I think in class we have concentrated on deviant acts that are negative. I want to also show that some deviant acts can be kind and positive. Norms can still be broken without being negative. New York is culturally diverse, so the norms and values make it a little harder to define what is "normal" and what is "deviant".

I'm from Houston and in the south people say hello to each other when they walk by each other or make eye contact. Sometimes I forget I'm in New York and I'll say hi to a stranger on the street... They almost always look shocked, then smile and say hello back. Of course I was shocked when I moved here and everyone just seemed to be in a stank mood or just not having it, but I realized that it's not in New York city's culture. My deviant behavior failed to conform to the norms of the New York culture.

My friend Stacey and I were leaving work in a yellow taxi cab. We found a cell phone in the seat. Instead of going straight home after a long and tired shift, we searched and found the owner of the phone. That I think would classify as a positive act of deviance. The norm in New York would have been to give it to the cab driver or just leave it where we found it and went about our business. Society tells us that random acts of kindness are very rare, especially in NYC.

Sometimes at work, I get guests that are new to New York. Foreigners, tourists and visitors are kind and green and refreshing. If I like them enough, even if I know they won't tip, I give them a list of great places to go to. Most don't even try to make it to Brooklyn, but I talk them into it and give them amazing restaurants, bars and events to go to while they're here. When they are leaving the restaurant, I get hugs and kisses for day! Guests have even come back to ask for me which makes me feel nice. It just takes a little bit to make someone's day or ruin it. I love removing the stigma that all New York waitresses are rude... And actors.

Now going into the deviant acts that are clearly seen without having to look too hard.
Smoking is something I do when I'm drinking. I hate myself for it and so do my friends around me when I do it. The government, the companies that make the cigarettes and society all say its bad to smoke... But I do it sometimes when I'm in social settings because its normal then. Everyone's having a good time, take shot of tequila then "hey wanna smoke" and it's a no brainer. Also as a black female, I've dated white and Spanish men before and in each instance there has always been a sense that it was wrong. I was already programmed to think it was wrong but I went on a whim and still felt it was wrong. This is because society and my culture tells me it's wrong and I end up thinking that too, and you can feel it in public.

The undeserving poor is a thorough study and explanation of the poor.
 Why they're poor, who keeps them poor and how they stay poor. The author Herbert Gans makes is very clear that the poor are large and vast and never going to go away. According to Gans, labeling the poor will in turn help them label the selves. It's like an on going cycle that is very hard to be broken. In turn, poor people are socialized to think that being poor is they're only way to live and there is nothing to do about it. While the rich are very pleased with that, seeing how it won't interfere with their fortunes and lifestyles. Turning a blind eye is very easy and is probably a deviant act as well.