The words "outcast" and "exile" are not the same root, but are extremely similar in both sound and meaning: the first is the result of the second. Exile is a process of rejection (non-acceptance) by society and / or the state of an individual or personality due to actions taken (or lack of necessary actions) that are contrary to the law, morality, ethics or aesthetics. An outcast is someone who was once ostracized from a he althy society for one or more reasons.
In society and the state, as in the forms of associations of people according to certain parameters, there are written and unwritten rules. Everything that does not fall under the norm of these concepts is perceived by people as inadequate or unacceptable behavior. To regulate behavior, society uses the method of public censure, and the state uses methods of coercion and punishment.
Based on this concept, let's figure out who the word "outcast" is used for today.
Isolated criminals
Law is the legal regulator of the state. The penal code clearly sets out the rules of conduct in society, for non-compliance with which there is a risk of imprisonment. If astart from the concepts of legal regulation, then outcasts are those people who have committed a serious crime against third parties, for which they paid with their personal freedom. The commission of any illegal act is not approved not only by law, but also by moral standards. Therefore, both the state and society are interested in limiting the freedom of criminals.
The law forces convicts to isolation in special institutions, thus, murderers, serial maniacs, rapists gather in one place. In prison, in turn, there is also a special division between prisoners into castes according to the severity of crimes. There are those who are respected (for example, the prisoner who killed the rapist of a woman) and there are those who are despised. The latter include pedophiles. These are outcasts who are not only condemned by society and punished by the state, but also humiliated by their cellmates.
Under compulsory treatment
Another institution where the state forcibly sends outcasts dangerous to society is a closed-type psychiatric hospital. We are not talking about harmless people suffering from neuroses or schizophrenia: those who are recognized by the court as mentally ill at the time of the crime are in the hospital.
Conditions for criminals are much more democratic than in prisons: convicts receive the necessary treatment and walk around the hospital.
Homeless and others
If the state categorizes only citizens who violate the law as objectionable persons, then societythe list of those to whom the meaning of the word "outcast" is applied is much more varied.
Deprived of housing and money, the so-called "homeless" have long resigned themselves to the fact that outsiders treat them as third-class citizens. What harm can be from a person living on the street? After all, the homeless are quite harmless, do not touch anyone and do not pose a danger. Despite this, society does not accept them. Why? It's very simple.
Society is a kind of socialized likeness of a wolf pack. And in the pack, each individual that has a clear difference from the rest (for the worse) is expelled or killed by the leader. So it is with people: if you live differently than everyone else, then be kind, do not expect mercy from others.
The same category of social outcasts includes girls with a "low level of social responsibility", people with non-traditional sexual orientation, lovers of extreme appearance and others. However, if such people do not demonstrate their behavior in public (that is, no one knows about their occupation or sexual orientation), then they cannot be called outcasts, since there is no public censure.
People with disabilities are full members of society
Precisely because of the similarity with the wolf pack, society does not take seriously those who have disabilities. However, gradually and in small steps, we learn compassion and mercy.
If earlier such people did not have the opportunity to startdating, building a family or working, today special funds are being created with the help of which people with disabilities can go in for sports, conduct seminars and build a career.
Help those who are weaker than you, then our society will become not only human, but also humane.
