Anomie, Unleashing of the Will (1988) - Mestrovic Flashcards
What is Durkheim’s view of human nature?
- pessimistic view: suffering inevitable given of human condition that could perhaps be controlled but not eliminated (p. 55)
- not purely rational beings; emotional creatures such that our desires incline us toward indiv, egoistic, irrational, immoral ends (p. 72)
- unlimited/infinite needs, passions, desires (from Schopenhauer)
What does Mestrovic mean by saying Durkheim’s understanding of anomie as the “bottomless pit” of desires?
- “bottomless pit” suggests a sense of endless / insatiable desires that cannot be satisfied within context of anomie.
- according to Durkheim, anomie creates a situation where indivs experience a constant & unfulfillable craving for desires.
- breakdown of traditional norms & weakening of social integration can lead to a sense of moral disorientation, leaving indivs without clear guidelines for their aspirations & desires. In absence of effective norms, desires may become limitless, contributing to social disorganization & an increase in deviant / socially harmful behaviors.
Where does Durkheim’s idea of the will come from?
Schopenhauer: the will is inherent, irrational force that propels indivs to pursue their desires (relentless human desires that lead to dissatisfaction)
What is the homo-duplex?
- dualism of human nature: life reduces itself to opposition btwn heart & mind
- “will” with body: will encompasses dreams, impulses, desires, passions (unconscious, emotional)
- society with “mind”: mind stands for reflection, thought, conceptualisation, control - rational activity dependent on social causes
- mind/society supposed to surpass ourselves & control & regulate will/body
What was Merton’s and Parsons’ understanding of anomie? (NOT Durkheim’s)
Why was his understanding as such?
- anomie as state of normlessness & social chaos in terms of goals & means. In extreme cases, this leads to suicide. Emphasizing rule manipulation to address deviance.
- Their interpretation focuses on human action rather than state’s role -> neglecting irrational nature of human will
- Parsons trying to understand rules of society from Durkheim & why so many people being deviant during Great Depression
- Merton expanded anomie into structural strain theory, focusing on mismatch btwn societal goals & means.
Why is ‘normlessness’ not the appropriate meaning of anomie?
‘normlessness’ fails to capture complex nuances of Durkheim’s anomie in following ways:
1. society without norms not possible to Durkheim
2. While ‘normlessness’ assumes there’s a need for a rational agent capable of accepting society’s goals & means, Durkheim’s anomie assumes that man’s will by nature a danger to themselves & society
3. Merton believes that society is a rational organ, but how does it explain irrationality that human beings produce?
4. Unlike dérèglement, ‘normlessness’ does not carry connotations of immorality & suffering
5. ‘normlessness’ does not assume dualism of human nature (homo duplex)
- emphasizes unleashing of will, where unregulated desires lead to dissatisfaction and instability
What is the role of state/society in face of anomie?
state as the “organ of thought”: to repress, control, constraint man’s inherently insatiable will and desires, and thus, regulate behaviour
So what is Durkheim’s definition of anomie?
- “derangement” or “the insatiable will”
- the basis of conflict in modern society
- when regulatory forces are absent during a transition from mechanical to organic solidarity, hence producing a lack of legitimate means to regulate behaviour
- sees anomie as evil because it unleashes unrestrained will & causes suffering
- With Durkheim’s notion of the homo duplex, he demonstrates the need for social regulation otherwise we will have anomie
According to Durkheim’s echo of Schopenhauer’s ideas, what is the relationship between will and suffering?
“Unlimited desires are insatiable by definition and insatiability is rightly considered a sign of morbidity. […] Inextinguishable thirst is constantly renewed torture.” (p. 63)
Every insatiable desire fulfilled would only give fleeting gratification, making us endlessly crave for desires to be fulfilled.
According to Schopenhauer and Durkheim, what is the relationship between will and suicide?
“suicide is a **phenomenon of strong assertion of the will **”
- control over one’s life & death; it is not abandonment/rejection of the will to live or the will to die
- In Schopenhauer’s philosophy, ultimate goal for reducing suffering is denial of the will. By denying or minimizing one’s indiv desires and aims, a person may escape the constant striving and conflict associated with the will.
- Schopenhauer suggests that the person who takes their own life is not rejecting life per se, but rather expressing discontent with the circumstances, suffering, or conditions in which life has presented itself to them.
What is the effect of anomie on the individual?
- leads to social and moral displacement which is unsettling and disorienting
- anxiety, displacement, meaninglessness, powerlessness
Unlike Marx, what does Durkheim hope to do with the state?
While Durkheim criticises Western institutions for failing to contain will & leading to anomie & increasing suicide rates, he does not want to dismantle the state; he wants to reform them so that the state can surpass & contain the will
What is Durkheim’s view of the economy?
- the economy enshrines undisciplined desires & fuels self-interests that can never be satisfied on their own accord
- economic structure emphasises egoism & materialism
- becomes a fertile source for anomie
- anomie is most prevalent in the business and economic world
What is Durkheim’s critique of Marxism and Socialism?
- not scientific
- they are merely representations of the modern problem of an unleashed will
What influence did Schopenhauer and Freud have on Durkheim’s concept of anomie?
Schopenhauer’s Will: Durkheim draws on the idea of relentless human desires that lead to dissatisfaction.
Freud’s Id: He connects anomie to suppressed desires & tension btwn personal impulses (Id) and societal norms (Superego).
