Quotes About Social norms

And a society composed of men and women who do not bow too much to the conventions is a far more interesting society than one in which all behave alike.

Despite what her father had said about the client's good character, she felt squeamish about polygyny, which was still practiced by many Muslims and a smaller number of elite Hindus. In truth, there was surely polygyny in her own parents' family histories. Parsis hadn't made it a crime until 1865.

It's not a good idea to let on about extreme happy feelings. People get ideas.

She wore almost no jewelry, which Rosa later learned was characteristic of women from the oldest and wealthiest families. Ostentation was for the nouveau riche.

In my time first cousins did not meet like strangers. But we are learning modesty from the Americans, and old English ways are too gross for us.

If the immutable character of sex is contested, perhaps this construct called 'sex' is as culturally constructed as gender; indeed, perhaps it was always already gender, with the consequence that the distinction between sex and gender turns out to be no distinction at all.

Women quickly learn that rape is only a crime in theory; in practice the standard for what constitutes rape is not set at the level of experience of women's violation but just above the level of coercion acceptable to men.

Authoritarian, secretive, sometimes grandiose, and even paranoid, the perpetrator is nevertheless exquisitely sensitive to the realities of power and to social norms. Only rarely does he get into difficulties with the law; rather, he seeks out situations where his tyrannical behavior will be tolerated, condoned, or admired. His demeanor provides an excellent camouflage, for few people believe that extraordinary crimes can be committed by men of such conventional appearance.

She only maintains that it is possible, under some circumstances, for a lady to murder her husband; but that a woman who wears ankle-strap shoes and smokes on the street corner, though she may be a joy to all who know her and have devoted her life to charity, could never qualify as a lady.

But sometimes one hears an Etiquette-Buster's confession that rings true: "You make me feel guilty." I'm not going to bother, this argument goes, so we need to lower the standard so I don't look bad. On

When asked by an English poet who was at the table to read the ancient couplet Discite grammatici cur mascula nomina cunnus/ Et cur femineum mentula nomen habet -Teach us, grammarians, why vagina (cunnus) is a masculine noun/ And why penis (mentula) is feminine –Giacomo answered it with a witty pentameter of his own invention: Disce quod a domino nomina servus habet -It is because the slave always takes the name of his master.

D]ie Urenkel der Nihilisten [...] Was, wenn ihnen Bibel, Grundgesetz und Strafrecht nie mehr gegolten hätten als Anleitung und Regelbuch zu einem Gesellschafsspiel? [...] Wenn wir ihre Gründe nicht mehr verstünden, weil es keine gibt?

A tradition or societal custom of bowing to one another when meeting, or tipping the hat as gentlemen used to, can be changed. But it is not a morally problematic custom. Customs may come and go through time and the different cultures in a country, city, or state. Still, Christians are called by the Church to look beyond this and discern if whether it pushes the boundaries of Christian morality or is just a harmless custom.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a married man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of an heir.

Sebastian Grey. The worrds rang like a miserable moan in her head. On the list of men she ought not to be kissing, he had to rank at the top, along with the King, Lord Liverpool, and the chimney sweep.

There's so much we can't express in our day-to-day interaction with people because it's considered inappropriate. And acting is all about being inappropriate.

In America, going on a date is really more like 'interview night.' You have to give your resume.

I'm glad I wasn't seated next to Celia, because what is there to say to someone younger than you who marries for money, except "How do you like your money?

Being a woman is of special interest only to aspiring male transsexuals. To actual women, it is simply a good excuse not to play football.

No consideration is so powerful with schoolboys as that of being laughed at for any singularity in dress or appearance; the slavery of fashion among grown-up persons is founded partly on the same dread; and the fear of standing in a minority restrains many a man in public life from giving voice to a salutary truth, and planting a gag on the barking mouth of popular error.

Vevers remarked on what struck them as Yates's peculiar attitude toward women: 'He expected them to drink a lot and be beautiful all the time.

Marriage is an important step in a man's life, but I confess I don't understand why we have to spend'so much money in celebrating the perpetuation of our race. Ceremonies are only a show of wealth, at best a gesture of good will toward our friends, and I think perhaps it all goes too far. I wonder if you agree with me

I was not so sure, but Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that's why other people hated them so, and if I started behaving like one I could just go off and find some to play with.

They have manners, Claudine. They're just different from ours. The person who pushed me on the bus expected to be pushed back. That's what I was supposed to do; it's just a game. You won't find better people than in New York.