Me and My Girls (Carr, 2008), Essay Example

Abstract

The experience of David Carr will be explored from a theoretical perspective. The causal attributes for his deep drug addiction will be explored from the social conflict macro theoretical perspective of Thio and Taylor (2012) and Vito and Maahs (2012). The sociological position of David Carr will be explored(Carr, 2008).  The factors which caused David Carr to remedy his drug addiction with the application of the Kohlberg moral justice and the Gilligan care perspective will be explored from the perspective of Masters (2014) and the perspective from Sigelman and Rider (2012).

Me and My Girls(Carr, 2008)

David Carr is a person who had been born in the right place at the right time under the right circumstances (Carr, 2008).  In the twentieth century, there had been several cultural modifications which had been experienced by the people of the United States of America.  The first of these cultural revolutions was the Civil Rights movement which led to increased access to public institutions formembers of the African and Hispanic American races.  The secondmovement had been the Women´s Liberation movement to gain equal treatment. There had also been the protest against the expansionist wars of American imperialism in Asia. The trend was for the youth of the nation to express themselves by means which demonstrated a highly verbalized youth counter culture that had become politically active. These cultural modifications enabled the socially liberal attitude which had been relatively tolerant ofDavid Carr´s drug use (Thio & Taylor, 2012).

This had been the case with David Carr (Carr, 2008). This attribute of being an educated American white male may have been one of his saving graces.  This characteristic of being an educated white male along with the aspect of his presentation of being a single parent who was the father of two twin girls in Middle America were his socially assertive qualities(Carr, 2008).  During the cultural revolution of the United States, the authorities in the government began to perceive that they had been losing control of the ability to administrate the population.  The upper class white males who demonstrated dominance in the political arena began to perceive that the power structure was being threatened. The authorities had become concerned that they would not be able to administrate a society founded upon more liberal thinking perspectives (Thio & Taylor, 2012; Vito & Maahs, 2012).

In the inception of the war on drugs which had been started by the Nixon administration, the government of the United States began a perspective which had the goal of guaranteeing that the racial and class discriminatory system continued. This was perpetuated in order to guarantee that the consensus of authority remained where it had been prior to the inception of the United States,among the white males. The Nixon administration´s war on drugs initiatives were the first of a series of legislative initiatives which caused the overpopulating of the penal systems, life imprisonment for non-violent narcotics offenders and other social inequities (Thio & Taylor, 2012; Vito & Maahs, 2012).

Social Conflict Theory

David Carr had been able to continue with his drug addictions for years due to the rules by which the society operates (Carr, 2008). These rules had been delineated by Karl Marx, Max Weber and Emile Durkheim. Marx was the creator of the concept of conflict theory which has been modified into more intricate and comprehensive theories since its inception. A central characteristic of conflict theory is that the proletariat must be the oppressed members of society. The modes of producing which are controlled by the bourgeoisie capitalists administrate the resources of the proletariat class by compelling the   proletariat to sell labor (Thio & Taylor, 2012; Vito & Maahs, 2012).

Marx suggested that those who control the means of production in society are the primary intellectual force. As a result, the bourgeoisie enacts laws which are to their benefit. David Carr had been able to benefit from the operating rules of the American society in the Midwestern United States due to his ethnicity, gender and status as a single male parent. These qualities enabled David Carr to continue his habit of cocaine and crack trafficking and consumption without being targeted for arrest by law enforcement personnel.  Basically, society enabled David Carr to pursue a path of drug trafficking and drug consumption. Carr had been coerced into conformity by a member of the narcotics decoy unit which he feared. This fear caused him to conform to the wishes of the elite members of society while continuing the pursuit of his drug trafficking and drug consumption habits. He had been told “you better watch your step” (Carr, 2008, p. 5).

