On a larger scale, the grey area between structure and agency gives cultural change its paradoxical nature. On one hand, it seems to be the result of decisions and choices made by individuals; on the other hand, people seem to be following the dictates of fashion, patterns of habit common to society, and a kind of mentality which requires thorough precedent and familiarity before any action is taken.
I would suggest that the spaces between structure and agency also define a zone of comfort. The one extreme, where every moment is mapped out in advance and all of life becomes an endlessly repeated series of cycles of routines, defines what life in a prison or another total institution is all about. At the other extreme, life without any routines or regularity would be a chaotic mess of endless trivial choice. In between we can find some sort of compromise where we can engage with both consciousness and familiarity with ourselves, our companions and intimate others, our material surroundings and their various pressures and demands.
References
The Edge of Agency
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