16
Theoretical Perspectives Social Exchange Theory People might consider how someone else may feel about being told “Merry Christmas”, and as a result they may not say it to a friend for fear of hurting the friendship by offending the other person. Conflict Theory People might not want to say “Merry Christmas” for fear of causing a minority to think that there is a sense of entitlement from the person saying it. This could cause the minority to feel that the Caucasian person feels superior. This could lead to a feeling that there is an inequality in power in favor of the person saying “Merry Christmas”. Symbolic Interactionism Some people may make the decision about whether or not to say “Merry Christmas” based on how they feel others may think they should be greeting people. For example a white man may feel that others expect him to not say “Merry Christmas”, and as a result he may feel obligated not to. Systems Theory Because there is seemingly a downward shift in the popularity of “Merry Christmas”, many people in society, and in fact society as a whole has begun to stray away from the saying.