There is no reason to assume that only those who finally commit a deviant act actually have the impulse to do so. It is much more likely that most people experience deviant impulses frequently. At least in fantasy, people are much more deviant than they appear. Instead of asking why deviants want to do things that are disapproved of, we might better ask why conventional people do not follow through on the deviant impulses they have. Something of an answer to this question may be found in the process of commitment through which the normal person becomes progressively involved in conventional institutions and behavior.


pp. 26-27. - Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance (1963)

Howard S. Becker Quotes

There is no reason to assume that only those who finally commit a deviant act actually have the impulse to do so. It is much more likely that most...

There is no reason to assume that only those who finally commit a deviant act actually have the impulse to do so. It is much more likely that most...

There is no reason to assume that only those who finally commit a deviant act actually have the impulse to do so. It is much more likely that most...

There is no reason to assume that only those who finally commit a deviant act actually have the impulse to do so. It is much more likely that most...