In The Cultural Logic of Collective Representation Emile Durkheim begins by questioning the role of region in society. He states that "the fundamental categories of thought, and consequently of science, are of religious origin." I felt that he was looking at religion, for the first time, as an ideal, created by individuals. He goes on to say that institutions have been born in religion. He felt there was too much focus on this intangible ideal that held "power" over the people. "For a society is not made up merely of the mass of individuals who compose it, the ground which they occupy, the things which they use and the movements which they perform, but above all is the idea which it forms of itself." This, to me, was the most profound idea in this week's reading. This is a statement that makes you question everything. A society is just that; an "idea". I think it is ironic that he points to the tangible things that people might say make a society; individuals, land, and the things we do to occupy our time here. This kind of abstract thinking impresses me, especially coming from a man who lived almost one hundred years ago. I think too often we are told something and never see reason to question it; Durkheim was different. I think he was able to remove himself from a "warped reality" (that which we create), and look at the big picture to ask why to the unknowns and unquestioned.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXQqMyMIAhI
I choose this video because I think it is important to understand where Durkheim came from, the time period, and (I'm assuming) structure that he grew up in. I think it makes his ideas and theories much more meaningful. He did not come from a time where people were encouraged to think "outside the box". I imagine this behavior was thought to be defiant so long ago.
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