Robert K. Merton

Yeah.

If we connect this to the bigger picture, we are looking at a classic example of what sociologist Robert Merton called the Matthew effect.

Like the biblical verse.

Exactly.

And if masculinity is learned by watching other men, then our boys, whether they're coming from an intact family with a strong priesthood role model, or whether they're coming from a family where they don't have any role model, they need to have somebody to look to.

The term role model was developed in the 1950s by a sociologist called Robert Merton.

Robert Merton was studying medical students.

And what he found was that those medical students would look to the senior physicians and learn scripts from them, the script of how to behave in this context of what to say in that context.

They would emulate that role model.

Aspiring lawyers or doctors apprenticed to a local practitioner, or in rare cases, were sent to England or Scotland.

Puritan Scientists The Merton thesis is an argument about the nature of early experimental science proposed by Robert K. Merton.

Similarly to Max Weber's famous claim on the link between the Protestant work ethic and the capitalist economy, Merton argued for a similar positive correlation between the rise of English Puritanism, as well as German Pietism, and early experimental science.

As an example, seven of ten nucleus members of the Royal Society were Puritans, In the year 1663, 62% of the members of the Royal Society were similarly identified.

The Merton Thesis has resulted in continuous debates.

Behavioral Regulations The Puritans in both England and New England believed that the state should protect and promote true religion and that religion should influence politics and social life.

Certain holidays were outlawed when Puritans came to power.

And that is giving rise to reactions that are propagating that exact reality.

There's a guy called Robert K. Merton who said, the prophecy of collapse leads to its fulfillment.

He's an amazing scientist.

He was talking about financial systems.

And the same exact thing is true of our climate.

If we are completely convinced that it is a scientific consensus that we are doomed to a bleak future, all of our reactions of fear and panic are going to propagate the same levels of antagonism and defensiveness that have shaped our planet over the last 30 years or so we are reacting to this climate crisis through fear and military budgets are going through the roof as our sort of protectionism is going up and up and up we are getting more and more distracted from the real problem because it's only seen as a terrible chore or a hindrance that comes at the expense of our own personal nourishment But those are all feedback loops.

Those patterns, this self-fulfilling prophecy that Robert K. Merton mentioned is just the most obvious feedback loop that we all experience in our daily lives.

And it is propagating through society.

And the tour buses had found the street.

American sociologist Robert Merton.

$100,000 worth of hot dogs.

In 1936. on the unanticipated consequences of purposive social action.