How Is Societys Development Determined by the Way in Which Humans Perceive Rules and Values - Essay Example

Task How is society’s development (its action and history) determined by the way in which humans perceive rules, belief system and values? This assignment expounds on the way society’s development reflected in its history and actions is determined by how people perceive rules, their values, and belief systems. This research paper also underlines the fact that social structures are not as fairly as we assume on a number of occasions. This assignment is based on ‘American History X, a 1998 drama film. Tony Kaye is its director and stares Edward Norton and Edward Furlong among others. The film is about two brothers namely, Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) and Danny Vinyard (Edward Furlong) who live in Venice Beach, Los Angeles, California. Venice Beach is lovely, but is home to brutal gangs involved in racism and crime. Derek and Danny are intelligent students. In the film, we see Derek’s father (William Russ), who is a fire fighter, as a racist. Derek’s life changes when African-American goons kill his father while on duty fighting a fire on Crompton Den. Derek embraces crime and joins a neo-Nazi racist gang; D.O.C (Disciples of Christ) (American History X,1998). He steadily rises up the gang ranks where he becomes the neighbourhood’s most feared racist and criminal. He also embarks on recruiting other young whites into the gang. The gang is notorious for intimidating its targets. All along, Derek’s family is unaware of his criminal duels until Derek picks an argument with Murray, his mum’s boyfriend, himself a Jew. Later in the night, Derek kills two Black-Americans of the Crisps gang whom he catches as they try to the family truck left by their father. Derek is apprehended and charged with voluntary manslaughter (American History X, 1998). He is sentenced to three years in the Men’s California Institution. He later joins the prison gang called Aryan Brotherhood. He becomes disillusioned with the gang after sometime because of the gang’s narcotic trafficking business. Derek befriends, Lamont, who is a Black-American inmate and works with him, in the facility’s laundry. Other neo-Nazi operatives see this and Derek is subjected to rape and torture in the prison’s showers. In the meantime, Derek’s brother, Danny, has adapted to gang life, where he spends time with racial groups and commits crimes. Derek has transformed and views life differently when released from prison. His brother’s links to racial and crime gangs annoys Derek. Danny’s new gang life is a product of influence by Derek’s ideologies and criminal behavior before apprehension. Derek tries to instill some sense into Danny about the harsh life in prison. He tries to advice and stop Danny from following the same criminal path he (Derek) once pursued. Danny internalizes his brother’s advice and vows to quit gang life. There plan to move their family away from the crime infested neighbourhood ends abruptly when Danny is killed the following day by a Black-American he had confronted earlier. The movie is a nonlinear narrative given an "R" rating by movie analysts. The movie is heavily loaded with dirty language, explicit sexuality, and violence expounded through acts of rape. Derek portrays an angry, moody, and hateful youth violating society norms. He is sometimes likeable towards individuals around him especially his brother Danny. The support cast in the film maximumly executes their roles and strengths to the fullest. With this kind of background, we can assess and dissect the question in this assignment (American History X, 1998). American History X brings out features of social stratification in society. The belief that people of different social classes cannot live together in harmony has derailed society’s development through out history (Pascuale). Social antagonistic divisions based on racial lines characterize social stratification in American History X: people of different races perceiving each other as enemies. Derek and Danny are born in a white lower class family, and later bred in a middle class family. Their father, William Russ, influence Derek’s perception of life and society of society before his murder. Russ is a hardworking white American father who happens to harbor racial sentiments towards immigrants and in particular, towards the black community in America. His views directly influence Derek, later Danny. Derek’s perceptions, values, and beliefs, partly determined by his father, go a long way in shaping his future, that of his family and largely, his neighbourhood. Economic inequalities are also evident in the movie, and this line of stratification affects the society due to the constant antagonistic behaviors that exist between people of different classes (Pascuale). Social Injustices as a barrier to a good life have been in existence for ages (Guess who, 2005). In addition, the paradox of the mighty getting mightier and the weak growing weaker fuels the sad situation. The film portrays social justice as a way for individuals in society to cultivate