Singapore has a reputation of being a clean city. In 1992 Singapore banned chewing gum to keep people from sticking it in public places and making a mess with it. On smh.com, it states that one of the main reasons for the ban of chewing gum in Singapore was because people would stick it in the doors causing the doors to get stuck. This would then cause delays in the subway transportation. In 2004 they changed the ban on chewing gum by allowing someone to chew gum if they had a prescription to do so (McIntyre). Since chewing gum is banned in Singapore, someone who decides to chew gum would be considered deviant in Singapore. As stated on wisegeek.com, the penalties on chewing gum are similar to the penalties on littering in Singapore: the first time you are caught it could cost someone between $500 and $1,000 U.S. dollars. Repeat offenders could get a fine of up to $ 2,000 U.S. dollars.
In the United States chewing gum is not considered deviant behavior. When I was in middle school, the school made a rule that chewing gum would not be allowed in school because they did not want students sticking gum to seats and desks. If you were caught chewing gum, the worst that would happen to you was you would be asked to spit it out in the garbage. Although places like schools may make rules against chewing gum, it is not a punishable rule in the United States like it is in Singapore.
This is another interesting article that had a spot in the news the other day. This shows the cultural difference of norms, deviance, and how soceitys norms define deviance. As you stated in the United States it is not a deviant act to chew gum as it is in Singapore. Another completely opposite action is driving. It is the norm to drive on the right hand side here and to drive on the left hand side in Singapore. If this norm were to be broken in either society it could be potentially dangerous.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_in_Singapore
It's interesting what is considered deviant behavior from culture to culture. Deviance often represents rule obeying and proper manners, but clearly in other cultures such things as chewing gum can be conidered a deviant behavior resulting in fines!Where as in our culture, it can just be considered rude.
ReplyDeleteIt is shocking to know that something as simple as chewing gum is deviant in another culture. This is so shocking because we are so used to chewing gum in our culture. In my middle school we were also not allowed to chew gum, and if we were caught doing so we were only asked to spit it out.
ReplyDeleteDeviant behavior happens when norms are broken. Deviant behavior has become a part of everyday life. There are always some people that break the norms that society sets. I know people in Singapore most break the rule of chewing gum, but how many?
The chewing gum ban in Singapore is actually quite impressive when you think of what is involved in enforcing those laws. Being able to keep track of the gum being taken into the country and making sure individuals don't use it. It seems like it's viewed as a drug in terms of the way it's prevented by the law.
ReplyDeleteYou can only imagine the chaos if a no chewing gum law was passed in the United States. Similar stories include countries that attempt to prevent or slow down the use of tobacco products to no avail. Countries like the United States which manage to prevent tobacco use in some areas such as indoor public places, but an outright ban would be impossible. Also tobacco products are still at large in the United States.
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ReplyDeleteCertain cultures in the Middle East believe that Western cultures that shake hands as a greeting with the right-hand are all deviants. In their country, they always use the left hand to greet people. It is an insult to use the right because that is the hand they use to wipe after using the bathroom.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting blog. It seems bizarre to me that you would actually have to acquire a prescription in order to chew gum. I wonder would be the medical criteria for someone to be prescribed gum. The idea of why they would ban gum chewing makes sense. If it is affecting transportation because people are sticking it on doors in public places then I can agree. On the other hand, you would think people could be responsible enough to get rid of it properly. It's kind of sad that a country would have to go to that extreme of making gum chewing illegal because people cannot have enough respect. It is fascinating to see the different behaviors that are considered deviant in other countries.
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