Summary of Erik Erikson “The Development of Ritualization

In his article Erikson makes the argument that ritual begins at a person’s babyhood and is in fact biological in nature. This comes with the bond between mother and child. We are programmed to feel an intimacy and break it each time one is put in the crib or has to go to school. Once picked back up or coming home from school we are back with our mother and back we are coming back to the divine (mother) as Eliade argues in his theories. The cycle continues as people live their lives by learning the rules of society from their parents and in turn teaching them to their children. It follows a ritual of society while maintaining order. If people don’t follow these social paths they’ll lead to wrongly acts such as abusing drugs, sex and/or committing violent acts. When people get on this wrong path we must save them from their chaos and return them to cosmos just as we did through childhood.

I see the argument Erikson is making through biological childhood as a ritual. It keeps society in order by teaching values and providing a safe environment in which to raise our children. I can’t see any other way to properly raise a child besides provide a stable environment and it may be a programmed ritual, but I believe anyone that sees a religious aspect in it is looking into it as much as they want.

~ by bmill1 on April 29, 2008.