Groups Quote by Erving Goffman
“Any group of persons – prisoners, primitives, pilots, or patients – develop a life of their own that becomes meaningful, reasonable and normal once you get close to it.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Asylums (1961)
Groups create their own normalcy, shaping identity and meaning for members.
In simple terms: Groups shape reality.
Key Takeaway
Recognize group influence on self.
Themes
social identity
norms
group dynamics
Mood
analytical
reflective
Type
academic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- prison
- medical wards
- military units
Key Concepts
sociology
role theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How do groups define normal?
- When to challenge group norms?
A Different Perspective
Group pressure can be oppressive.
![“[U]nless oppressed groups stick together, and on alliances of self interest rather than do-goodism; nothing can be accomplished in the long run to dismantle the apparatus of oppression.” quote by Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d7b/shulamith-firestone-12980_accomplished_u-nless-oppressed-groups-stick-together_5485.jpg)
