On the average, most delinquent youth are aware of the laws and rules prohibiting delinquent behaviors. But they are afraid of being ridiculed by their peers, if they should display their reluctance to engage in delinquent behaviors. Thus, when they are with their peers, they will try to conceal their reluctance through demonstrations of strength and repetitions of delinquent behaviors, which at times will result in severe social reprimands including being sent to a reformatory. This paper interprets the reasons why delinquent youths seem to possess such deep - rooted tendency based on Heidegger's thought of "the society". Normally, upon entering puberty, children begin to take notice that there is a special type of "other" behind the ordinary "others" around them, which is referred to as "the society" by Heidegger. And upon realizing the existence of this "society", children take notice consequently that "the society" always requires them to act in the same way as an "average person" would act. But, because some children cannot avoid falling below average standards in scholastic ability and other areas, they cannot avoid suffering from the "feeling of inferiority". As a way to assuage the "feelings of inferiority", these children often reject the average standard and seek to affiliate themselves with a criminal group, ending up on a "path of crime". Thus, the demonstration of reluctance to engage in delinquent behaviors will result in the inability to return to the criminal group and the loss of means to avoid the "feeling of inferiority". So, delinquent youth often repeat delinquent behaviors inevitably, even when they are subjected to severe social punishments, such as being sent to a reformatory.
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