Week Six

         

   “Born to be bad” is a controversial topic. Can people really have a criminal future coming to them from birth? Henry Lucas Lee was a serial killer that committed thousands of murders during his life time. He raped, strangled, stabbed and brutalized all these people, with joy. He felt nothing at all while killing these people, except maybe accomplished. He even said that the favorite time of his life was when he was killing his mother. Many would say this guy was born to be bad, he had no hope, that is until you take a look at his past. Growing up his mom was a prostitute, he was abused at home, left unconscious for days, left alone in a hospital, taught how to have sex with animals, beaten by his teachers, and bullied at school. He lacked the four socialization agents which include, family, friends, media and school. Family is an important socialization agent because even with having trouble at school, a child’s family is never supposed to leave them behind, they are always supposed to have help when they get home. It is important to feel belonging and to nurture and love unconditionally. Friends are important for socialization because they offer a second outlet, people to hang out with where you can’t get in trouble for getting certain things off your chest. They are there to share common interests and be good company when needed. School is good for education and to teach interaction with new people, people of authority, people older or younger and people of the opposite gender. It offers teachers, that can give another safe adult to talk to if a parent is not present. The media can give an easy way to communicate, and share opinions as well as being exposed to lots of other viewpoints. He had no proper outlet and no way out of his awful environment. His life time of killings was a lashing out of anger from his past, Henry was never given the chance to be good, his upbringing made sure he suffered and consequently the lives of thousands.

A role is a behavior expected of someone with a particular status. For example, a mother is expected to be nurturing. A role set is the number of roles attached to a single set. Role conflict is the incompatibility among roles corresponding to two or more statuses. For example, one might be forced to turn down a promotion in order to keep their role as a nurturing and present parent. Role strain is the incompatibility among roles corresponding to a single status.