Philosophers: Emile Durkheim

Émile Durkheim

Émile Durkheim was a French Sociologist who is best known as the principal architect of modern social science and is widely regarded as the founder of the French School of Sociology. Some of his major works include the Division of Labour in Society, the Rules of the Sociological Method, Suicide, Pedagogical Evolution in France, and The Elementary Forms of Religious Life.  

His most notable work is called Suicide and is largely about how capitalism robs humans of their happiness until they reach the point of craving death. In this book, he outlines 5 reason that humans are so unhappy

1. Individualism

The first reason he outlines, is that in a society of capitalism, there is too much pressure on the individual. Before capitalism, roles were assigned at birth. Now-with competition-there's more pressure on the individual and uncertainty in the work that you'll do and the life you will live. With this uncertainty, stress is put on the individual that could otherwise be avoided, which aids in making us unhappy.

2. Excessive hopes

Capitalism allows the individual more growth potential, however, with this comes reason to believe that great feats are possible, when in reality, they are rare. These excessive hopes prime us for unhappiness, as they often raise our expectations for ourselves to unreachable heights.

3. We have too much freedom

Durkheim believed that we have too much freedom. Before capitalism, we relied on social norms significantly more, but capitalism has allowed for a sense of rebellion that these have less weight over us. Although this reliance on our own decision-making may sound good on paper, in reality, we're often too lazy and tired to make these decisions for ourselves, and would be happier if they were made for us.

4. Atheism

Durkheim was himself an atheist, but he worried that religion had become a necessity in society, as it is the only bond that keeps communities together as it does. Science could not offer the same shared experiences and therefore our relationships don't have the same strength, making them fulfilling.

5. Weakening of the nation and the family

There were times throughout history where national and familial ties offered us a feeling of belonging similar to that which religion does.  However, capitalism has worn these ties, as both are prioritized lower than wealth and achievement under its lens. 

Durkheim was an expert diagnostician in finding the ills of society and pointing them out to us. His thoughts in Le Suicide, as well as his others, inspire us to view capitalism in a different light, seek novel ways to fulfill our desire for a sense of belonging, and reconsider how we prioritize our values in relation to socialism, like family, work, and religion.