legal, moral, and humanistic principles that help in shaping society for the better. Social justice is reflected in this movie by how Derek transforms his views and principles that guide his interactions with people especially those from different races and backgrounds. It is a blessing in disguise when he gets imprisoned out of which he goes through many problems but is released from prison a changed person. Derek relinquishes his hatred towards and embraces a moral and just human personality. “Immigrants who have come into this country in the past couple of decades are not the enemy”, is Derek’s quote in the film demonstrating his transition and change from the thought of immigrants and people of coloured skin being the enemy, to realizing that they are not enemies to anyone (American History X, 1998). Danny notes “Hate is baggage. Life is too short to be pissed off all the time, it just isn’t worth it” (American History X, 1998). Another important social feature magnified in this film is how people use others as their mirrors in society. This is seen in social situations where people try to understand themselves by evaluating what others see of them in society. What others see and perceive of them influences how these people view them and how they behave in society. Eventually, this has a magnified impact on society. This is shown symbolically in American History X when Derek Vinyard finishes showering and looks at himself in the wall mirror. A closer look at himself leads him to cover his Swastika tattoo and concludes that people who see his tattoo view him negatively due to his open and sworn racism. This is evident when playing basketball and the African-Americans look disturbed when they see his tattoo. Derek sees this reaction from the African Americans and notices that they judge him and form negative conceptions towards him based on how he behaves and acts in society. Evaluating himself through their perceptions has an impact on him since he changes his character after wards. Derek’s transformation and change in character portray his vulnerability and weakness to external social influences. It also shows his willingness to change and reject violence and racism. Derek and Danny are perfect examples of young Americans who have a negative perception towards themselves, holding on to the view that they are targets of attacks by forces and waves of social change. They are also of the view that a level plat form has not been created for all citizens in America, and that the ‘immigrants and black Americans’ have deprived white Americans of their due rights and status. “Nature versus Nurture,” is the next concept to be analyzed in this assignment. American History X portrays this concept when Derek’s father starts to influence him to develop negative feelings and attitudes towards African-American people. His father’s lessons are ignored, and the society he lives in does not advocate for racialism or violence. Derek’s values, beliefs, and perception towards rules governing a society take a turn for the worse when African-Americans kill his father while on duty. Both Heredity and Environmental traits play a vital role in influencing his decision to embrace racism and vent his anger through a racist group (D.O.C). The hereditary factor influencing Derek is evident with what his father tried to teach him and the environmental influence of it is shown by what African-Americans do to his father. This conflict between races, cultures and other criminal elements surrounding Derek and his brother Danny leads to Ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is the habit or practice of judging other people; their customs, cultures and backgrounds using one’s own culture and affiliations as a benchmark for such judgment. These are mostly based on a negative sense. Social development is therefore influenced and affected by what people’s actions, customs (whether inborn or adopted), and beliefs as exemplified in the film American History X. The film shows how racism and criminal behavioral traits disrupt friendships, family ties, and relationships and at the end of it all, lead to death or self-destruction. Social development is dependent on how people carry themselves since society is made up of people. This movie is best recommended to teachers and life models that require vital ways and channels of teaching the true repercussions and results of racialism, prejudice, hate-crimes in the modern society. The movie helps us assess the impact of stereotyping as a hiccup to dignified social participation (Pascuale). It is also vital to explain the correlation between prejudice, crime, and discrimination, and analyze their impacts on ideas and perceptions that shape peoples’ beliefs, social customs, and general self-worth ideas. Works Cited American History X. Directed by Tony Kaye. Newline Cinema, 1998 Guess who. Directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan.20th Century Fox, 2005. Pascuale Palumbo, Ethnicity, and Linguistic Tyranny in America: The Use of "Nigger" in American History X.The Columbia Journal of American Studies. Web, November 13, 2011 Read More