Seinfeld and social norms

            Often times, people view the show Seinfeld as being the “Show about nothing”.  However, I’m going to go into detail about why I believe it’s actually a show that teaches social norms and displays the unwritten rules of random topics and events that people experience in their daily life within its episodes.  Although the show doesn’t necessarily have a main story line behind it, and it’s episodes are completely random, the show does a nice job of showing what’s considered “normal” and guided interactions of the average persons every day life, which makes it easier for their viewers to be able to relate to the deeper meanings within the episodes.  These topics include: what’s the correct and appropriate way to dip a chip? After how many dates are you allowed to break off a relationship in person? And many more (Sommers, 2011).  Basically, Seinfeld takes the most insignificant event and turns it into a 30 minutes sitcom that’s absolutely hilarious, and the events that happen within the show are real life situations. 

            The episode I’ve picked as an example of the show displaying unwritten rules is my all time favorite Seinfeld episode “Soup Nazi”.  The term “Soup Nazi” is known all over because of Seinfeld’s one random episode about the soup stand that is owned and ran but a guy that isn’t very nice and is known as the “Soup Nazi”.  Nazi is in reference to being so strict on his rules towards his customers (Eagleton).  This episode totally violates the social norm and unwritten rule of “the customer is always right”.  By the “Soup Nazi” and owner of the soup stand treating his customers as if he was doing them a favor by letting them eat his soup, and him requiring them to order in a certain way is “technically” not correct.  In the normal setting, the customer is always right and the store employees and owner are supposed to do everything in their power to make sure the customer smiles.  In this episode, Kramer is the only one that truly understands the Soup Nazi and gets along with him great.  According to Kramer, the reason the Soup Nazi acts in this manner is because he views himself as being a slave to the soup, so people should feel privileged that he’s worked so hard on the soup they are about to eat.  Elaine however thinks that the way he treats his customers must change, because the customer should always be right.  After the Soup Nazi tells her she can’t have any soup for one year, she comes across the recipes, and goes to the soup stand just to make sure he knows she has them.  Then she proceeds to tell him “NO SOUP FOR YOU---NEXT” so that he knew what it felt like to be treated in such a way.  This in her mind was teaching him to be more kind to people or in the end it will bite you in the ass. (Soup Nazi, 1995).

            The Soup Nazi episode was just one of the many episodes that Seinfeld demonstrated social norms and social interactions during daily events in the average persons life.  Social norms are somewhat persuasive in which you pick up on what’s the normal thing by observing people around you.  Because these are unwritten rules, there technically is no right or wrong. 

            Seinfeld will forever be a popular and well-known show, even well after it’s off the air.  It teaches lessons in every episode, even if people don’t necessarily look at them as being lessons while they are watching the show.  They do an excellent job of making the concepts hilarious as well.  Their viewers are people of all kinds because the humor displayed in the episodes attracts people with different personalities and sense of humors.  The situations that the show bases its episodes on are real life situations that people don’t necessarily think about.  These situations may include love lives-- (Jerry falling for the girl version of himself), (George trying to be a badass guy that doesn’t need love) (Sommers, 2011).  Also, the term “double dipping” originated from the Seinfeld episode of the correct way to dip a chip, and everyone knows the term double dipping, even if they’ve never seen Seinfeld in their life.  Although the comedy show wasn’t popular right after airing, it became very popular once people realized the subject matter was relatable to everyone’s experiences and lives no matter what the gender, age, race, etc.  This TV show is made to make people think beyond first glance, and to look at the deeper meanings behind the experiences and situations within the episodes.  Seinfeld will forever be a well-known show, because of all the life lessons it has taught to its viewers, and doing so in a “funny” way making people be able to relate to the deeper meanings within. 

Works Cited

Eagleton, Alice. "Critical Insight." : Debating the Cultural Value of American Sitcom Seinfeld. TV and Film Analysis, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://tvandfilmanalysis.blogspot.com/2012/05/debating-cultural-value-of-american.html>.

Seinfeld, Jerry, and Larry David. "Seinfeld "Soup Nazi"" Seinfeld. NBC. Manhattan, New York, July 1989. Television.

Sommers, Sam. "Science of Small Talk." Psychology Today. N.p., 11 Dec. 2011. Web.