Collective consciousness and anomie
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by Gueneo
Greetings Australia!
Émile Durkheim is considered one of the founding fathers of modern sociology.
Durkheim defined collective consciousness as the set of beliefs and feelings common to the average members of society. The more the collective consciousness is intense and compelling, the more likely there is to be strong social cohesion. This cohesion, such as this game shows, isn't necessarily obvious.
Durkheim also examines the phenomenon of anomie, the absence of rules in the social complex which can lead to a detachment between the individual and the community.
This occurred by analyzing the rate of suicides in different parts of the world (suicides are more common when there are fewer social ties). No rules generates feelings of insecurity.
Sociology is not an exact science. It tries to describe a complex situations that depend on multiple factors that are difficult to describe with scientific data. And all of us that deal with people know that the human factor is the hardest thing of all to account for.
Personally I find it useful to trust these definitions based on research that follow a method. Based on these definitions, I opened a debate in senate forum, and I hope I can also read the opinion of all of you with under this article to bring the voice of all in the senate.
I write today to publicize this debate and seek the participation of fellow senators.
I also write because the thought of all active citizens is fundamental.
Our role (as senators and government members) is to represent the majority of the people.
So, do you think it is right, appropriate or necessary to determine the rules for the community that everyone must respect? Should these rules be written down? Or are unspoken rules more useful for our community?
There is no right answer. Let's try to understand together why or why not try it.
Give voice to your will.
Australia we serve!
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LOL Now I'm reading " The suicide " of Durkheim 😛
By the way, human factor cannot be mesurable directly, for that reason scientist created the concept "construct" -> explanatory variable which is not directly observable.
Using statistic tools you can correlate behaviours with abstract concepts. This is the base of compared psychology for example, and for the momment the only approach to those ideas using the scientific method and creating a new fields of science about behaviours far away of the fairy tales and dark areas that we still don't know from the brain and the human being. 😁
A book to read without applying...
Enjoy it!
"Sociology is not an exact science." Too too right... Do we need rules?
Does the State need the elusive revolutionary Bokonon?
Can we have structure without rules? Do rules actually improve security, or the illusion of it?
Oh I hate these bloody soft sciences... But am all for some rules if it makes congress more effective. 🙂
I needed a pretext to give value to the proposal. 😃
I think that the rules for their own sake are just a nuisance. But in a game like this, where numbers count, establish equal rules for all where you can now find differences, could give a better feeling.
Example: who gives the gold from CM medal may resent knowing that other colleagues don't make the donation.
In short, no useless rules, but rules that don't allow some to feel stupid. 😃
I had a read, and now I have had a think.
Against all the (unwritten) rules of writing, to the specific first. Ultimately, the conduct of individual senators is the responsibility of their party president. Actions should have consequences, however you cannot expel people from a party. Not can you expel a senator from the senate. The only recourse is to put them far down the list, so they are not (or are unlikely to be) elected. But to do that, you first need a large number of people to put in front of them...
The example of donating congress gold to the country as an example of unwritten rules I find is a poor one. It is only the policy of the ADP to do so. Nothing stops the other parties, mind you, and it is morally the right thing to do. Still, who is to say the nation will spend that money to best effect? Perhaps individual senators or the party (if they aggregate) have viable nation building ideas, like training ground loans or supply drops? I haven't seen our official government do anything with its money except sign MPPs. While a very valid use of funds, we also pay work taxes for that... Perhaps the best outcome would be for parties to state theirintended use of the congress gold in their election pitch? And then transparently follow up on it.
Now the general case... Unwritten rules are unwritten because they are messy and not universal. It is easy and straightforward to say "thou shalt not kill". It is much more difficult to say "thou shalt bring wine to a dinner party", because there are many exceptions and exclusions to the rule (don't take wine if the host is a recovering alcoholic for example).
Communication is the key to these situations. We all have different social norms, even if we don't recognise them. The more we talk together, the closer we get to a consistent community standard of behaviour. Perhaps somebody could try writing an eAus Code of Conduct for Senators? Entirely voluntary of course...
As I can see, now there are also difficult to understand where gov spent money, for citizens but also for senators, avoid MPP that are shown in game.
But that could change if we, for example, impose to govs to show us (at least senators) how they spent the money, with an initial estimate, and a final doc of how it really was spent..
Example:
Initial CC: X1
Initial Gol😛 X2
CC by tax in 30 days: Y1
CM/CP Gold in 30 days: Y2
Spent Z1 in this, Z2 in other thing, >3, ecc...
Final account:
CC: ( X1 + Y1 ) - ( spent list Z )
Gol😛 ( X2 + Y2 ) - ( spent list Z )
I've been pushing that for every month I am in the senate! While it is not wise to advertise the status of our treasury, we could at least have a month by month profit and loss.
Rusty complicated the issue by paying many expenses from his personal account...
Know, in that case I think that shouldn't be counted in gov costs, because not using national money.
In any case I waiting for other replies.. If there are no interest in that, no problem. 😃
Just seems almost useful the senate, at that point.. Ok, some gain gold, some others not. There are CS, but each one give them with no rules. Nothing more, at now..
Hope for some improvements in next months, perhaps with a greater population it will be possibile to go back on the speech.
We had rules and an organisation around citizenship. Mongoosier disbanded it in frustration - it only works if Senators have discipline and integrity.
My prediction: not many people will reply. It is very intellectual for the average Australian, and too complex in language for most Spaniards. I am sorry. 😕
If I earn gold or cash it means it's mine ... why should people give up something that is rightfully theirs?
If gov can't function without donations then there is something wrong with gov.
I hate how governments think they can spend your money better than you can ....
Sure, but the fold donations is used only for example. The main point that I try to touch is about the necessity, or not, of any type of rules.
That comes to me after I've see some mistakes in last week. There was no way to define who is right or not. Because of not claer and writed pact...
BUBut if most of us prefer that system, really no problem. I try a proposal only because of my role. 😃
Phone create "fold" in first line. I haven't write it. 😛
Governments functioned best when there was an actual budget to approve (the executive is freed from spending squabbles) and Senate knows what not to watch.
As to the others, written rules define what is opinion and what is fact in a community. I found the old Speaker rules most useful since someone had to be elected every month and they were expected to leash the wild dogs. Without rules its pointless and behaviour degenerates to anarchy fast.The rest of the rules/laws clarify what is acceptable or not behaviour. They help create an institutional memory for best practices in solving dilemmas. Enforceability is not as important as the social contract and common ground it creates in a community. It also stops a lot of wasted time reinventing the wheel.
This. 😃
Majester baby \o/
Some silly buggers elected me CP, but I seem to be lacking a Majester in my cabinet, do you think he would accept my offer of a job position?
Sorry, don't have the time this month. But good luck on the gig. No more than two consecutive terms, no matter how tempting, or you go mad and end up like Atra.
If I can do 3 terms as Dictator I get 50 gold though ....
Should be 30 days to gain 50 gold (with the true dictator medal)