Parsons\' Concept of Cultural Strain

Parsons' Concept of Cultural Strain

As a person credited for his critical perspective in sociology, Parsons' concept of cultural strain helps human beings to understand the society well from its demands. In this case, there exist two most significant aspects. First, the limits of the system and its surrounding and the included procedures integrated in the system. Either of the two applies in terms of their functions. In this perspective, with adaptation and aim achievement maintains the outside / external limits while the internal processes remain by combination and logical order concealment (Hartnell, n.d.). Parsons' concept of cultural strain urges humans to understand the society through the system pressures and demands.

Considering that above settings, human beings will start with a willing action where they practice and interest more in their decisions that are subject to prevailing situations and obvious anticipations. Because the system functions incline towards equilibrium, it can on the other hand be out of order/disorganized if subsystems fail to integrate well and this results from a cultural strain (Allan, 2005). Whenever societies continue to distinguish themselves, correspondence with the subsystems should become prevalent. During the process, some societies will utilize abnormal cultures, which eventually set a strain in the system because some of the subsystems defy modification as others proceed with changes. These conditions thus encourages motivation from which if the people/group members understand this, revolutions is possible as members are obliged to establish a subculture with the aim of bringing together the group in search for better values and practices. The culture then should be broad enough to succeed and be logically acceptable. During the revolution, it is an either win situation to those in need of a change and those denying it. However, in whatever outcome, there are set procedures to follow in integrating the subsystems. Following a successful revolution, the subsystems should create cultures/practices that bring the system together. In the entire process, institutionalization takes place in patterning characters for ranking, roles, and practices (Allan, 2005, p. 367). Remember, that all these efforts are attempting to eliminate cultural strains, if they exist, and through innovation, they adapt other viable practices.

For a successful revolution, potential for change should be there, enhanced through motivation, dissatisfaction where the smaller groups should organize themselves should also exist, after which there should be ideologies to legitimize success and finally, conditions for revolutionizing groups should connect to the social organization (Allan, 2005, p. 371). In addition, the cultural strain can result to conflicts like for instance when the fundamentalists denies the proposition to abandon their traditions (Allan, 2005, p. 367), where the strain as an agitation of a cultural anticipation in a system, as it tries to disturb the equilibrium of the system.

Considering a society characterized by different individuals that have varied backgrounds and understanding, shaped by different surroundings, and having understanding that there exists no perfect society, this society from the continuing challenges is experiencing cultural strain, as there exists differences in opinions from the structural constituents of the system thus an abrupt need for social modification. This is from the mechanical solidarity resulting from valued traditional practices as well as values and beliefs, and on the other part organic solidarity where there are differences on individual demands concerning their tasks. From a Parson's approach, this rapid need for change then has high possibility of causing crime in the sense of poverty where, the lower class attempts to attain the middle class characteristics causing strain in the system, as there are few opportunities in the limited boundaries and these violets the conventional rules and practices if the lower class fails through acceptable ways. This then leads to creation to illegal groups to force their way to the middle class and thus crime results from innovations as the lower class believe they cannot achieve through lawful means, through retreating where they defy aims physically and psychologically rebelling for their own wants (Hartnell, n.d.).