Cultural Relativism
what is considered dis-appropriate in one culture is appropriate in another. The emperor penguins found it "unpenguinly" to dance. It was a taboo and regarded a deformity. However on the other side of the land, those "mexican" penguins dance to celebrate their culture...
Collective Behavior
Everybody wants to be in a collective and to act according to the collective behavior. Mumble could not even sing, but he forced himself to do so to fit in. He felt sad whenever he was left out. When he started dancing, everyone followed suit... what Durkheim calls collective conscience... society will give you the feelings, somewhat like mob behaviour.. feelings that will not be invoked when you are alone. Its always not good to be the ood one out.
Law and deviance
What is stated as the "law", or the "norm" is always relative. It is also subjected to cultural context. The law among the Emperor penguins was that they are forbidded to dance, for fear they offend the wind or ocean spirits, and they have no fish to catch. But obviously, because Happy Feet found the true reason for the loss of fish in his land, and when dancing was essential so that they could raise awareness of their existence to humans and thus make it known that they need the fish. So from something considered taboo and against social norms, overtime, it will make way to be something public and official. Like wise for religions, Christianity started as a cult and later on became an orthodox religion.... Society is sooo relative. And traditions are not stagnant. Ha!
On the whole... Happy Feet is a ridiculously farni movie.... it is so ridiculous till I dunno to laugh or cry... And I love those small "mexican" penguins!!!! So adorable and funny!!! Those Chickas!!!! I love it! Must watch!!
