Source: Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance (1963), pp. 1-2.
“When a rule is enforced, the person who is supposed to have broken it may be seen as a special kind of person, one who cannot be trusted to live by the rules agreed upon by the group. He is regarded as an outsider.”
But the person who is thus labeled an outsider may have a different view of the matter. He may not accept the rule by which he is being judged and may not regard those who judge him as either competent or legitimately entitled to do so. Hence, a second meaning of the term emerges: the rule-breaker may feel his judges are outsiders.
Source: Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance (1963), pp. 1-2.
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Howard S. Becker 35
American sociologist 1928Related quotes

“You cannot thrash the person who makes you coffee. It's a rule somewhere.”
Source: Ever After

Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 17.
Source: Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance (1963), p. 10.

“Don't trust the person who has broken faith once.”

“One who is in a dying condition is regarded as a living person in all respects.”
Biomedical Ethics and Jewish Law http://www.myjewishlearning.com/ideas_belief/bioethics/Bioethics_Euthanasia_TO/Bioethics_EuthanMedi_Rosner.htm, published by KTAV http://www.ktav.com/
Context: One who is in a dying condition is regarded as a living person in all respects. It is not permitted to bind his jaws, to stop up the organs of the lower extremities, or to place metallic or cooling vessels upon his navel in order to prevent swelling. He is not to be rubbed or washed, nor is sand or salt to be put upon him until he expires. He who touches him is guilty of shedding blood. To what may he be compared? To a flickering flame, which is extinguished as soon as one touches it. Whoever closes the eyes of the dying while the soul is about to depart is shedding blood. One should wait a while; perhaps he is only in a swoon.
Source: Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance (1963), p. 31.

Quoted by Israel Shenker, "Critics Here Focus on Films As Language Conference Opens," http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50A11FF3E59107A93CAAB1789D95F468785F9 The New York Times (1972-12-28)
Often quoted as "How could Nixon have won? Nobody I know voted for him"; referring to George McGovern's loss to Richard Nixon in in the 1972 presidential election.