Why do people do dumb things like take drugs, join gangs, or lie?
Ahhh… you said the magic word; “dumb.” Dumb is a relative view of behavior. The interesting thing about human behavior is that many times, what is completely insane or “dumb” to you is completely normal and acceptable for someone else. Obviously, the majority of western society sees these things as deviant and/or criminal, while others do not. Gangs in particular become a separate reality for many people in certain areas and not belonging to a gang would be strange and “dumb” because that is their reality and the social environment they grow up in reinforces that as acceptable behavior. Drug use is a little different, but again, why is drug use considered “dumb” while alcohol consumption is socially acceptable? Do you see my point? This is something I ask my students to consider when they look at other subcultures or behaviors. Until you can understand that these people have a different reality from yours, it is very difficult to begin to study and understand why they do what they do
