So you want to know the meaning of green bananas? You may not even need a green banana. But chances are good, someone you know does! In 1956, Leo Srole published what is known in sociological circles as the cleverly named Srole scale, comprising 5 statements to determine if a person needed to buy green bananas or not (well, not really but you’ll understand if you follow along).
Below are the 5 statements. Do you agree or disagree with these statements? (There’s no right or wrong answer of course)…
- In spite of what some people say, the lot of the average man is getting worse.
- It’s hardly fair to bring children into the world with the way things look for the future.
- Nowadays a person has to live pretty much for today and let tomorrow take care of itself.
- These days a person doesn’t really know who he can count on.
- There’s little use writing to public officials because they aren’t really interested in the problems of the average man (Srole, 1956)
If someone you know agrees with these statements, they are suffering from Anomia (pronounced ‘uh•know•me•uh’) and are an excellent candidate for a green banana purchase.
Green bananas represent hope. I know this because an elderly gentleman once told me he made a habit of buying a green banana everyday so he had something to which he could look forward; a reason to live for tomorrow.
I’m a recent graduate in Sociology at a local university and now I am a graduate student in Education. This is not unusual except that I’m on my second go-around since the late ’70s. What surprises me is the general state of ‘Anomie’ I encounter among my classmates. These fellow degree-seekers engage in some lively discussions which have dusted off my old noggin and got me to thinking. Therefore, I decided I would set aside some time to record some of the funny logic I encounter in the course of my studies and research.
Whether you need to buy a green banana or not, you probably know someone who does. So read along and comment when you can.