The word "society" in Latin means "society". This means that social norms are certain rules, principles, generally accepted standards that govern the behavior of people in society. To paraphrase a once popular verse, we can conclude that social norms indicate "what is good and what is bad." What are their benefits?
All people are different. Each person has merits and demerits, habits and prejudices, peculiar to him only character traits, temperament, attitudes, tastes, etc. No wonder folk wisdom says: "There is no companion for taste and color." What will happen if everyone begins to behave solely of his own free will, as he wants, as it seems to be right and profitable? It is easy to understand: complete chaos will immediately reign in society, egoism, brute force, the "law of the jungle" will triumph. That is why, in order to prevent anarchy and lawlessness, to bring social life into some more or less acceptable framework, there are social norms that are binding on everyone. You can compare them with traffic lights that regulate traffic and pedestrians. Of course, even in the most developed and fair society, anyway, someone will be dissatisfied, considering these standards either too rigid, fettering individual freedom and initiative, or, on the contrary, too liberal, condescending. But it is impossible to please absolutely everyone. This has never happened before, and is unlikely to happen in the future. Of course, social norms should not be regarded as something once and for all given, unchanging, frozen. Times are changing, and so is society. What was considered absolutely unthinkable until recently, now no one resents and does not shock. And, accordingly, social norms change, adapting to new rules and attitudes. Of course, this does not happen immediately, but gradually, when the need for change becomes apparent to most members of society. The implementation of social norms requires control. It can be either self-control - when a person observes norms not out of fear of public condemnation or even punishment, but simply because of his upbringing, because his conscience orders it, or public control - especially if the society is very strict about observing customs and traditions. The highest form of social norms is the laws. And, accordingly, if a violation of customs and traditions can entail only moral condemnation (at least in some cases very strong), then violation of laws is fraught with criminal liability. And the stronger this violation, the harder its consequences, the more severe the punishment will be.
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