Cultural+Tragedy

 Cultural Lara Gabrielsen    

 Tragedies are often looked at as chaotic occurrences that destroy, wear down, or dampen societies (Encyclopedia.com). Tragedy has a deepening affect on all types of aspects of the world, however, ultimately, tragedy has the biggest impact on culture. Cultures can fall under the power of tragedy without the opportunity of fighting it. Georg Simmel, major German sociologist and philosopher, developed theories based on the correlation between tragedy and culture (Coser). His theory depicts the desire of products or treasured goods within a particular society. The standpoint of labor that takes part within the process of modernization allows people within that society to become creative and innovative. However, as a result, they produce cultural objects with the purpose of consumption. Within that purpose, society becomes obsessed and fascinated with those goods. This creates tragedy within society by planting the idea that processions are required in order to show how much one can consume, rather than what people within society actually required based on survival (Coser).

Simmel particularly elaborates on his theory in regards towards fashion. Lewis Coser, Georg Simmel analyst writes, “ Simmel writes about how clothing becomes a way for groups of individuals to express themselves and therefore become more than just a means of clothing ourselves, but take on the role of a cultural identifier” (Coser). The cultural aspect in regards towards fashion is defined by this theory with “a way for groups of individuals to express themselves.” However, the tragedy sets in when the desire for clothing becomes more than simply “a means of clothing ourselves.” Although tragedies are often seen as an event that causes masses amount of pain and destructions (Encyclopedia.com), Simmel believed in society hardly recognizing the tragedy that has developed, unseen to nearly everyone around it (Coser).

Works Cited Coser, Lewis A. Masters of Sociological Thought: Ideas in Historical and Social Context. Second edition. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1977. Socio.ch. Web. 8 Nov 2011.  "Tragedy . " The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 8 Nov. 2011