The Modern Puritan

In todays society there are many social inclinations, in response to socially unacceptable acts, that i believe are similar to the punishment that would be given in a Puritan society. An example that comes to mind is the tendency to shun someone who has committed a crime (and released back into the community). This sort of punishment isn't enforced by federal law, but neighborhoods of people tend to ostracize someone if they see them as a threat or wrong doer. In the scarlet letter Hester is sentenced to wear the letter A on her chest as punishment for adultery, therefore removing her from her position as an accepted part of the puritan community and making her unable to lead a normal life in that town. We see this today to a lesser extent. When a sex offender is convicted they are registered and everyone with access to a computer can see what they did and when they did it. Although the convict is not forced to publicly showcase what they did at every moment the neighborhood is usually alerted and in most cases the convict is shunned and perhaps protested to a point where they have to leave their neghborhood. The 'crime' of adultery was considered a very serious offense in a Puritan society, and today an adulterer is, by nature, shunned by people around him/her such as family and friends, as they have indeed sinned. In this way puritan morals have been adapted into society, subconsciously, targeting criminals and unethical people as punishment for their acts, so others will not repeat them, and to better the community as a whole.