Bumble: Hebdige

“Breach our expectancies…” Weird, unusual, “deviant behavior,” all of these can describe the consequences of acting on counter-hegemonic or ideological impulses. There are societal norms that people must follow in order to keep the social structure flowing smoothly. If you do go against these taken for granted norms then they disturb the peace. Often, it is hard to notice the ideologies, until they are violated! These Mythologies as Barthes puts it tries to uncover the normally, “hidden set of rules, codes, and conventions…” (Hebdige 147). Deviant seems to be a very powerful word, it is almost implying that it is so wrong that it is borderline illegal!

I decided to test just how powerful breaking the rules can be. I went on a search for a societal norm, or code of conduct in every day life atht we often take for granted. I thought of situations where there is a fine line of how to behave. The first thing I thought of was an elevator.

Over break I did an experiment and I was in a busy office building. I decided to wait for the elevator and then try to purposely breech the unconscious behavior of how we all act in an elevator, making sure not to violate any one’s personal space. So when the elevator door opened, I walked in and faced the back. There were about 3 people already in the elevator and it stopped a multiple number of times afterwards. Well, I stayed facing in, and did not turn around to face the door (which is the norm). People were so uncomfortable, and I knew that I had violated these unspoken rules of society. For one thing, I was facing people who did not want to make eye contact, and then the people who walked in were so confused as to whether or not to turn around or stay facing towards the back like me.

Immediately, by not turning around and finding my own space in the elevator I challenged the order and the norm. This little experiment I did proves just how powerful these rules are!