All of a sudden I found myself thinking sociologically when I was eating at the dinner table a couple of days ago. My sister had burped and was lectured from my parents for burping so loud. They told her that it was rude and unladylike to burp at the dinner table. I was thinking that burping could be considered a folkway in society, but is it the same folkway for all genders? Why is it that my brother can burp and get a simple "no, no" while my sister gets a lecture? Is a man's folkway not the same as a woman's? What about age or culture?
This is just like what we were talking about in class about how we define folkways and mores. Burping in some countries, like Mrs. Haas said, it is rude if you do not burp at the dinner table after eating. But in our society, it is rude to burp at the dinner table. I wonder if these folkways change depending on gender, age or culture. For example, is it the same thing if a 4 year old burps than if a 16 year old burps? What if a girl and a boy both burp? Who will be braking a folkway according to society? Maybe I should try it and find out!
Very interesting idea here....the concept of gender defining what makes a folkway. We'll have to remember that after spring break when we start talking about gender in society.
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