Sociological Elements in Traffic

Sociology, or the study of society and human social interaction, is applicable to nearly every action, event, or group. The way a person acts in respect to a social context is the basis of this field and forms the foundation for sociological concepts. The film Traffic is an ideal example because it illustrates numerous aspects of this field, such as the self-fulfilling prophecy and stereotypes.

The movie commences when two Mexican police officers, Javier and Manolo intervene and stop the transport of drugs. While arresting the drug traffickers, they are interrupted by General Salazar. Javier and Manolo quickly show their submission and comply with General Salazar's commands because he possesses a higher status than they do. Status refers to "a recognized social position that an individual can occupy" (Brym, 2005, p. 102). The general's achieved status as a high state official increases the influence of his actions, commands, and desires. Others view themselves as inferior to the general because they lack the status and power that he possesses (Brym, 2005, p. 116).

Meanwhile, a secondary plot begins with Robert Wakefield being appointed head of the President's Office of National Drug Control. Unfortunately and ironically, his daughter Caroline is a drug addict who is arrested when their friend overdoses on cocaine. In these scenes, Caroline's peer group, or the group of people who are of similar age and status as her, encourages her to participate in experimenting with illegal drugs (Brym, 2005, p. 102). Her addiction only progresses because she is under the conception that her actions are accepted by others. Socialization, which is the "process by which people learn their culture," can occur on numerous different levels ranging from the family to schoolmates. In Caroline's situation, her secondary socialization has a greater influence and power in comparison to her primary socialization because her drug addict friends influence her to enjoy crack cocaine while her own father is working to combat drugs on a much larger scale. The need to fit in and be accepted by one's peers sometimes outweighs morals and personal limits (Brym, 2005, p. 90-92).

Caroline's actions and decision to do drugs is an expression of deviance, which is when someone departs from a norm. However, drug abuse can also be perceived as a norm because it is so prevalent in the area. Her violation of the law can certainly be viewed as a social deviation because they are subject to official control even though only some members of society view them as harmful. If her peers did not engage in such activities and she possessed a stronger and stronger bond with her parents, then she would not be as likely to be addicted. The influence of social control is sometimes enough to sway the decisions of some individuals away from harmful deviance. In Caroline's case, the lack of social control certainly contributed to her illegal activities. In addition, her primary groups consisted of fellow drug users. Her extensive interaction with her primary groups certainly has a strong influence on her actions (Brym, 2005, p. 64).

Though deviance is portrayed at the micro-level, deviance and crime are also illustrated on a much larger scale. Javier finally realizes the corruption of General Salazar when he eliminates key members of the Obregon Drug Cartel because he made an alliance with another cartel to boost his profits. His desire to engage in corruption supports the control theory, which states, "The rewards of deviance and crime are ample." General Salazar's actions are completely motivated by profit and personal gain, rather than morals or ethics. As a result, Javier finally decides to seek aid from the only trustworthy group, the FBI and American government (Brym, 2005, p. 179).

Furthermore, as the news of his daughter's drug addict behavior hits Robert and increasing tensions on the drug front, he has to make a tough decision on where to direct his efforts. Unfortunately, he abandons his family and goes to Mexico to see the situation up close only to be disappointed that there are no feasible solutions. Frustrated, he returns to his home and attempts to fix his family problems by seeking out his daughter who escaped from rehabilitation. During his search, Robert experienced a completely new culture, the culture of the ghettos of Cincinnati where drug use is extremely prevalent. In dealing with the drug dealers and other people in the area, he still displays some ethnocentrism. He is unable to fully comprehend the different lifestyle and culture that surrounds him in the pre-dominantly African American neighborhood. Because Robert has had little contact with this particular culture, he can only formulate possible solutions and locations of his daughter's location based on his stereotype of African Americans and drug users. Though this is certainly not the best approach, especially because Seth feels they will be murdered, it is Robert's only approach.

After Robert is unable to convince the drug dealer to reveal the location of his daughter, he attempts to bribe the man. His actions quite accurately portray the exchange theory, which is the exchange of valued resources. Based on his stereotypes, money is a valued resource so he figures information can always be bought. However, he does not realize that the intricate network of drug dealers brings them an excessive amount of money. Seth is more rational and his actions certainly show the rational choice theory. His actions are more governed by the maximization of gains and minimization of losses. He tries his best to find Caroline, but at the same time, he wants to stay safe and alive (Brym, 2005, p. 126-127).

When Robert and Seth finally find Caroline, she is in a room about to prostitute herself to an older man. She turns to prostitution because she seeks drugs but lacks money to pay for them. Therefore, she adopts the societal role of a prostitute to support her drug addiction. Although society does not openly accept prostitution, it has become much more prevalent. If society possessed a harsher view on prostitution, Caroline might not have turned to such desperate actions. Societal norms often have a strong influence on a person's actions, thoughts, and feelings. Her actions clearly represent retreatism which resulted from her rejection of cultural goals and institutionalized means (Brym, 2005, p. 127).

After finding his daughter and taking her home, Robert returned to Washington D.C. to present his ten-point plan to fight against the spread of drugs. He falters in the middle of his speech because he realized that the war on drugs is sometimes a war on one of his own family members. He realized that it is probably true for other people too. He realized that the war on drugs was not solely against the drug lords, but rather, families. His internal conflict is the ideal portrayal of a role conflict. As the head of the President's Office of National Drug Control, he needs to fight this war on drugs and suppress drug trade. However, as a father to a drug addict, he would be fighting a war against his own family member. Robert found it difficult to fulfill the tasks of both roles so he chose to concentrate on his family first. After resigning from his job, he and his wife begin attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings with their daughter to support her. From a sociological point of view, Robert and his wife's increased involvement in their daughter's life can be viewed as an increase in her primary group. The additional contact among family members strengthen their bonds and increases the influence family values has on a family member's thoughts and actions (Brym, 2005, p. 119).

Meanwhile in Mexico, Helena makes a deal with the leader of the Obregon cartel, who in turn forgets their debt. He murders Ruiz by poisoning his breakfast. The leader of the Obregon cartel ability to control the situation is an accurate portrayal of the conflict theories of social interaction. When people interact, their statuses often place them in a hierarchy. The top of the ladder often possess greater power, or the probability that one will achieve one's goals despite conflicting interests with another party. On the other hand, those on the bottom enjoy less power. The leader of the Obregon cartel is a key figure in the drug trade and therefore possesses a great deal of power and influence. He has the resources to eliminate Ruiz (Brym, 2005, p. 134).

The film Traffic possesses numerous scenes that directly relate to topics in sociology. The combination of different overlapping stories concerning relationships, ranging from the intimate family to nations, makes the movie an ideal representation of sociological elements. The international drug trade and the war on drugs focused on theories on the macro level, while the events concerning the Wakefield family show the micro level concepts of sociology.

References

Brym, R., & Lie, J. (2005). Sociology: Your Compass for a New World. (2^nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning.