Editing Émile Durkheim (section)

==== Collective consciousness ====
Durkheim assumes that humans are inherently [[Egotism|egoistic]], while "[[collective consciousness]]" (i.e. [[Norm (sociology)|norms]], [[belief]]s, and [[Value (ethics)|values]]) forms the moral basis of the society, resulting in [[social integration]].<ref>Kim, Sung Ho. 2007. "[http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/weber/ Max Weber]." ''[[Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]''. Retrieved 17 February 2010.</ref> ''Collective consciousness'' is therefore of key importance to the society; its requisite function without which the society cannot survive.<ref name="Allan_1083">{{harvp|Allan|2005|p=108}}</ref> This consciousness produces the society and holds it together, while, at the same time, individuals produce collective consciousness through their interactions.<ref name=":0" /> Through collective consciousness human beings become aware of one another as social beings, not just animals.<ref name="Allan_1083" /><blockquote>The totality of beliefs and sentiments common to the average members of a society forms a determinate system with a life of its own. It can be termed the collective or common consciousness.<ref name="AllanAllan2005-108">{{cite book|author1=Kenneth Allan|author2=Kenneth D. Allan|title=Explorations in Classical Sociological Theory: Seeing the Social World|date=2 November 2005|publisher=Pine Forge Press|isbn=978-1-4129-0572-5|page=[https://archive.org/details/explorationsincl00alla/page/108 108]|url=https://archive.org/details/explorationsincl00alla/page/108}}</ref></blockquote>In particular, the [[emotion]]al part of the collective consciousness overrides our [[egoism]]: as we are emotionally bound to [[culture]], we act socially because we recognize it is the responsible, moral way to act.<ref name="Allan_109">{{harvp|Allan|2005|p=109}}</ref> A key to forming society is [[social interaction]], and Durkheim believes that human beings, when in a group, will inevitably act in such a way that a society is formed.<ref name="Allan_109"/><ref>{{cite journal | url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/09767479211057745 | doi=10.1177/09767479211057745 | title=An Open Letter to Emile Durkheim | journal=Journal of the Anthropological Survey of India | date=December 2021 | volume=70 | issue=2 | pages=256–263 | last1=Guha | first1=Abhijit | s2cid=245132986 }}</ref>