George Simmels Extract in Context - Essay Example

Sociology and Introduction to Sociological Theories Georg Simmel’s sociology describes the social forms that grow out of interactions of individuals or their relations to one another. Therefore, he held that apart from division of labour, universal forms of domination and subordination, competition, among others all characterise all societies (David, 2009). George Simmel’s Extract in context The extract talks about the relationships that exist among the people living in a society. There are those who are jealous of one another because one reason or the other. There are those who love each other and do meet ups to have lunch. There are those people in the society who have mercy on others such that they do not want to see them suffering. On the other hand, there are the kinds of people who live their lives and do not mind about the lives of others. There are those people who always want to show off to other people. The extract is a reflection of how people live in the society and, to a large extent, the values they cherish (Dillon, 2009). Many aspects shape different human societies. These include the different people’s cultures and the copied or learned culture. If one lives in a society where people do not like to see others making progress in life, then jealous is bound to occur especially to individuals who succeed and make it in life. It is a social construct which exists in the society, and that contributes its social set up. There are cultures in which people become happy of other’s success. In such communities, the people value one another and will even do meet ups in social places to have fun (Dillon, 2009). Different kinds of people make up a society i.e. there are those who like boasting of their possessions and who will not care about others. There are those who are quite sympathetic or are easily touched by other’s tribulations and are often easy to help. Likewise, there are those who although they may want to help, they have no means and therefore remain helpless when it comes to facing the need people’s problems. Such characters are what defines a society and are what contributes to social set-ups that exist (Ritzer, 1996). The different cultures in a society to which people are accustomed are usually shaped by various things and can be viewed from various dimensions. The scopes include technological, economic, political, and belief-conceptual dimension. These dimensions, to a large extent, dictate how different people relate to one another and their perception about life. The Technological Dimension The technological dimension, for example, is largely involved in shaping people’s ideas, behaviour and their patterns of interactions. Technology, in particular the media have a lot of influence on how people perceive each other. According to Dillon (2009), technology has brought about globalization and hence the rapid diffusion and dilution of local cultures. However, this depends on how well a society is equipped with such technologies and how fast they can learn and copy from others. While technology can easily lead to cultural and social change, for instance by introducing a new set of beliefs or a new set of family, some communities remain resistant to change and opt to preserve their cultures. Such cultures rely on the old technology in order to order to preserve their identity in the cultural sense (Dillon, 2009). The Economic Dimension The economic dimension also contributes to how people within a society interact and socialise. In some communities, there is the habit of sharing where wealth is shared among those who do not have. For instance, one may share food to the underprivileged members of the society. As for those who are rich, their economic status remains fundamental in shaping their interactions. The business categories of people, for instance, meet and socialize in various forums, in clubs and other joints. In addition, these people often tend to live good lives and are often segregated from the poor local people in the society (Candice, 2011). The Political Dimension The political dimension also has a huge influence on people’s relationships within a society. The political leaders that people choose have a lot of influence on how people live and interact with one another. For example, some communities may choose leaders with traditional or bureaucratic authority while others may possess charismatic individual qualities. These leaders influence interactions and relationships as their decisions may either promote or impoverish the society unity (Grab, 2002). There are leaders who promote are ethnocentric. Such leaders will tend to favour their ethnic groups while neglecting other communities. The effect of this is that it tends to promote animosity amongst communities living together; a factor that affects interactions and relationships among the people. The feeling of being left out may trigger serious consequences on relationships among the people (Grab, 2002). The institutional dimension This dimension focuses on how people relate to each other, what they expect from one another and their assumptions. In addition, it includes the people’s responses and reactions. It looks at the patterns of relationships, in most cases referred to as roles and status and the consequent formation of groups and institutions that largely derive those patterns (Candice, 2011). How people are organized within a society, for instance, how they communicate with each other, how they work and share various duties amongst themselves. This is quite fundamental in shaping relationships and other social elements such as behaviour patterns amongst people. Beliefs-Conceptual Dimension This dimension is quite wide and includes people’s beliefs such religious beliefs and atheist beliefs. The various religions that exist in a society create a unique social construct that in one way or the other may promote harmonious relationships within the society. Some religions, for example, have specific dressing codes; have a way of socializing especially when conducting some events. Some believe that helping in need brings blessings to them. Such different beliefs help in promoting harmony and social relationships within the society (Seidman, 2008). Conclusion In conclusion, the different relationships and social interactions that exist amongst various communities is a direct result of the different dimensions. These to a large extent define how different people relate to one another and their perceptions about life. Learning such dimensional models helps in appreciating not only the way communities live but also the different social dynamics that have led the development of their lifestyle. Reference Candice, S., 2011. ‘Capitalism and Classical sociological Theory.’ Canadian Review of Sociology, 48(1): 111-114. David, B. B., 2009. ‘Classical Sociological Theory.’ International Social Science Review, 84(1): 96-97. Dillon, M., 2009. Introduction to Sociological Theory: Theorists, Concepts, and their Applicability to the Twenty-First Century. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Grab, E., 2002. Theories of Sociological Inequality, 4th Edition. Toronto, ON: Nelson Tomson Learning. Ritzer, G., 1996. Classical Sociological Theory. New York, NY: Cornell University Publications. Seidman, S., 2008. Contested Knowledge: Social Theory Today, Fourth Edition. Malden: Blackwell Publishing. Read More