How We're Anomies

The following is a paper written for my sociology class. Sociology is something I've come to appreciate recently. While the theories rarely interest me, I enjoy learning of trends and putting names to concepts I observe. This week's topic was anomie, a state people reach when they win the lottery and can no longer relate to culture normally. I naturally had to apply this concept to a favorite subject, life overseas and how we're anomies in our own right. Albeit this is written for an audience outside this blog and for my evangelical university, but perhaps you can relate...perhaps you're an overseas anomie.

"I can easily relate to the concept of an anomie. Expatriates like myself who have been raised or spent significant time overseas define ourselves as partially anomies. From one culture but living in another culture, we acknowledge that we don’t fit into either and therefore create an informal “third culture” with other expatriates struggling with the same issue. Returning to the States I frequently feel detached and confused as the American culture continues to develop in my absence and I’m left unclear as to the new acceptable standard for behavior, food consumption, clothing style, and slang. Last summer I discovered Americans were “going green.” The year before that was another fad. My response to transitions is reliance on friends, family, and faith.

"Being dropped into new circumstances is challenging and you instantly become an anomie. Likewise being tossed into new personal wealth entailing a new status and prestige come with its own headaches. Shefik Tallmadge was one of those people thrown into change and unable to handle it. Tallmadge was suddenly transformed into anomie and this transformation was complicated by his absence of a support system. Individuals with close friends and family, involved in the community and holding strong religious convictions are destined to handle sudden change better and not become anomies. In Tallmadge’s case he had no friends to guide him, no financial help and in addition was excessively greedy. He was expected to develop good habits after he won the lottery unlike Milt Laird who received his $27 million jackpot yet already had a sound foundation under him. Milt knew how to handle his money thanks in part to history in finance and he made intelligent choices. Friends, faith and community create a group, a small society and to lose this foundation is to become an anomie. Tallmadge fell for the myth that money grows on trees, and his forest proved rather small.

"Christians have their own financial responsibilities. We’re expected to tithe 10% of incomes, stay out of debt, care for our family and generally be “good stewards.” We also have Christian social obligations, to care for widows, orphans and those in distress. Solomon notes our responsibility to, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” An increase in wealth should not cause Believers to forget these responsibilities. Ignoring these God given requirements means becoming an anomie with God and the fellowship of Believers.

"Personally my “social class” is a diverse group of expatriates living and working in Islamabad; German, French, Dutch, British, Australian, and South African. Working in diplomacy and development, they’re highly educated and come from varied backgrounds normally in the lower middle classes. We’re fundamentally different but our anomie-like connection with our homelands brings us together in a tight community holding out for stability in strange and insecure country. My family informally appointed ourselves custodian of laughter, and we strive that everyone who walks through our door is able to laugh and relax. It’s our witness to extend encouragement to expatriates and nationals, Christians and non-Christians alike and demonstrate that we believe in the sovereignty of God despite any insecurity."