Simmel

Question 1

What was Simmel’s primary concern about the modern urban individual?

Answer 1

He was concerned about what compelled the individual to adapt to the mechanical and impersonal forces of modern society AND how those forces shaped their personalities

Question 2

Why was the concern specifically on urban individuals?

Answer 2

Because the city had the most influences and they were stronger on their personalities

Question 3

According to Simmel, how do we interpret the meaning of the actions of others?

Answer 3

We interpret the meaning through presuppositions that are provided by society.

Question 4

What is the definition of presuppositions?

Answer 4

They are social aprior categories that are mutually understood and make social interaction possible.

Question 5

Simmel also studies forms of sociation, what are forms of sociation?

Answer 5

They are patterns and forms of social interaction that impose coherence (produce consistency) on social interaction or mini social structures that occur through socially interaction

Question 6

How do forms of sociation occur?

Answer 6

1.) Because of the innate objective and subjective capacities of the mind OR
2.) The human capacity for meaningful social interaction.

Question 7

What are forms of sociation based on? Why?

Answer 7

Presuppositions because the mutual understanding of response and recognizing it makes interaction possible.

Question 8

How do presuppositions make social structures possible?

Answer 8

Because their mutually understood patterns of behavior help people understand one another intersubjectively.

Question 9

What is the definition of culture?

Answer 9

It is the realm of social experience where sociation occurs

Question 10

What are the two types of culture?

Answer 10

Objective and subjective

Question 11

What is objective culture?

Answer 11

Objective represents society and objective culture includes the ideas and feelings of individuals that have been embodied in forms of sociation that are universal.

Question 12

What is the subjective culture?

Answer 12

Subjective represents individuals. Subjective culture cultivates the individuals through interaction with “objects”.

Question 13

What are the objects that subjective culture is referring to?

Answer 13

Books that you read, Music you listen to, Art that you paint or see, Words you speak

Question 14

According to Simmel, what are three aprior mechanisms that are fundamental to the existence of a social world? (Focus on individuals)

Answer 14

1.) Individuals exist both inside and outside society
2.) Individuals are both object and subject within a network of communicative interaction.
3.) Individuals are inclined to be self-fufilling or self-completing.

Question 15

What do the three aprior mechanisms tell us about individuals?

Answer 15

They have self-interests that are critical for society and interaction.

Question 16

What is the dialectical relationship between individual and society?

Answer 16

It is centered around self-consciousness. Self-consciousness exists so we have a variety of ways to interact with others because each person is unique. If self-consciousness did not exist, symbolic interaction would not exist and our interactions would be genetically predetermined instincts.

Question 17

What is the definition of conflict?

Answer 17

Conflict a pattern of sociation that entails an internal state of mutual opposition between individuals and society.

Question 18

How is conflict a positive function for society?

Answer 18

Because it contributes to integration

Question 19

How does conflict contribute to integration?

Answer 19

1.) Oppositions are resolved
2.) Individuals develop a clearer sense of self through conflict and resolution

Question 20

How do individuals gain a clearer sense of self?

Answer 20

One’s negation becomes another’s affirmation

Question 21

What does conflict between groups lead to?

Answer 21

It leads to the centralization within the respective groups

Question 22

Why do groups become more centralized?

Answer 22

Because conflict with another groups encourages people to come together inside each group and become more in tune to each other especially in war.

Question 23

How does modern society handle conflict?

Answer 23

By making more rules and law, which centralizes the authority in the legal system and courts. This allows authority to resolve conflicts.

Question 24

What repercussions occur due to modern society handling the conflict?

Answer 24

Society can no longer reduce or eliminate the personal or individual component of conflict resolution

Question 25

What affects individual presuppositions of group characterisitics?

Answer 25

The size of the group.

Question 26

What are Simmel’s two classifications of groups?

Answer 26

Dyad (consists of two people) and Triad (consists of three people)

Question 27

What is the presupposition of a dyad?

Answer 27

The individuals in the group understands that if one leaves the group the group will cease to exist

Question 28

What is the presuppositions of a triad?

Answer 28

The presupposition changes depending on the addition of a new member

Question 29

What must happen for a large group to operate effectively?

Answer 29

The larger the group the more structured the interaction must be

Question 30

When conflict occurs between individuals and society or groups and society, who wins?

Answer 30

Society

Question 31

Why will society win when there is conflict?

Answer 31

Because economic unity is dependent on specialized division of labor and the special skills for the labor is organized in the interest of the whole not the individual.

Question 32

Why do social types exist?

Answer 32

Social types exist because individuals’ behaviors are dependent on presuppositions

Question 33

According to Simmel, what is the significance of money?

Answer 33

Money is an impersonal measure of value that tends to replace personal ties

Question 34

What can money do for individuals?

Answer 34

Money can help individuals become self expressive because it can allow people to control how their actions affect people.