The Collective Shaming of Deviance on Benefits Street

Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe -- BBC, 2014, 6:26 -- https://youtu.be/JkrX5J73Vi4

This is a humorous example from the UK of the functional role of deviant behavior. We see society come together to shame those receiving benefits from the state (known as welfare in the US). This is also an insightful example of how deviants are exploited for entertainment and ridicule. "Poverty porn" would be a good term to discuss in addition to the many sociological concepts evident in the clip.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03qgvsc

Status Symbols in Pop Culture

Why Rappers Love Grey Poupon -- Vox, 2016, 10:04 -- https://youtu.be/jOgPk5T1xi0

An example of how the social class system and status symbols can be found in pop culture.

Pro-Tips: (1) Show your class the original Grey Poupon commercial before this video; (2) Buy a jar of Grey Poupon and some popsicle sticks (or small spoons) so your students can taste the opulence.

Men Embracing Multiple Masculinities

The New Wave of American Masculinity -- Vice Media, 2016, 22:11 -- https://youtu.be/jzgDtmAGeBg

A humorous look into how modern American men negotiate the pressures of the masculine ideal. We get an outsider perspective here too as the host is from the UK. Jump to 6:09 to see what a biological determinist thinks of sociology. If you want to take this a step further with your class, analyze the comments left on this video's YouTube page. For some reason, men do not react well when their gender identity is discussed outside of the traditional macho-man context. For in the words of one particular commenter, it is the "pussification of our dignity" ...