Reader reaction to Freud's "the social construction of normality"

Dear Mr. Goldstein:

My name is Betty Rhein, and I'm a student at Central Michigan University. My major is sociology. I read the article "The Social Construction of Normality" (80[4], 333339) and would like to give my view of the article and my overall opinion.

Ms. Freud gives a very excellent view on what is normal now. Her comment that "the deviant may become the norm" (p. 333) is so true in today's society. I think back just 10 years ago, and not a whole lot was said about drugs and AIDS; today however, just about all companies want a person to do a drug test. AIDS ads weren't put on TV like they are now, and it's a good thing that AIDS is advertised, because everyone needs to be educated about the virus.

Her primary definition of normality is right on target. One person's normal life is another person's abnormal life, but if that person is happy and is not hurting anyone else, then that is his/her norm.

I also work in a state hospital, and I have seen the change in the way the state takes care of its own, no matter where they're from. In the past, the family took care of the ones who were disabled. It was kept in that county, and now it is statewide.

I think we all think that we had awful childhoods until we come into a profession that shows us as long as we eat right, have clean clothes, and are not beaten, then our childhood wasn't that bad. I have seen and read some very awful cases of abuse, where it is hard to believe that a person could want to do that to a child, but the fact is that abuse does happen, and we (case workers) are here to see that the children are protected.

I know that there is a lot of conflicting opinion out there; however, I agree with Ms. Freud. We all have what we think is the norm of our own lives and the lives of those we look after. We are all biased to a certain degree; what we believe is right shouldn't make us uncaring persons as long as we are not hurting or abusing other people.

Sincerely,

Betty Rhein; student of social work

University of Central Michigan

Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

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