The legislative initiatives which had been implemented since the Nixon administration had been planned in order to restrict the convicted drug users’ mobility within the society. The drug abusers which have been convicted are restricted from participating in voting privileges and the right of participating in the administration of government. The majority of the drug charges which are exacted are placed against respondents who are African American, Hispanic and lower class whites (Thio & Taylor, 2012; Vito & Maahs, 2012).  As David Carr had been a news reporter, he was protected by virtue of his social position, ethnicity, gender and single parent status from the potential disenfranchisement which would have resulted from a drug conviction (Carr, 2008).In the light of social conflict theory, the war on drugs causes the lawmakers to be pitted against those who are subjected to the enforcement of legislation against drug use. The methods which are applied by the oppressing parties are distinct. Notwithstanding, the fundamental idea of class stratification and social oppression remains similar. Those who are the oppressed are at the bottom of the social barrel.  In the Marxist explanation of conflict theory, the oppressed are applied in order to fill the required positions for the dirty work in society. The lower and middle classes may be used to maintain the status quo position of the bourgeoisie which is conventionally conservative. This may be accomplished by the denial of social pathways for drug users. These social pathways (i.e., college financial aid and social legitimacy by means of the application of voting rights) would normally result in success for society´s members. The drug users and those who proposed social reform who would have the probability of questioning conservative ideologies could be diminished by limiting the social pathways for drug users and those with liberal ideologies. The objective is to maintain those inpower who possess it and to repress those who would try to acquire it. This would cause the complete dependency and compliance with those who are in power. The cultural modifications of the post- Vietnam War era and the repression of individuals with liberal political perspectives may have been the cause of David Carr seeking to evade reality by means of drug consumption (Thio & Taylor, 2012; Vito & Maahs, 2012).

Kohlberg Moral Equity and Gilligan Care Perspectives on Drug Rehabilitation

In order to understand the application of Kohlberg´s six stages of moral development and the ethical perspective of authorities and justice which are contained within the six stages, we must analyze the basics of each stage. At the pre- procedural level, there is the first stage which includes submission to authority.  The second stage would include learning how to fulfill one´s requisites. At the procedural level, there is stage three which infers adapting oneself to the stereotyped roles (knight in gleaming armor, benevolent person). In addition, within the procedural level, stage four implies that there the roles of the individual are contributors to the well-being of society and its social order (Martin, 2006, p.93).

At the post- procedural level, stage five includes the realization that morality is perceived in the context of the criteria and the authorities which are prescribed by society. The post procedural level of the Kohlberg six stages of moral development incorporates the fulfillment of perceiving morality as a voluntarily selected universal tenet of justice.  In the Kohlberg moral justice paradigm, the production of an independent self is essential.  This independent self has the potential of being encouraged by abstract concepts which are comprehended as a rational solution to the conflicting interests of members of society.

The features which are contained in Kohlberg´s moral justice perspective are agreements which place emphasis upon the following elements:

1. Explicitly detailed principles.
2. Objectivity and fairness.
3. Duties and authorities.
4. Competing interests (Martin, 2006, p. 93).

In the Gilligan ethical care perspective, there is a pre- procedural level which is composed of two stages. The first stage pertains to taking care of oneself. The second stage is a review of the shortcomings of the first stage. The procedural level of the Gilliganethical care perspective includes stages three and four.  Stage three of the Gilligan ethicalcare perspective incorporates the realization that benevolence involves the demonstration of care for members of the society.  This is correlated with a self- sacrificing characteristic (Gilligan, 1982, p. 74).

Stage four of the Gilligan´s ethical care perspective involves the examination of the irrational inequalities which are present between the comparison of others and the self. The stage four of the Gilligan´s ethical care perspective is in essence, a search for balance.The post’ procedural phase of the Gilligan´s ethical care perspective is composed of the fifth and sixth stage.  The fifth stage of the Gilligan´s ethical care perspective is directed toward the dynamics which are present in relationships. The objective of the fifth stage of the Gilligan´s ethical care perspective is the eradication of the stressors which are present between the individual and those in the environment.In the sixth and final stage of the Gilligan´s ethical care perspective, the caring attitude is extended beyond the personal relationships to a perception of interdependence between the individual and the society. This extension of the caring attitude of the individual is accompanied by alignment with the conventional perspective of condemning the causes of injury and exploitation (Gilligan, 1982, p. 78).

David Carr demonstrated that he had been a functional and stabilized drug addict. This implied that although his appearance may have been unkempt, he had been able to maintain an employment position. This aspect demonstrated the capacity on the self which enabled David Carr to triumph over his addictions (Carr, 2008). The focusing of attention toward his problemshad been probably the most effective method of conquering his drug addictions.He had been able to improve his situation, which not only improved the quality of his existence; he improved the quality of the existence of those who had been around him. These aspects caused David Carr to be perceived as more presentable and more productive (Carr, 2008).

