Overview

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Each theorist has a unique diagnosis and account of great potential of modern society

E.g. de Tocqueville - freedom through democracy

And of the crisis component of modernity

E.g. Marx- critical of separation of people from their work and sustenance- reduced to an animal

Durkheim is aware that at his academy he is carving out a new discipline

Grew up in provincial France. His father was a rabbi!

Made a complete and traumatic break from Judaism while still a young student

Felt a distaste for dilettante philosophy- systematic problem with way of thinking "pussy-footing around" (quote from lecturer)

Died of a broken heart in 1918 after death of son in the war (in 1915).

Anomie. The breakdown of the conditions of social solidarity- pathological condition.

2 models of social solidarity (intergration)

Mechanical

Traditional

Familial groups joined by shared beliefs (conscious collective)

Organic

Division of labour

Formed through functional interdependence

Not much conscious collective- moral differences, dif expectations

Don't listen to what they say- look at what they do. They enter into relationships of functional interdependence.

Durkheim tries to give validity to his theory by analogies to biology, e.g. body systems working together although specialised.

Each task/industry given it's own rewards, e.g. scholar scientific renown, businessman riches, governors power, etc.

THE CONTRACT

Describes relationships predicated upon separation, diversity, mutual benefit/reciprocity

Not sustainable because we only follow it when it suits us as an individual\

Based on philosophical standpoint: equality under the law, sympathy of interests, recognition of the rights to claims of others

"As sociologists we don't just, you know, look into the starry heavens. We look at what people do…"

The contract influenced law development! Pretty cool durkie.

"Individuality is a cult in modern society" -Durkheim

Travel down into principle of individuality, the grounds for a new form of social solidarity. The investment into individuality is what binds us together, to allo0w each other to enjoy this right

Individuality is our SACRED- unquestioned. It is a cult in this way.

If we develop individuality then we don't need to appeal to an authoritarian state.

What does society do when this type of 'conscious collective' is infracted?

*Great book on phenomenon of suicide in modern society with our horror at comprehending it.

Read book Suicide by durk

Anomie

A pathology (when an organism is in danger of not being able to reproduce itself)

Failure to recognise interdependencies

Across a whole range of industries in modern society: economic, social and individual level

(1) Economy

Process whereby the dynamism/innovation of modern economy becomes the sole motivation and is unchecked by any regulating norms and rules

If a mod economy becomes dominated by competition, profit, greed

In danger of economic and moral disintegration > class warfare

Failure of modern economy to represent itself in ways that is able to combat trends and tendencies toward competition that threaten to debilitate the economy and gross inequalities across class

(2) Society

Anomie also invades character of social relationship: greed, rights without duties, focus on pleasure, lack of community service

Because mod society has no social solidarity

Most pronounced in the children of the nouveau riche (aimless); particularly vulnerable to anomie (failure to recognise interdependencies)

They are not integrated into society because they don't yet have a career/investment

When you spend your time working in one specialised area, you realise that you depend on others to do the work that you can no longer do. You become invested into the system.

When you enter into relationships that are status-seeking and in competition with one another, you will experience anomie. This will lead to the inability of society to reproduce itself.

Individual state of mind is also attacked

(3) Individual

Weariness, frustration, anger and discontent with life

Motivations of egoistic suicide or anomic suicide

Egoistic: sense of inability to posit meaningful goals for oneself. No purpose/meaning

Anomic: loss of sense of community, being enfolded with any collective forms of existence

In traditional societies, suicide motivated by

Fatalistic reasons: sense of being born down to social constraints

Altruistic: e.g. suicide bomber, for a cause

Our individuality is a SOCIAL experience. Anomie caused by failure to recognise this

Religion would not solve it because of homogeneity

Family cannot solve anomie (as the source of social solidarity)- unit has been weakened, no longer 'clan-based' unit because it functions as the principle of competition. E.g. Keeping up with the Joneses type competition

Remedies

Solidarity is now based on abstract principles, e.g. tolerance (the contract)

Requires CLEAR self-understanding so that we can reproduce conditions that sustain mod society

Identify the nodule points that connect us to others while recognising our individuality and recognising our functional interdependence

Rebuild professional association and NETWORKING

The state should be a centre for coordination, like the brain, without limiting interdependence of organisations

If you get a specialist career, you will be more satisfied with modern life

Is this because you are invested in it and this will convince us that it's good?

Look to moral code of tolerance being inscribed into young people (moral education- another book, he spent a lot of time in education departments) LIBERAL VALUES

Critiques

Not all groups might tolerate other groups

Tolerance requires a moral indifference; presupposes an equality of privilege, that the other individuals will be okay left on their own