Recall: Peer pressure in place of restrictive laws

November 30, 2006 1:26 PM

Does anyone remember a Mefi comment that touches on the idea that today's "social conformity/peer pressure" has taken the place of yesteryear's freedom restricting laws? I think it was posted during the summer.
posted by Clementines4ever to MetaFilter-Related at 1:26 PM (6 comments total)

I remember it, but it might have been something someone asked me to delete. There are a handful of memorable comments from the past few years that have come back to haunt people in their job searches as people google their name.

I'm almost entirely sure that comment is gone at the request/urging of the person that made it.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 1:43 PM on November 30, 2006

Ironic proof of concept.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:48 PM on November 30, 2006 [1 favorite]

If it's a concept that interests you, you should probably look at Michel Foucault's History of Sexuality, Discipline and Punish and "Society Must Be Defended," where he argues that "law" is being replaced by the "norm." (At least, that's what it sounds like the comment was about).
posted by maxreax at 1:53 PM on November 30, 2006

Wait wait wait. I'm almost positive I've read this post before. Not *that* one, but this one right here. Did I just have a major deja vu?
posted by loiseau at 2:59 PM on November 30, 2006

I knew you were going to say that.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:06 PM on November 30, 2006

Did I just have a major deja vu?

Me too.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:30 PM on November 30, 2006