The late democratic senator, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, would be concerned by the current conditions in our country today. Moynihan was a US senator for 24 years and prior to that served as a cabinet member in both democratic and republican administrations. Maybe of particular note was his time serving as Counselor to the President for President Nixon. He was a politician who believed in working across the aisle, something very much needed today.
In the early 1990’s Moynihan warned of the danger of what he described as “deviancy down,” in which worse and worse behavior comes to be accepted as the norm. According to Moynihan, “there is a limit to the amount of deviant behavior a community can afford to recognize.” As more and more bad behavior is tolerated the standards by which we live change. Moynihan says, “We are getting use to a lot of behavior that is not good for us.”
Much of what Moynihan was referring to during the 90’s had to with the criminal justice system and the deinstitutionalization of our mental health system. He was fearful that, as a society we were becoming more and more accepting of what he considered inappropriate and illegal behavior. “Redefining deviancy so as to exempt much conduct previously stigmatized and also quietly raising the normal level in categories where behavior is now abnormal by any earlier standard,” Moynihan wrote.
Working in the developmental disabilities field for 35 years and helping to implement deinstitutionalization in our community I do not agree with everything Moynihan says. Clearly deinstitutionalization, especially for those with severe mental health issues, has been difficult. It is clear that some of our homeless population is a direct result of deinstitutionalization. None the less it was the right thing to do.
On the other hand the concept of “deviancy down” sure seems to apply today. Political, social, and work norms are all being challenged. “Appropriate behavior” seems to be a concept that has gone out the window.
The new normal is to have metal detectors in schools, movie theatres, sport arenas and stadiums, teachers learning to use weapons, and church members carrying guns to church.
The new normal is violent movies, violent music, and violent video games.
The new normal is our national political leaders demonstrating total disrespect for each other rather than trying to solve the problems of our country.
The new normal is some parents not teaching their kids basic manners and right from wrong.
As Rotarians “Deviance down” should be a concern to all of us. The gradual decline of our country’s norms of good behavior has direct impact on all of us. The Rotary Code of Conduct tells us to avoid behaviors that reflect adversely on Rotary. I believe implied in that, is a responsibility for Rotarians to make sure that we do everything possible to assure that America maintains high standards by which we all live.
