ecome constructed as "winning the game" rather than "winning under the rules of the game." Through the same process, tension generated by the desire to win in a poker game is relieved by a successful dealing one's self four aces, or when shuffling the cards in a game of solitaire. Merton states that "cultural (or idiosyncratic) exaggeration of the success - goals leads men to withdraw emotional support from the rules" (232-233). On the other hand, a person who robs a bank to attain money is labeled a criminal, and given punishments. People who mug, rob, and burglarize are feared and hated in our society, but cheaters, plagiarizers, and perjurers are not. These double standards create confusion, and lead members of our society to feel as if they are without guidance or clear morals. The next argument proving how American society causes deviance is due to American society putting too much emphasis on goals, and not enough value attached the correct means to achieve these goals. Merton states that "American culture continues to be characterized by a heavy emphasis on wealth as a basic symbol of success, without a corresponding emphasis upon the legitimate avenues on which to march toward this goal" (Social Structure 235). Due to this lack of clear guidance, strong social pressure to achieve, and inadequate ways to achieve the pressures society inflicts causes members to be deviant to attain acceptable status in our society. Merton further emphasizes that:Of the types of societies that result from independent variations of cultural goals and institutionalized means, we shall primarily be concerned with the first - a society in which there is an exceptionally strong emphasis upon specific goals without corresponding emphasis upon institutional procedures. No society lacks norms governing conduct. But societies do differ in the degree in which the folkways, mores, and institutional controls are effectively integrated with the goals which stan...
