Strain Theory in the United States

The work of Merton is particularly compelling because it deals with the desired perceptions vs. the actual realities of what is known as the "American Dream." He makes the argument that given the way this concept is presented, we are led to believe that every person will follow a tried and true method from a very young age, gradually accruing wealth and success, shaping his or her own ideal lifestyle in the process. He presents this scenario in an almost tongue-in-cheek way; he knows that most readers will in fact realize this to be a false perception. Most readers, even many of the successful ones, possess firsthand knowledge that the transition from child to successful adult is invariably anything but smooth, and according to Merton, all too many know that it for some the American Dream never materializes at all.

Merton's chief argument deals with the "strain theory," a system of thought that highlights the inequality of opportunity as a major player in the American system. He says that numerous outside forces may hamper an individual's chances of perceived success, leading to a mistrust of the system itself. Even though the majority of the population is spit out in this unfulfilling manner, that majority fails to unite against the social order, instead becoming a mass of individuals resorting to different ways of coping with its shortcomings. This argument is also expanded to incorporate the role of the system's proprietors; Merton claims that those who enjoy success within the system appeal to the desperation of the struggling majority by preaching long-term goals over immediate returns, even though the long-term is far from guaranteed.

Meanwhile, he says, a small portion of the masses will choose an alternative path to conformity; something he calls the path of innovation. He is not speaking of innovation in the 'Americanized' sense of the word, however-he is referring to means often looked down upon by the system, ones that are not regarded as conventional but nevertheless produce results. Merton then draws an interesting parallel between these two types of success-while both achieve it by significantly different means, they both share the same common goals and values.

William Wilson largely echoes the foul cries of Merton, detailing the odds stacked against those growing up in poverty and rationalizing the natural path from hope to realization, and from realization to alternative means of coping. "Where jobs are scarce," he says, "...where there is a disruptive or degrading school life purporting to prepare youngsters for eventual participation in the workforce, many people eventually lose their connectedness to work in the formal economy." He then shifts his focus to those among the unfortunate who resort to alternative means such as drug dealing. He argues that the combination of the intense negative culture in most ghetto communities coupled with the purported luxurious life enjoyed by drug dealers is more than enough to convince members of society to abandon traditional forms of work in chasing their own version of the American Dream.

While on the surface, the arguments of John Hagedorn would seem to support Merton's theory of alternative routes to success. He begins by detailing the reasoning of drug dealers, even explaining methods by which people can rationally make the decision to deal. However, his appeal to this part of Merton's theory quickly takes a sharp turn toward the opposite group; those who conform. He reveals that many drug dealers simply use the cartel as a supplement to other legal forms of income, and many are in fact likely to abandon the practice altogether when "legitimate" employment opportunities arise. Hagedorn's research continues in a tug-of-war fashion that serves to further hash out Merton's arguments and in the end may suggest that the relationship between these two groups is often inter weaved; many among the oppressed do not simply make the choice to conform, retreat, or innovate; instead they become victims of a constant push and pull of influences and economic forces, forever shifting their reactions accordingly.