George Simmel (1858-1918)was one of the major contributors in the study of social science. George Simmel’s work offer important prepositions in the understanding of social construction of space and of group behavior. George Simmel was born in Germany, in the city of Berlin and studied history and philosophy at the German University of Berlin. Georg Simmel’s theory on sociology was primarily focused on the different forms of associations that link people with one another hence forming groups. According to Simmel, humanity has the behavior of simplifying interaction to a small number of group size that they can easily deal with. They do this by reducing interactions and interactants. He also asserted that humans have the capability of continually developing new types of relationships because they have the capability to of creative consciousness. The uniqueness of people to have the ability to create new relationships allows them to overcome limits that hinder the creation of boundaries. An external structure such as the social classes, economy, and culture reifies the social world making relationships a conglomeration of people with the same class.
Perhaps Simmel’s greatest point was on the power of group sizes, their effect on interactions. According to Simmel, the most important group differences are observable between two persons called dyad and three persons called triad groups. The addition of a third group member enables an objective of the social structure. The triad groups give a control experiment on the individual behavior. The dyad represents both the first social synthesis and unification, and first separation and antithesis. The appearance of third party indicates transition conciliation, and abandonment of absolute contrast. The triad as such seems to we result in three kinds of typical group formations. The triad as such seems like a typical grouping. The group ceases to exist if there are only two elements. The presence of three elements makes it difficult to expand in quality. The peculiar relationship between two is contrasted with the triad. For among three people, each person operates as an intermediary between the other two. In a dyad relationship, the two are connected to each other, almost in a straight line. Discords between the two parties, are a coomadated in the presence of the thid party which makes it whole.
The entry of the third party does not only strengthen the direct relationship of the two parties, it also disturbs it. No matter how the third party may be, there is always the juncture when two of the three members regard the third as intruder. The reason may be the mere fact that the closeness in interfered with. When compared with envy, that occurs in a relationship of two people. Envy occurs when two people focus on one another possessions or qualities. On the other hand, Jealousy happens when a third party becomes a threat to dyad. Jealousy is indicative of a loss or the feeling of loosing someone. It is a signal of wanting to hold and not to let go. The main role of jealousy is that it is a vital component of personal fulfillment.
In addition, Simmmel analyzed the role of a stranger as an integral part of the study. The stranger is an important social character that is defined by an amalgamation of closeness and distance. Simmel criticized Max labor theory by arguing, “Value is equivalent to an objects distance from a person”. In this case, objects that are away from people are more valuable. On groups, Simmel reinstated that space that revealed the importance of unclear demarcations and indistinct spaces to group impulsiveness.
Moreover, Simmel also analyzed the role of culture, in what he famously “described as the tragedy of culture”. In his argument, Simmel wrote a distinction between objective realms of culture and the subjective aspects of culture. The objective aspects of life include science, philosophy, and other aspects of life. They are produced in the realm of science. The subjective aspect of life includes the ability of people to produce, absorb, and control the elements of the said objective culture. According to Simmel, the tragedy of cultures occurs when there is a surge on growth of objective culture while the growth of subjective culture declines. The best way to solve the tragedy of cultures in a realistic way is the argument for division of labor that forces individuals to specialize. In terms of groups lifestyle, George Simmel also discussed the sociological importance of behaviors such as telling lies and keeping secrets.
In my understanding, Simmel’s argument on society and groups is beyond today’s experience. At any rate, at least in the present context, Simmel fails to distinguish between a philosophical and a pragmatic justification. Simmel’s conception of sociology is not that of science alone, but of a scientific philosophical argument in terms of group studies. Society is defined as a number of individual connected by interaction. On his part, Simmel seems to suggest that is only the sum total of their interactions, without the individuals. Society is the first, the complex of societalized individuals, the society forms the human material , as it constitutes the whole reality of the group mentality. In the same way, society is also the sum of relationships by virtue which individuals are transformed, precisely into society in the first sense. Society is thus the abreacts of all groups.
Here is my example of triad and dyad relationship. When I was a freshman in college, I had a best friend whose name was Karen. Karen and I spent most of my time doing silly stuff and serious things. Even though Karen was my best friend, we had different personalities. While I was a bookworm and a lover of solitude, Karen was an outgoing who easily made friends. In the second semester of college, Karen became my roommate. Because I am a nerd, I spend most of time reading and only going out when we went shopping which I like to do for fun. I think this is what we shared in common with Karen. Our neighbor was a wannabe model from California called Josephine. Josephine and Karen became friends with Lucy. This made me feel sidelined during the semester moved. I later realized that I was not fun enough for Karen anymore, and Lucy was almost a natural partner to her. Frustrated by having to please anyone, I ignored them and refused to go with them to any parties. I hated them because I felt they disliked me because I looked different. However, one day I was sick, and Karen to be with me all night. She said she loved me, and I figured she was genuine. I poured my worries out, and Karen told she did not want me to waste time hanging out with them because they do not care so much for school. We then made up, and we are still friends.
Fearson, David. (2011) George Simmel: The Sociology of Space Center for Spatiality in Integrated Science, 2011 http://www.csiss.org/classics/content/75/ Retrived October 20th, 2012
Allen, John. "On Georg Simmel: Proximity, Distance and Movement." In Thinking Space, edited by Mike Crang and N. J. Thrift, 54–70. London; New York: Routledge, 2000.
