The Erotic Rites of Swingers

Question 1

Culture implies a certain pattern in the society of individual behaviors which includes communication, thoughts, actions, beliefs, and customs among other aspects of life. In America the dominant cultural value is productivity, independent, objectivity as well as a proactive approach towards life. Ethnic groups are responsible in providing members with cultural values which include maintenance and intuition. Members of the same society come together irrespective of their culture. When people interact they share their belief as well. Some of the groups where people interact include sport club where there a number of people with different cultural background who come together.

The reasons being swinging is the best example is because it has people of different cultural and ethnic background but with one goal. Swingers have their own secrets and some language and beliefs that can only be understood by those who are in. Swingers are believed to be conservative since two women can pair but two men cannot since it is distinct from the gay scenario. Swingers believe that swinging can be healthy to everyone interested if only they follow their required rules (Gould, 2000).

Question 2

Culture is a significant pattern in the human life. Every culture is shared by inhabiting he same part of the globe. The geographical location, the beliefs and values constitute their culture and therefore, being a common group within the society it develops the aspect of unity and belonging. Subculture studies usually include the study of symbolism such as music, dressing as well as other visible affections by group members.

The elements of culture include the nonmaterial culture and the material culture. These are:

Symbols

Every culture or cultural group has some symbol. A symbol is anything that is used in place of something else. The symbols shared among a group include gestures, image or sound. For example the wearing of black ring in the swinging community in the toe means that one is in. Each symbol has a meaning to the swingers’ lifestyle.

Language

Language is another element in each culture where a system of symbols and words are used in passing a message. Swinging has its own language which outsiders may not understand. It is not a secret word but since one is not part of them the may not get the meaning.

Values

Values are another crucial element in a cultural system which defines what are good or desired. Therefore in a group members use the values they share when deciding what is bad and good in decision making. For instance in swingers their happiness is what they value most and therefore they do not need a social status

Norms

Each and every society or group has a number of expectations on how their members should and should not behave. A norm is used as a guideline for the behavior expected and each society makes up its own rule and decision on behaviors. In swinging there are certain ways one is supposed to carry themselves. Swinging is an open marriage and requires a certain process. During intimacy then unwanted feeling starts to appear then one should quit swinging.

Question 3

A value is an indication to what extend is something good or bad or viewed good or bad in the given society. Values in the cultural group or society are general and lack the specialty of a particular situation or action. Values can be classified according to aesthetics, cognitive as well as moral reasons. In a group each person is treated with dignity and respect. Swingers give a low priority to religion and traditional sense and they do not really care about their social status. To them their values is innate happiness and values which can be gained through their immediate circles that is friends and relatives (Jenks, 2001).

Question 4

Sanction in sociology are defines as a way of insisting to comply with the societal norms. Sanctions can be negative or positive depending on the outcome that is if they are celebrated they are stated as positive but when they punish they known to be negative. Sanctions are a very powerful force behind the influence of norms such as culture and beliefs.  Reasons why we enforce social norms are because they are very crucial in our daily interaction without them we would have been living in chaotic and unstable groups.

Question 5

Globalization allows the extension of cultural diversities outwards. To this extend that we refer as the global culture where culture has become integrated and incorporated into one dominant culture. In the sport group its social values and norms have led to interaction of various cultural groups. The globalization has brought a number of effects to the real life hence leading to a number of debates.  The powerful cultural trends have a number of effects to both underdeveloped as well as advanced countries. These trends are the one known as modernity but for over time the theories of modernization are now extended to the ideas of globalization (Kimberly, 2016).

There a number of family’s disruption which distract the forces behind modernization as well as globalization, which leads to conflict between religion and culture values, Swinging lifestyle has been facing religious and moral objections for over a period of time since they see it as adultery. Swingers are expose to health risk similar to that expose to casual sex workers which are at risk of contaminating STDs. Protected sex is encourage but however some engage in bare backing which is the unprotected sex. Swingers like other groups have a global diffusion and it is being copied in other societies not because many people are becoming swingers but because of the society admitting to be part of the community.

References

Gould, T. (2000). The lifestyle: A look at the erotic rites of swingers. Firefly Books Limited.

Jenks, R. (2001). The Lifestyle: A Look at the Erotic Rites of Swingers, by Terry Gould. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH, 38(2), 171-173.

Kimberly, C. (2016). Permission to cheat: ethnography of a swingers’ convention. Sexuality & Culture, 20(1), 56-68.