Define and explain Goffman’s concept “merchant of morality.”
What will be an ideal response?
This connection between impression management and the moral standards to which it is subject is captured in Goffman’s notion of the merchant of morality. Individuals are concerned not with the moral issue of realizing these standards, but with the amoral issue of engineering a convincing impression that these standards are realized. Our activity, then, is largely concerned with moral matters, but as performers we do not have a moral concern with them. As performers we are merchants of morality . . . [T]he very obligation and profitability of appearing always in a steady moral light, of being a socialized character, forces one to be the sort of person who is practiced in the ways of the stage. (1959:251)
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In the earliest days of sociology's existence, female sociologists were not on an equal footing with male sociologists
Indicate whether the statement is true or false
Which of the following most accurately defines a symbol?
A. A symbol is anything that stands for something else and has a particular meaning for people who share a culture. B. A symbol refers to a strong prohibition of any act that is forbidden because it is considered to be extremely offensive. C. A symbol is a formally defined norm about what is permissible or illegal. D. A symbol refers to norms that people consider very important because they maintain moral and ethical behavior. E. A symbol is a formal and repeated behavior that unites people.
Durkheim used the term _____ to refer to the condition existing when social regulation in a society breaks down
a. dysfunction b. culture conflict c. anomie d. egoism
__________ refers to the use of tools to accomplish tasks that people used to do by hand
a. Cybernation b. Mechanization c. Industrialization d. Automation