Each person holds a constant ratio of individual to social factors

Evidence

This basic idea can be generalized to the proposition that in each person, other things being equal, there is, as it were, an unalterable ratio between individual and social factors that changes only its form. The narrower the circle to which we commit ourselves, the less freedom of individuality we possess; however, this narrower circle is itself something individual, and it cuts itself off sharply from all other circles precisely because it is small. Correspondingly, if the circle in which we are active and in which our interests hold sway enlarges, there is more room in it for the development of our individuality; but as parts of this whole, we have less uniqueness: the larger whole is less individual as a social group. Thus, the leveling of individual differences corresponds not only to the relative smallness and narrowness of the collectivity, but also—or above all—to its own individualistic coloring. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 608

Categorization

• XREF: Central theoretical formulation for the essay’s blasé-attitude framework: the self trades individual freedom for circle membership, and vice versa. — connects to: Every person fuses social inheritance with free individual autonomy — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 520; A set of individuals can be society to varying degrees. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 51; Every person is perceived as both unique individual and general type — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 174 (+4 more)
• DEEPTHINKING: A genuinely inverted formulation — group smallness and group individuality both compress personal individuality while apparently opposing each other; worth sitting with.

Related

• Individuality increases as the social circle expands (similarity 0.85)
• Every person fuses social inheritance with free individual autonomy (similarity 0.85)
• Individualism of equality and individualism of inequality both require large social circles. (similarity 0.84)
• Any social group can act as individual or aggregate depending on its relational frame. (similarity 0.81)
• The individual’s inner mental relations mirror social relations among persons (similarity 0.81)
• Individual and society are methodological standpoints, not separable entities (similarity 0.80)
• Rising individuality necessarily yields belief in mankind’s ideal unity (similarity 0.80)
• Every person is perceived as both unique individual and general type (similarity 0.80)
• Human essence is the ensemble of social relations, not an individual abstraction (similarity 0.80)
• Human life must be understood under both individual and social attributes at once (similarity 0.80)
• Each person is a fragment even of their own singular type (similarity 0.80)
• A set of individuals can be society to varying degrees. (similarity 0.79)
• Larger social circles encourage individual freedom; smaller ones restrict it (similarity 0.79)
• Individual diversity can be conceived as a division of labor among unique beings (similarity 0.79)
• The narrow circle and the large circle yield equal life chances (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Human life must be understood under both individual and social attributes at once #expands (0.70) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 213
• Every person is perceived as both unique individual and general type #expands (0.60) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 174
• A set of individuals can be society to varying degrees. #qualifies (0.50) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 51
• Society presupposes a harmony between its structure and individual inner callings #expands (0.50) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 191