Examine how social factors have impacted your own work or personal life status and roles.
First, recall Ebaugh’s four stages of role exiting described in Chapter 5 of the eTextbook. Reflect on one example you have experienced with role exiting in either your work or personal life experiences. To what extent does your experience align with Ebaugh’s four stages?
Next, considering the same personal experience and the value of hindsight, discuss the role of any of the three types of social control presented in the eTextbook (conformity, obedience, and stigma) may have played in – or leading up to – the role exit.
How might your knowledge of these social concepts and theories inform your decisions in a future similar situation?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Examining Social Factors in Work and Personal Life
Recalling Ebaugh’s Four Stages of Role Exiting:
Ebaugh’s four stages of role exiting are:
Doubt: In this stage, individuals begin to question their commitment to a particular role and experience a sense of dissatisfaction or dissonance.
Search for Alternatives: Individuals actively seek out alternative roles or options, exploring possibilities outside of their current role.
Turning Point: The turning point marks the moment when individuals commit to exiting their current role and take concrete steps towards disengaging from it.
Creating an Ex-role Identity: Individuals establish a new identity or self-concept separate from the previous role, integrating the experience and redefining their sense of self.
Personal Experience with Role Exiting:
In my work experience, I went through a role exit when I decided to leave a long-term position in a corporate setting to pursue a career in a different industry. Reflecting on this experience, I can relate it to Ebaugh’s stages of role exiting.
Doubt: In the doubt stage, I started questioning my satisfaction and fulfillment in my current role. I felt a lack of motivation and interest, which led me to question the long-term viability of continuing in that career path.
Search for Alternatives: During this stage, I actively explored alternative career paths and industries that aligned more closely with my interests and values. I researched different options, sought advice from mentors, and considered various opportunities.
Turning Point: The turning point occurred when I made the decision to leave my corporate job and pursue a career in a different industry. This decision was marked by concrete actions such as resigning from my position, updating my resume, and actively networking in the new field.
Creating an Ex-role Identity: As I transitioned into my new career, I gradually established a new professional identity. I engaged in professional development activities, built new networks, and embraced the opportunities and challenges that came with the new role.
Role of Social Control in the Role Exit:
In considering the role of social control in my role exit, conformity played a significant part. Conformity refers to adjusting one’s behavior and attitudes to align with societal norms and expectations. Prior to my role exit, I felt pressure to conform to societal expectations of success and stability associated with my previous career. However, as I gained clarity about my own values and aspirations, I was able to overcome societal pressures and make the decision that aligned with my personal growth and happiness.
How Knowledge of Social Concepts Informs Future Decisions:
Having knowledge of these social concepts and theories can inform my decisions in future similar situations by providing a framework for understanding the influence of social factors on individual choices and behaviors. Understanding the stages of role exiting can help me recognize and navigate the process, ensuring that I approach it with intentionality and self-awareness.
Additionally, being aware of the role of social control, such as conformity, obedience, and stigma, can help me critically evaluate societal pressures and expectations that may influence my decisions. It allows me to differentiate between external influences and internal motivations, enabling me to make choices that align with my values and aspirations
