Georg Simmel, 1858-1918

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Georg Simmel, 1858-1918
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Simmels Life and Career

• Berlin family life
• Private lecturer at University of Berlin
• Academic marginalization
• Anti-Semitism
• Lack of systematic theory
• Disregard for academic conventions
• Popularity with students
• Major theme social interactions

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Social Interactions

• Focus on everyday life
• Identify underlying forms
• Distinction between content and forms
• Example conflict
• Example domination

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Simmel on Conflict

1. Positive consequences
2. Intense over impersonal interests
3. Generates group solidarity
4. Conflict among similars is most bitter

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Simmel on Numbers

• Dyads
• Triads
• Larger groups

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Simmel on Modernity

• The Metropolis and Mental Life
• Overwhelming stimuli
• Coping strategies
• Tragedy of modern culture
• Objective and subjective culture
• Overall take on modernity ambivalent and
  ambiguous

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Sociability

• Impulse to sociability
• play-form of association
• Balancing act
• Manifestations of sociability, e.g. coquetry
• Conversation an end in itself
• Transformation of daily life into artistic play

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In-Class Writing (open book)

• Does the social scene in Palm Beach described
  by Dunne represent sociability as Simmel
  defines it? Why or why not?

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Exercise

• Come up with a specific example of sociability
  from your own life experience.
• How does your example fit Simmels definition of
  sociability?
• How common is sociability today?
• Is sociability increasing, decreasing, or stable
  over time?

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Discussion

• Is Palm Beach society an example of sociability?
• Your examples of sociability
• Frequency of sociability
• Trends in sociability

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Third Party Roles

• Divide and rule
• Rejoicing third party
• Nonpartisan mediator

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Domination

• Mutual influence of superordinate and subordinate
• Example waitresses

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Simmel on Money

• Modern life takes form consistent with nature of
  money
• No intrinsic meaning means of exchange
• Facilitates certain forms of interaction, leads
  to their dominance

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Consequences of Money

• Increased personal freedom
• Impersonal interactions
• Emphasis on calculation and intellect
• Speeds up tempo of life
• Specialization and personal development
• Prostitution extreme example of negative effects
  of money on interaction