The Shriners are a fraternity based on the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief, and truth. They have roughly 375,000 members and 191 temples in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Shriners support Shriners Hospitals for Children, which is a system of twenty-two hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing specialty pediatric care. What prohibits the Shriners from being a social movement?
A) It is hard to imagine membership in the Shriners transforming anyone's life.
B) They are not dedicated enough to their work.
C) They do not seek to alter the status quo.
D) They do not have an ideological commitment.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Social movements are characterized by seeking to alter the status quo and advocating for social change. However, the Shriners are not engaged in any kind of activism or social change efforts. Instead, they primarily focus on charitable work through their support of Shriners Hospitals for Children. Thus, their lack of a goal to alter the status quo makes them ineligible to be considered a social movement.

The Shriners Are a Fraternity Based on the Masonic Principles