Judith Butler Beside Oneself Analysis

Not only are social norms important to a society, but they can also have consequences. Judith Butler, in her essay entitled “Beside Oneself: On the Limits of Sexual Autonomy” from Undoing Gender, explains, “Nothing can exist as an element of knowledge if, on one hand, it… does not conform to a set of rules…” (27) If one violates the social norms set forth by their society, they often experience negative consequences. If something is not within the norms of society, than it should not be done. When one does something out of the ordinary, which does not follow the social norms, then they stick out and are extremely noticeable. People are punished if they do not follow social norms. They are not necessarily physically punished, but they can be …show more content…
Social norms often define how a person lives, works, acts, and behaves. Social norms are typically seen as rules and laws set forth by a society that people are expected to follow in order to be acceptable. But, they are much more than that. They are the guidelines people use to categorize someone or something as normal or abnormal. They create a principle of valorization, placing value to various items, including people, places, behaviors, and actions. There are various types of social norms, from prescriptive, proscriptive, informal, formal, to norms regarding public behaviors and one’s individual behavior. But, they are are rules and guidelines people in society are expected to follow in order to be acceptable. If one does not follow these social norms, they are frowned upon and considered outcasts of society. Social norms are transferred through the process of socialization. People learn of them through those around them and those they speak to. Social norms are not just thrown out there for people to look at, but they have a significance in everyday life. They create conformity and unity within a group of people, whether it be a neighborhood, school, city, state, or country. Social norms play a key role in the way people live, work, act, and speak. They are like the building blocks of society, the foundation of the way people go about their lives. Therefore, people should pay attention to what kinds of social norms they are surrounded by in their everyday lives. People should be aware of what they are expected to do in life, so they are not thrown into the unacceptable group of people, where they are considered outcasts of society and people who are different than normal