Seeing the Strange in the Familiar.

The American sociologist, Peter Berger, popularized a phrase, “Seeing the Strange in the Familiar,” that I think is golden. It essentially says there are many things in our social lives that must be viewed as strange, but they don’t because we are so familiar with them, which means we view them as normal or natural. I think developing the ability to “see the strange in the familiar” is the most important gift we can give ourselves in trying to understand society. Let’s talk about a couple of examples. The familiar “Human Resources” departments reveal and betray how humans have become a “resource” (read objects). Resources are machinery, office equipment, raw material, factories, tools, etc. Humans are humans, not resources. But we are viewed as resources (objects) by those who hire us. “Human Resources” betrays the process of objectification of humans. This is tragic, and this is strange. It is strange because it shows that humans have become objects. Another example would be how selling athletes must be viewed as strange, as that, too, shows that humans are treated as objects. Another example: Many employees at the workplace are treated with disrespect, but we have come to see that as the legitimate exercise of authority. The fact that we see disrespect as exercise of authority must be viewed as strange. How about viewing violence as normal? Take boxing. Two people beat the hell out of each other, but spectators, both in the stadium and at home in front of TV sets, cheer them on. We even give them medals. If the same two people beat each other up on the street, they would be arrested and taken to jail! How come we glorify and reward violence? Isn’t that strange?Think about the concept of “Seeing the strange in the familiar” deeply, and try to find something in our society that must really be seen as strange but that we don’t because we are so familiar with it, or because it has always looked as the natural order of things. Offer an example. Say why it must be viewed as strange. Try to leave familiar ways of thinking, and venture into new ways of perceiving things. What would help us in this exercise is to view as normal what promotes human dignity, freedom, happiness, wellbeing, etc., as well as what promotes opportunities of self-development and self-affirmation. On the other hand, what prevents humans from experiencing, dignity, freedom, happiness, wellbeing, self-development, self-affirmation must be viewed as strange even if it is generally regarded as natural or normal.