George simmel's book on individuality and social forms

George simmel's book on individuality and social forms

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  Georg Simmel (1858-1918) Areview of George Simmel’s book on Individuality and Social forms By:Efa Tadesse Debele Department of Sociology, Addis Ababa University February 15, 2019
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  Georg Simmel (1858-1918)
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  Individuality and socialforms Part I:Philosophy of the social sciences How is history possible? how raw material –theoretical structure general law-forms of our mind man-known by nature and history man-knower-made nature and history realities are product of creative ego-kant
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  How is societypossible?  nature is representation of nature  societal unification needs no factors out side its own component elements, the individuals  a society is, therefore, a structure which consists of beings who stand inside and outside of it at the same time.  this fact forms the basis for one of the most important sociological phenomenon, namely, that between a society and its component individuals a realtion may exist as if b/n two parties  Nature is human imagination  synthesis-social being  sociation-psychological process  individual exist for both society and individual  individuals as member, product and content of society  society is synthetic –social being  society composed of unequal elements
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  The problem ofsociology To form society-reciprocity is inevitable Form and content –inseparable Sociation –unification- interaction As geometry –sociology-see contents of forms The categories of human experience social and natural sciences humanity and individuality Forms of social interaction exchange –purest and concentrated -interaction is exchange 
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   Exchange ascreative process  The significance of sacrifice  Relativity of value  Source of value The process of value formation  creating objects through exchange  primitive exchange  value and price-value is offspring of price  labour power-sacrifice and gain -objectification Forms of appropriation and exchange The cultural foundations of exchange
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  Conflict form ofsociation The sociological relevance of conflict  Society via positive and negative forces  Unit and discord  Conflict as an integrative force in the group  Homogeneity and heterogeneity in social relation  Antagonism as an element is sociation  Antagonistic game  Legal conflict  Conflict over causes –Marx  Common qualities and common membership in a larger social structure as bases of conflict  Conflict in intimate relations
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  Domination –a formof interaction super ordination and subordination Authority and prestige Subordination under an individual unification of group in opposition to the ruler dissociating effect of subordination under individual the’ higher tribunal’ subordination under a plurality subordination under a principle-law -person, object/land, conscience Prostitution-momentary r/n ship and satisfaction Unindividualistic or individualistic
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  continued Sociability –play formof association -coquetry Social types the stranger-nearness and remoteness the poor-beggar, receipt the miser and spendthrift-greedy and extravagant, miserliness and prodigality the adventurer-wholeness of life, skepticism- believing in nothing the nobility-b/n upper and lower
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  Forms of individuality Freedom and the individual, posthumous  Individuality-internal and external liberation of individual from communal forms-constraints-constriction  Freedom-demand of individual use to cover manifold grievances and self assertion against society  freedom and equality  the deepest point of individuality is the point of universal equality  mankind-sacred  Individualism  rationalistic liberalism  freedom and equality-free competition  differentiated /uniqueness/personality-division of labor
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  Subjective culture-nature andculture Culture is perfection of man Cultivation-individual soul-spiritual wholeness Subjective culture-imperative of individual Objective culture-cultivated things Eros, platonic and modern -subject and object-self and world -platonic-love-causes reality-love/deamon -beauty comes and goes -eros –sexual love, desire -plato-love=mediates human and divine -butmodernists-love mediates persons -beauty of individuality and individuality of beauty
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  Individuality and socialstructure Group expansion and development of individuality Group expansion and the transformation of social bonds The relations b/n personal and collective individuality Less circle less freedom of individuality Illustration of the formula in religious and political settings The basic relation as a dualistic drive The differentiation drive as a heuristic principle Stages of social commitment The sociological duality of the family Methodological implication –family-self and collective 
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  CONTINUED  The indeterminacyof collective individuality  Attachments b/n the first and third levels  Freedom and individuality  Meanings of freedom-from choice of spouse to economic initiative -freedom limited by individuality • Meanings of individuality-in sense of freedom, less restraint, being different • Individualism and cosmopolitan-humanity-boundless identity- embracing • Individuation in the economic sphere-money-cash-economic individuation  Political sphere-accentuation of individual power  Religious sphere-clergy-laity  General modes of actualization of the correlation
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  The ideals ofthe equality and unity of mankind Unification and equalisation Extreme individuality with equality of all men- mankind Pure –humanity and uniqueness of individual Ideal –not with-mankind Christianity and individualism Group expansion and the determinants of will -objectivity and subjectivity -universality and particularistic -Ethics and interests-cosmopolitan vs patriotism -
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  continued Group expansion andconsciousness of the ego -circle and awareness of psyche Personal autonomy and the elaboration of social organs -personal autonomy-self sufficient -social organ-structural elements -
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  Fashion Conflict b/n socialisticadaptation to society and individual departure from its demand Socialism vs individualism Imitation gives to the individual the satisfaction of not standing alone in his actions Fashion is imitation reflects attempts Adjustment –individual and social culture Social demand and individual need Consciousness vs material form of life
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  The metropolis andmental life Blasé out look /attitude-psychic mood, mental attitude Self-preservation, valuelessness to objective world Metropolitan life A trophy of individual culture and hypertrophy of objective culture
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  Subordination and personalfulfillment Super-subordination without degradation Dissolving dominating structures Coercion The inevitably disproportionate distribution of qualifications and positions -a priori vs a posteriori
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  Forms and lifeprocess; the dialectical change Social forms and inner needs The transcendent character of life Self-transcendence is common in life More life and more than life The conflict in the modern culture -no shared ideal or ideal at all -formlessness in contemporary
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  Commentary Nature and nurture Humanexperience-social vs natural science Value formation-price, labor power and objectification Sociation Individuality and freedom-negative not mentioned Are life, ego, individuality, content not clear Lack of systematic theory Disregard academic convention Priority of either society or individuality no clear Geometry and Sociology not convincing