceptable, and defining who humans are- through always defining opposition to what is unreal, unexpected, unacceptable, and who we are not (æWeÆ defines æTheyÆ). If humans can accept the reality of change, then designations of deviance are crucial in locating the shifting boundaries of the socially structured human reality.
When humans then define some one or some group as deviant, they strengthen their position and simplify the human response to the æotherÆ: in this way humans may choose to ignore, expunge, destroy, or rehabilitate the defined deviant other. Humans convince themselves of their own normalcy by condemning and controlling those who disagree. Deviance is a phenomenon situated in power: Winners are the good and the normal; Losers are the...