Unit 4: Tipping point

Unit 4: Tipping point

Malcolm Gladwell presents an interesting theory in his work, “The Tipping Point”, expressing his belief that social behavior can be predictable to the point of following a specific pattern. Gladwell insists that, “Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread like viruses do” (344). However, unlike Gladwell’s opinion, human behavior is not a harsh, absolute, and repetitive trend, but rather; human adaptation is a process that builds over time, is unique in every instance, and is constantly evolving. There is a significant distinction between scientific and social behavior.

Gladwell mentions that, “Tipping points are moments of great sensitivity,” (349). He focuses too much on moments, rather than logical conclusions. Change is a gradual action that is best and most accurately analyzed over a long period of time, and is most apparent when done so. 

Societal attitudes towards same-sex relationships have gradually varied over time and place, from requiring all males to engage in same-sex relationships, to casual integration, through acceptance, to seeing the practice as a minor sin, repressing it through law enforcement and judicial mechanisms, and to proscribing it under penalty of death. In a 1976 study, Gwen Broude and Sarah Greene compared attitudes towards and frequency of homosexuality in the ethnographic studies available in the Standard cross-cultural sample. They found that out of 42 communities: homosexuality was accepted or ignored in 9; 5 communities had no concept of homosexuality; 11 considered it undesirable but did not set punishments; and 17 strongly disapproved and punished. Of 70 communities, homosexuality was reported to be absent or rare in frequency in 41, and present or not uncommon in 29.

Once upon a time, same-sex relationships and mainly homosexuality did not use to have the acceptance that it has nowadays. There were even kingdoms and civilizations a who seriously punished even any kind of actions regarding to this behavior as well as remarkable time in history in which it was. Amon those we have:

·         Ancient Greece

·         Ancient Rome

·         The Middle Ages

·         Renaissance

·         19th century

·         Early twentieth century

Despite all these matters that occurred in the past, nowadays homosexuality is seen very differently. The acceptance of it has significantly increased within the centuries for many reasons. Of course, this has been obtained after constantly fighting within several years. Yet, it was not only until the XX and XXI centuries when cities such as Amsterdam, Barcelona Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Montreal, New York, Paris and San Francisco by organizing many events of great impact opened a clear path in order for homosexuality to go through society. Therefore, we have now a much more noticeable acceptance for it.

Societal attitudes toward homosexuality

Pew Global Attitudes Project 2013: Should homosexuality be accepted in society? Percentage of responders that answered that it should be accepted:

·           81–90%

·           71–80%

·           61–70%

·           51–60%

·           41–50%

·           31–40%

·           21–30%

·           11–20%

·           1–10%

·           No data

Homosexuality varies greatly across different cultures and historical periods, as do attitudes toward sexual desire, activity and relationships in general. All cultures have their own values regarding appropriate and inappropriate sexuality; some sanction same-sex love and sexuality, while others may disapprove of such activities in part.  As with heterosexual behavior, different sets of prescriptions and proscriptions may be given to individuals according to their gender, age, social status or social class.

Since the 1970s, much of the world has become more accepting of homosexual acts and relationships. A 2017 book by Professor Amy Adamczyk based on years of mixed methods research, shows that these cross-national differences in acceptance can be explained by three factors: the strength of democratic institutions, the level of economic development, and the religious context of the places where people live.^[4] The Pew Research Center's 2013 Global Attitudes Survey "finds broad acceptance of homosexuality in North America, the European Union, and much of Latin America, but equally widespread rejection in predominantly Muslim nations and in Africa, as well as in parts of Asia and in Russia". The survey also finds "acceptance of homosexuality is particularly widespread in countries where religion is less central in people's lives. These are also among the richest countries in the world. In contrast, in poorer countries with high levels of religiosity, few believe homosexuality should be accepted by society. Age is also a factor in several countries, with younger respondents offering far more tolerant views than older ones. And while gender differences are not prevalent, in those countries where they are, women are consistently more accepting of homosexuality than men.