Is this a good thing? Or is it simply unavoidable? Some societies moreso than others arguably impose conformity of behaviour on members,consciously or unconconciously. What (if any) are the rights and wrongs of this carry on? What methods are used to impose this conformity (if this is what happens) and what methods can be used to counter them (if any)?
Perhaps you could start by describing, in your own words, what you mean by social control, and in what context.
Yes ,I realize it can be multi faceted. Any social group of any size (including simple partnerships) can exhibit it.(One half can be (over) keen to please and the other half can be (over) keen to get their own way ) Taking larger groups and we come across ,as an example gang culture with its rituals and submission of the individual to the group ethic. Go larger (missing out a few steps) and it is obviously for us the nation state with its rules and methods of creating identification of the members with the ideals of the particular country (or sometimes perhaps ideology) It strikes me though that "social control" is a description that might apply to all these manifestations. I wonder is it simply a fact of life (who we are) and that any attempt to "kick against the pricks" is ineffective and maybe even counter- productive. As Dylan said "Fearing not I'd become my enemy in the instant that I preach" etc etc. On the other hand when the promptings become obvious it does seem second nature to wish not to drink the coolaid.
I am predisposed to believe it is a behaviour\circumstance common to all species but one that has much freer rein to. express itself in human society as it is so much more refined.(and consequential?)
This sounds very much like the subject matter of Hobbes Leviathan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviathan_(book) Written during the English Civil War, which gave him much to ponder......
It also reminds me of the "shared sovereignty" vs MAGA arguments going the rounds recently. I don't have any backgound in political theory around those times It seems a little removed (if relevant)and we do live in enormously changed and very fast moving global times.
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