This is a characteristic which is derived from the characteristics of the third stage of the Kohlberg perspective in addition to the Gilligan care phases.  In the third stage of the Kohlberg perspective, the personality of a knight in gleaming armor is assumed.  This infers that the rehabilitation patient should strive toward becoming a more productive member of society, demonstrate forbearance toward transgressions and manifest a genuine quality of peace.  David Carr was able to become a drug addict by attaining state one of the Kohlberg moral justice theory and the Gilligan ethical care perspective. He had been able to stop being a drug addict by achieving stage six in the Kohlberg moral justice paradigm and the Gilligan´s ethical care perspective (Masters, 2014, p. 112- 114; Sigelman & Rider, 2012, p. 424- 428).

David Carr’s initiation with drug use coincides with the Kohlberg´s stage one caring which causes the individual to become more interested in the self. TheKohlberg stage onephase involves a withdrawal from those who are in the immediate environment, in order not to incur any additional injury. This regression is an advance forward, a method of coping more effectively with society. The Kohlberg´s second stage is demonstrated as being the stage where the pacifist, maternal instincts become apparent. The self is applied as an implement in order to demonstrate caring for others (Masters, 2014; Sigelman & Rider, 2012).

The quality of being a single parent and fulfilling the maternal and the paternal roles in the raising of twin girls provided   David Carr with the opportunity of demonstrating these qualities (Carr, 2008). The important quality is that this stage does not address the challenges in a similar manner; it applies a completely novel tactic of perception.The perception is stage four through six of the Kohlberg´s moral justice model.At this point the Gilligan care perspective of stage one is applied in order to construct the basis of the rehabilitation. The stage three of the Kohlberg perspective demonstrates what everyone would aspire to be, saintly, noble and strong. The primary attribute in Kohlberg´s stage three is the manifestation of faith in stereotypical role models. Stage three demonstrates the concern for the in group in the social environment (Masters, 2014, p. 112- 114; Sigelman & Rider, 2012, p. 424- 428). .

In the fourth stage of the Kohlberg perspective, many of the shortcomings of stage three are remediated with the formation of a social contract. The primary concept is that it is correct to provide merit to responsible citizens. The social environment and the rules which guide it have taken over the primary position in the stage four of the Kohlbergperspective. This has caused the adoption of the golden rule which is given with a collection of behaviors which are not sanctioned and the appropriate punishment for the violation of the behavioral norms (Masters, 2014; Sigelman & Rider, 2012).

David Carr demonstrates conformity with the fourth stage of the Kohlbergperspective when he acknowledges the importance and the beauty of his little girls (Carr, 2008, p. 17). What might be best is to maintain an ideal combination of the stage one of the Gilligan care perspective and combine with the third and the fourth stages of the Kohlberg perspective. This would give the stages of the perspective the capacity of being reconstructed from the ground up while maintaining the ideal nature of stage three, which is to behave toward others as it may be desired that they behave toward the respondent. This would be the best combination, the individual nobility and evaluations of each member of society combined with the societal governance by means of the social contact (Gilligan, 1982, p. 74; Martin, 2006, p. 93;Masters, 2014, p.  112- 114; Sigelman & Rider, 2012, p. 424- 428).

Conclusion

David Carr´s drug trafficking and drug consumption habits were facilitated by his relative social position in the Minnesota area where he resided. Social conflict theory is categorized as a macro theory which is directed toward the review of the manner by which the structural qualities of society influence drug consumption with regards to cocaine heroin and crack. The social conflict theory asserts that there should be more elevated numbers of drug addicts in the African American, Hispanic American and lower white class communities. Social conflict theory posits that drug use become prevalent when individuals possess a perception of despair and helplessness.

Social conflict theory has postulated that there would be less prevalent drug consumption among individuals who were subject to subjected to amplified social controls which serve as deterrents to drug abuse. This macro theory details the conditions which caused David Carr to become addicted to drugs.

David Carr was able to liberate himself from his addictions to crack and cocaine by means of the application of moral reasoning.The Kohlberg moral reasoning and the Gilligan care perspectives were selected to demonstrate the aspect of how David Carr was able to attain the capacity of formulating moral reasoning of seeking rehabilitative help for his addictions and to avoid recidivism.

References

Carr, D.(2008 July 20). Me and my girls. New York Times.

Gilligan, C. (1982). In a different voice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Martin, B. (2006). Outdoor leadership: Theory and practice. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Masters, K.(2014). Role development in professional nursing practice. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Sigelman, C. & Rider, E. (2012). Life- span human development. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Thio, A. & Taylor, J. (2012). Social problems. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Vito, G. & Maahs, J. (2012). Criminology: Theory, research and policy (3^rd edition). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.