Sociability among equals is an artificial stylized game, not a return to natural self
Evidence
This world of sociability, the only one in which a democracy of equals is possible without friction, is an artificial world, made up of beings who have renounced both the objective and the purely personal features of the intensity and extensiveness of life in order to bring about among themselves a pure interaction, free of any disturbing material accent. If we now have the conception that we enter into sociability purely as “human beings,” as that which we really are, lacking all the burdens, the agitations, the inequalities with which real life disturbs the purity of our picture, it is because modern life is overburdened with objective content and material demands. Ridding ourselves of this burden in sociable circles, we believe we return to our natural-personal being and overlook the fact that this personal aspect also does not consist in its full uniqueness and natural completeness, but only in a certain reserve and stylizing of the sociable man. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 378
Categorization
- DEFINE: Defines sociability as an artificial, stylized play-form in which one acts ‘as though’ all were equal — key to the essay’s mapping of role-play in urban life.
- XREF: connects to: Sociability’s democratic reciprocity fails across different social classes — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 377; In social games players perform the very structure of society itself — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 379; Pretended sociable equality is art-like play, not a lie, until reality intrudes — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 378 (+8 more)
Related
- Casual sociability perpetuates the injustice it seems to soften (similarity 0.88)
- Pretended sociable equality is art-like play, not a lie, until reality intrudes (similarity 0.87)
- In social games players perform the very structure of society itself (similarity 0.86)
- Sociability’s democratic reciprocity fails across different social classes (similarity 0.85)
- Sociable pretenses of equality are lies only when they serve external purposes. (similarity 0.83)
- Games let people play with the forms of sociability itself (similarity 0.82)
- A set of individuals can be society to varying degrees. (similarity 0.81)
- Social games are society played as a self-contained form. (similarity 0.79)
Broader Connections
- Pretended sociable equality is art-like play, not a lie, until reality intrudes
#exemplifies(0.80) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 378 - In social games players perform the very structure of society itself
#expands(0.70) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 379 - Sociability’s democratic reciprocity fails across different social classes
#qualifies(0.55) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 377