Question

Robert Merton argued there are five adaptations to anomie/strain, which results from a disjuncture between cultural goals and the legitimate means to reach them. These adaptations can be seen in many popular movies. Take for example Blow—a movie based on the true story of George Jung (played by Johnny Depp), a working class kid who built an empire and reached the important cultural goal of material success (cf. the American Dream) by first dealing marijuana and later importing cocaine. This is a good example of which adaptation:

Answer 1

In the movie Blow, George Jung's pursuit of wealth through the illegal drug trade exemplifies Robert Merton's 'Innovation' adaptation in strain theory, where societal goals are embraced but legitimate means are discarded.

Step-by-step explanation:

Robert Merton's strain theory suggests there are five adaptations to dealing with the gap between cultural goals and the means to achieve them. In the movie Blow, which portrays George Jung's rise to wealth through the illegal drug trade, we observe an example of Innovation.

This adaptation occurs when an individual accepts the cultural goals but rejects the legitimate means of achieving them, instead using illicit or socially unacceptable methods to reach those goals. The significant cultural goal in this context is the American Dream, typically characterized by material success.

However, George Jung, coming from a working-class background, finds legitimate means inadequate or inaccessible for achieving this goal, thereby turning to illegal activities.

Merton's other adaptations include Conformity, which involves accepting both the goals and the means; Ritualism, where individuals adhere to means but abandon the goals; Retreatism, rejecting both goals and means; and Rebellion, rejecting both and attempting to create new goals and means.