Final answer:
The concept that best represents the feeling of estrangement from society when confronted by the contradiction between societal goals and means is 'anomie', which is option (B) anomic.
Step-by-step explanation:
The situation described in the question where people confront the contradiction between societal goals and the means available to them, leading to estrangement, is indicative of anomie. This concept was introduced by the sociologist Émile Durkheim, referring to a state of normlessness where traditional norms and values become undermined without being replaced by new ones, leading to societal instability and potential disruption. While rebellion is a response to social strain according to Robert K. Merton's strain theory, where an individual or a group rejects the societal goals and means and seeks to replace them with their own, it does not fully capture the sense of normlessness and alienation described in the question. Therefore, the closest answer to the situation described would be (B) anomic, which reflects the consequences of this strain, as people feel disconnected and disenfranchised within their society. Anomic conditions arise when societal norms and expectations are unclear or disrupted, creating a sense of normlessness and disconnection between individual aspirations and available means to achieve them. This term is often associated with Emile Durkheim's theory of anomie in sociology.