How is social order maintained?
 

So I've decided to study sociology and psychology in my spare time. Pretty basic shit so far, but do you think our social order is maintained by conflict or by consensus...does society function due to the ruling classes or by the togetherness of the people?

Are our values agreed or dictated?

Increasingly by the ruling classes, as it had been for hundreds of years.

The 20th Century was an anomaly.

Everything is dictated.

"If there's an original thought out there I could use it now"

that.

checks and balances. freedom vs order and shit

Our social structure begins with the basic familial unit. We are dominated by our basic survival needs of food, clothing and shelter then it's the need for companionship etc all beginning in a familial unit. It's how nature formed us as homosapiens.

I see your point and agree, but what about our values? How we treat each other? Is it all dictated or do we reach a societal understanding based on what benefits society as a whole? If we were not given laws, would we behave in a civilised manner as it would be best for everyone?

Obv there are criminals and whatnot who already don't do this, but I mean the wider population of civilised countries.

well now you're just getting into the old nature vs. nurture argument.

Hey dummies

The threat of violence is all that keeps it together

I'd argue that intellect plays a bigger role than its getting credit for here

False. There are many who don't flinch at violence nor value life.

see: ISIS.

Violence does not deter them. The ruling class does, by manipulating their effect on the world (for better or for worse) via money, alliances, and religion.

No way bro

Clearly the illuminati

Didn't know that

Who mentioned the illuminati?

I'm talking our governments. Our political classes.

Doesn't matter who you're talm bout the nati all up in it

They done shot my dog.

Must've known state secrets

That's on you bro dogs shouldn't be snooping into such things

They said he was a whistle blower...I don't remember teaching him that trick :(

U were the whistle blower. They killed the dog to get to u


It's ur fault he's dead

Hernando de Soto wrote an excellent book kind of about this (The Mystery of Capital, I believe it's called). In it, he makes a pretty compelling case that one of the most important aspects of social order/development is an enforced legal infrastructure. There's a reason "law" and "order" tend to go hand in hand.

Values are cultural though, and as such they're malleable.

My recent hobby-learning has been neuro-economics, I think you'd enjoy getting into it.

hey oats

what the fuck is water?