Robert Merton's Strain Theory

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Robert Merton argued that the society contributes to deviance to a large degree. He believed that socially accepted goals put pressure on people to conform or achieve desired goals. He identified the ways people can adapt. This includes Conformity, Innovation, Ritualism, Retreatism, and Rebellion. Jay Z is an award-winning artist and well-known entrepreneur who was born in New York and grew up in a poor neighborhood. Based on the story of his life, Jay Z can be identified as falling into the category of innovation in the strain theory. Innovation according to Robert Merton is when a person accepts society's / cultural goals but reject the institutionalized means of achieving them hence coming up with new means. The means that they come up to achieve the goals are not approved by society. …show more content…

the two key legitimate and socially approved means of achieving this success is education and work. Jay Z has credited his drug-dealing past for teaching him the entrepreneurial skills he posses today and which he has used to build his brand and fortune. Jay Z began selling drugs at a young age to deal with poverty and to find money to sustain his living and also kick off his musical career. He conformed to the American dream (society's goals) which is to get money and fame but, innovated his own means of finding it through selling drugs. Selling of drugs has been widely criticized by the society as being evil. Entrepreneurship is also a skill that is treated with pride by the society and is expected to be achieved through education and mentorship. Jay Z credits his entrepreneurial knowledge from his drug selling days. Jay Z during an interview claimed that it was during the time he was dealing that he learned the entrepreneurial skills he still uses to date as a club owner, an artist, clothing manufacturer, and sports

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