Enduring Illusions: The Social Organization of Secrecy and Deception

• Published in: Sociological theory Vol. 32; no. 4; pp. 283 - 306
• Main Author: Gibson, David R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.12.2014; American Sociological Association
• Subjects: Authority; Compliance; Constraints; Deceit; Deception; Fraud; Goffman, Erving; Investors; Legitimacy; Lying; Madoff, Bernard; Money management; Organizations; Pyramid operations; Pyramid schemes; Secrecy; Self interest; Simmel, Georg; Social organization; Social theories; Sociology; Stock prices; Theater; Truth; We they distinction; organizations; interaction; deception; secrecy

Sociologists theorize that people comply with the dictates of states and other organizations out of self-interest or because of the perceived legitimacy of those in authority. Some organizations, however, are based on lies, or secrets, and it would seem that these should be very short-lived, given h...