Anomie, Unleashing of the Will (1988) - Mestrovic

Question 1

What is Durkheim’s view of human nature?

Answer 1

• pessimistic view: suffering was inevitable given of the human condition that could perhaps be controlled but could never be eliminated (p. 55)
• we are not purely rational beings; we are also emotional creatures such that our desires incline us toward individual, egoistic, irrational and immoral ends (p. 72)
• we have unlimited/infinite needs, passions and desires (from Schopenhauer)

Question 2

What does Mestrovic mean by saying Durkheim’s understanding of anomie as the “bottomless pit” of desires?

Answer 2

The metaphor of a “bottomless pit” suggests a sense of endless or insatiable desires that cannot be satisfied within the context of anomie. Mestrovic may be highlighting the idea that, according to Durkheim, anomie creates a situation where individuals experience a constant and unfulfillable craving for desires. The breakdown of traditional norms and the weakening of social integration can lead to a sense of moral disorientation, leaving individuals without clear guidelines for their aspirations and desires. In the absence of effective norms, desires may become limitless, contributing to social disorganization and an increase in deviant or socially harmful behaviors.

Question 3

Where does Durkheim’s idea of the will come from?

Answer 3

Schopenhauer: the will is the inherent, irrational striving force that propels individuals to pursue their desires

Question 4

What is the homo-duplex?

Answer 4

• the dualism of human nature: life reduces itself to the opposition between the heart and the mind
• association of the “will” with the body: the will encompasses dreams, impulses, affection, passions, sentiments (the obscure, unconscious, emotional)
• association of society with the “mind”: the mind stands for reflection, thought, abstraction, conceptualisation and control - the rational activity is dependent on social causes
• the mind/society is supposed to surpass ourselves and control and regulate the will/body

Question 5

What was Merton’s and Parsons’ understanding of anomie? (NOT Durkheim’s)
Why was his understanding as such?

Answer 5

• anomie as a state of normlessness, confusion and social chaos in terms of goals and means. In extreme cases, this leads to suicide
• Their interpretation focuses on human action rather than the state’s role -> neglecting the irrational nature of human will
• Parsons was trying to understand the rules of society from Durkheim and why so many people were being deviant during the Great Depression

Question 6

Why is ‘normlessness’ not the appropriate meaning of anomie?

Answer 6

The term ‘normlessness’ fails to capture the complex nuances of Durkheim’s anomie in the following ways:
1. a society without norms would be inconceivable to Durkheim
2. While ‘normlessness’ assumes there’s a need for a rational agent capable of accepting society’s goals and means, Durkheim’s anomie assumes that man’s will is by nature a danger to themselves and society
3. Merton believes that society is a rational organ, but how does it explain the irrationality that human beings produce?
4. Unlike dérèglement, ‘normlessness’ does not carry connotations of immorality and suffering
5. ‘normlessness’ does not assume the dualism of human nature (homo duplex)

Question 7

So what is Durkheim’s definition of anomie?

Answer 7

• “derangement” or “the insatiable will”
• the basis of conflict in modern society
• it’s the situation when regulatory forces are absent during a transition from mechanical to organic solidarity, hence producing a lack of legitimate means to regulate behaviour
• Durkheim sees anomie as evil because it unleashes the unrestrained will and causes suffering
• With Durkheim’s notion of the homo duplex, he demonstrates the need for social regulation otherwise we will have anomie

Question 8

What is the role of state/society in face of anomie?

Answer 8

state as the “organ of thought”: to repress, control, constraint man’s inherently insatiable will and desires, and thus, regulate behaviour

Question 9

According to Durkheim’s echo of Schopenhauer’s ideas, what is the relationship between will and suffering?

Answer 9

“Unlimited desires are insatiable by definition and insatiability is rightly considered a sign of morbidity. Being unlimited, they constantly and infinitely surpass the means at their command; they cannot be quenched. 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.

Question 10

According to Schopenhauer and Durkheim, what is the relationship between will and suicide?

Answer 10

“Far from being denial of the will, suicide is a phenomenon of strong assertion of the will […] The suicide wills life, and is only dissatisfied with the conditions under which it has presented itself to him”

• Suicide is a phenomenon of a strong assertion of the will and control over one’s life and death; it is not the abandonment/rejection of the will to live or the will to die
• In Schopenhauer’s philosophy, the ultimate goal for reducing suffering is the denial of the will. By denying or minimizing one’s individual 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.

Question 11

What is the effect of anomie on the individual?

Answer 11

• leads to social and moral displacement which is unsettling and disorienting
• anxiety, displacement, meaninglessness, powerlessness

Question 12

What is Durkheim’s view of the economy?

Answer 12

p. 66-67
* the economy enshrines undisciplined desires and fuels self-interests that can never be satisfied on their own accord
* economic structure emphasises egoism and materialism
* becomes a fertile source for anomie
* anomie is most prevalent in the business and economic world

Question 13

Unlike Marx, what does Durkheim hope to do with the state?

Answer 13

While Durkheim criticises Western institutions for failing to contain the will and leading to anomie and increasing suicide rates, he does not want to dismantle the state; he wants to reform them so that the state can surpass and contain the will

Question 14

What is Durkheim’s critique of Marxism and Socialism?

Answer 14

• not scientific
• they are merely representations of the modern problem of an unleashed will