Ethnomethodologists emphasize the importance of credible accounts in the ordering of reality. Can you think of an unpersuasive account of some event, decision, or action sequence told to you by a friend/family member, or that you heard from some politician or (local/national) government official on the news? What was the event at issue? Why, both from your personal point of view and from the larger social-cultural context in which you live, was the account not credible? To what extent do your personal expectations of what is reasonable/sensible overlap with/deviate from the expectations of the larger culture? How might a phenomenological perspective help to account for any deviations between your personal expectations and those of the culture-at-large?

Question

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The Answer is One example of an unpersuasive account that comes to mind is a story I heard from a friend about a decision made by their employer. My friend claimed that their employer had decided to cut employee benefits in order to increase profits, despite the company already being very successful financially. From my personal point of view, this account was not credible because it seemed illogical for a company to prioritize profits over the well-being of its employees, especially when the company was already doing well financially.

From a larger social-cultural context, this account was not credible because it goes against the widely accepted belief that companies should prioritize the well-being of their employees and contribute positively to the community. In my personal expectations, I believe that it is reasonable and sensible for companies to prioritize the well-being of their employees and contribute positively to the community, and I believe that this expectation aligns with the larger cultural expectations as well.

From a phenomenological perspective, the deviation between my personal expectations and those of the culture-at-large could be accounted for by considering the individual experiences and perspectives that shape my beliefs. For example, my personal experiences with companies that prioritize employee well-being and community involvement may have influenced my belief that this is a reasonable and sensible expectation. Additionally, the larger cultural expectations may also be influenced by similar experiences and perspectives. Overall, a phenomenological perspective helps to account for the deviations between personal and cultural expectations by considering the individual experiences and perspectives that shape beliefs and values.

Ethnomethodologists Emphasize the Importance of Credible Accounts in the Ordering