People are naturally divided into several groups and classes based on their economic statuses, poor and rich, or their social standings, middle- or working class and upper class. Whether you agree or not, there is no equality in the society. In “Positive Functions of the Undeserving Poor: Uses of the Underclass in America”, Herbert J. Gans states that the poverty group has its positive functions and negative functions. Although poverty group of people are usually labeled as undeserving poor or stigmatizing, they function the society as the reflection for the other groups and classes people from not being one of them.
Stigmatized people who are violating the norms would reaffirm and reinforce the virtues of norms in the society. Once they violate the norms, the others would have a clear mindset about the standard of what norms are in the communities. People would be reminded the line that separates under norms or in violation group. Therefore, the society would be legislated and people would self discipline themselves.
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