To Break A Social Norm

There is a project for your group speech and communications class. It goes like this: break an implicit social rule and write about the experience. You have some idea what you will do. You just want to do this, though, and the project gives it an extra nudge into being. The idea is to stand on a corner of a street, perhaps a busy one, for a few hours. Just be there. You’ll be with the inappropriateness of the situation, noticing in awareness the movement to do the appropriate, and you will breathe well from the stomach, noticing. For what you will work on is detachment – detachment and the practicing of power.

Perhaps you will do something further. The intention of putting these words down here was threefold: 1. to explore the reason behind the urge to do such a thing 2. to quell the movements to not do the project by addressing these movements and asserting the projects purpose 3. to approach the project from the intention of the teacher so as to see whether what you are to be doing is parallel to it.

There was an idea that occurred a few days ago suggesting that you purchase a small display board, leave it blank, and hold it above your shoulders. Would this harmonize with the project more than simply standing on the street? Will this be something to hide behind? Another idea to walk back and forth from sidewalk to sidwalk.

What you wish to practice and develop is quietness, stillness beyond the social narrative. The social narrative pushes one about, in many directions, toward many distractive ends. The social narrative, however, isn’t real. Its just habitual movement mixed with evolutionary tendency.

You have noticed many times that you are not content with an activity if its source is cold to you – that is, if the activity is presented, encouraged, and practiced in such a way that you are ‘suppose’ to know the meaning of it without the addressing of the meaning. The abundance of the ‘suppose-to’ stripped from its ‘why’ kills the vitality and stillness that is the potential of man, and he falls about dull and in opposing directions. You wish to be able to get behind an act, to know what you are talking about, to leave nothing undone.

To break a social norm and to watch the movements of the self is what you want to do. To acquaint oneself with the triggers and impulses is to be in a position to not be bothered by them.

You will find a corner that has moderate to heavy traffic. You’ll park near by and put on a coat. For the first hour you will stand at the corner and not address any one unless you are spoken to. If spoken to you will say that you are exploring the nature of what is socially appropriate and how in crossing the boundary how it is that the self reacts. It’s a sort of exercise in self-knowledge. You will adjust the explanation to fit the speaker if necessary. You will stand and watch yourself and be acquainted with the environment.