Social Norms

From the section "Some rules of Satyagraha", I gleaned the theme of social expectations, or social definitions. Gandhi classifies how individuals, prisoners, and units shall act. He defines that individuals "will harbor no anger", "never retaliate", and "he will not resist the attachment or removal of his own property" (158). Concerning the behavioral expectations of a prisoner, a prisioner will "behave courtesly towards prision officials", "not ask for such conveniences as may be required for his physical or spiritual well-being", and "will not fast for want of conveniences whose deprivation does not involve any injury to one's self-interest" (159). Gandi even goes as far as to define the social expectations of units. About units, he writes, as a unit "he shall carry out order in the first instance even though they appear to him insulting", and "will joyfully obey all the orders issued by the leader of the corps, whether they please him or not" (159). The legacy of Gandhi's social expectations can still be seen today, as different people,(of different religions, races, etc.) are supposed to act differently. Like today, as in gandhi's time, stereotypying is present.