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Essay / Deaths of despair and Emile Durkheim's ideas for preventing them
Emile Durkheim explains four types of suicide; selfish, altruistic, fatalistic and anomic suicides. He calls suicide “insanity” and defines each type of suicide based on its distinctive characteristics. Anomic suicide is comprised of both selfishness and anomie that causes a person to lack moral regulation and become socially isolated. A person who cannot morally regulate their life may lose track of the things that normally bring them satisfaction or happiness, for example their spirituality or intimate relationships. Social isolation can occur when a person experiences changes in their life that they are unable to adapt to, leading them to lack morals. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Social isolation can lead to disconnection from social groups such as work, school, and church. All of this can contribute to a person's moral standards that normally bring positivity into their life but become meaningless during a crisis related to new changes. The concept of anomic suicide is linked to the recent increase in deaths due to despair among middle-aged white people. Deaths of despair are suicides and drug-related deaths triggered by feelings of hopelessness and displacement (Shanahan et al. 2019). The definition of despair describes misery, which is not an uncommon feeling a person experiences when going through changes in their life that cause them to lose sight of the purpose of life. What is important is that people understand how to adapt to changes in their lives in order to avoid deaths of despair and Durkheim does an excellent job of demonstrating how someone can achieve this by discussing different mental states that one will go through before and after experiencing anomie and selfishness.Durkheim discusses the social problems related to anomic suicide and suggests ways to avoid suicidal tendencies (Durkheim, [1897] 2006). It is argued that Durkheim's idea of anomic suicide correlates with deaths of despair and that his ideas can be used to enlighten society on ways to regulate morality to prevent deaths of despair from occurring. are increasing more among middle-aged white Americans. To better understand the motives for deaths of despair, one must study anomic suicide in its entirety to gain insight into the social and moral aspects that coincide with deaths of despair. First, the impact of social factors on a person's life. Second, the importance of a person's moral regulation is to align him with his means. Finally, the limits and limits that one must draw for one's desires (Durkheim, [1897] 2006). Social factors significantly influence human life and force people to adapt to new changes that are constantly occurring. Whether the changes in a person's life are good or bad, that person can still experience an absolute loss of morality. The only way to preserve morality is to adapt to all changes in life while maintaining a good understanding of one's personal interests and desires that bring one joy. A person can move from poverty level to the richest 9.9%, lose their job or adapt to the consequences of a natural disaster. These are all dramatic changes that force a person to adjust their life. When a person fails to adapt to societal change, they may become a victim of anomie, leading to social disconnection (Durkheim, [1897] 2006). Based on their life experiences, they can better managechange than others and can eventually create a foundation that allows them to remain morally grounded, no matter how significant the changes in their lives. Suicide is a topic that is not often discussed within society. because it is an abnormal act which is considered morally reprehensible and which constitutes a sensitive subject for a large part of society. Suicide is an issue that needs to be addressed more often without being compared to issues related to mental health. Durkheim studies suicide related to social factors rather than mental health factors which may contradict the term "suicidal" as it is frequently categorized as mental health. However, improving social structures and implementing moral standards in one's life can help someone overcome anomic suicidal tendencies without seeking help from mental health professionals. Every person experiences different aspects of life, such as the school they attend, the parenting style they were raised in, the food they eat, their personal interests and many other aspects of life. a person who separates them from others. These are the aspects of our lives that truly impact everything we do, from how we speak to what we choose to eat each morning. Everyone will struggle when it comes to investing their passions in a quest for change, change they have never experienced before. In order to see the changes that need to be made we must live in a society that follows a moral order, this will require sacrifices from all members of society. Societies that currently identify with behavioral despair indicate recklessness, states Shanahan: “Behavioral despair consists of risky, reckless, and unhealthy acts that are self-destructive and reflect limited regard for the future” (Shanahan et al, 2019 : 856). It is these sacrifices that will strip away what belonged to the old society and replace it with an entirely new social structure. Throughout this process, many people will experience a variety of emotions that can potentially threaten their ability to adapt to social changes. Because it's important that people understand the threatening emotions that can arise and avoid letting them become a distraction. Emotions play an important role in responding to life changes; a person can completely change the way they handle life changes if they are able to regulate their emotions to adapt appropriately to societal changes. It can lead a person to make more rational decisions if they are able to remain calm and actively happy, two emotions that Durkheim considers indicators of good health. Learning to control emotions and apply new emotions can give someone the opportunity to overcome negative emotional reactions. The emotions a person uses to respond to changes can determine how well they will be able to handle changes in the future. Emotions also impact a person's wants and needs, which can in turn change the life journey they choose to take and the experiences they will have. A person's life experiences can change their expectations in life and explain the increase in deaths due to despair among middle-aged people. whites. Currently, middle-aged White Americans continue to experience “increasing despair and economic deterioration in White America” (Masters et al. 2017). Faced with the increase in drug overdoses, liver failure and suicides, researchers have tried to identify thisthat drives this specific group to die of despair. Researchers discuss potential life stressors such as health care, gun laws, worsening distrust, income inequality, educational resources, race and age. All of these stressors cannot only apply to middle-aged white Americans. In fact, given that Whites constitute the racial majority in the United States, there are likely racial minorities who experience the same life stressors, and perhaps even more (Murphy et al. 2018). A common misconception about anomic suicide is that it is associated with financial distress. . However, Durkheim began tracking suicide statistics as early as 1864 through 1890, which indicated an increase in suicides regardless of economic hardship or prosperity. He goes on to point out that no matter where a person is in life or how well the economy is doing, people already know what they want in life. Each person's life experiences can impact their desires. Middle-aged white Americans might expect more from life than a middle-aged minority, but they might actually have the same opportunities and resources as a middle-aged minority. This would be an example of someone who has unrealistic desires that will end in disappointment. Although within society, racial minorities are often seen as having less than a white person, those who identify as a racial minority may feel like they have everything they need. life. Durkheim states: “The worker is not in harmony with his social position if he is not convinced that this position is the one he deserves.” As most of the United States begins to experience economic stagnation, regardless of race, we will likely see an increase in deaths due to despair (Shanahan et al. 2019). Emile Durkheim addressed the underlying issues of anomic suicide. He uses the term “social facts” to describe socially constructed ideas. We can easily become distracted by personal interests driven by “social facts” such as the desire to “succeed” or “get rich.” When a person aspires to achieve “social facts,” they are more likely to set themselves up for failure by creating unrealistic goals. This could cause someone to become a victim of despair and anomic suicide. Modern societies in the United States have been structured to provide people with far more than they need, which they have likely become dependent on. With daily use of the Internet, the use of phones to communicate and, in some extreme cases, controlling your home via your smartphone. These are all ways that society has trapped people in a mental addiction to the materialistic world that benefits from the continuous flow of money invested in these products. This makes it more difficult for society to make meaningful changes without facing serious reactions of disagreement and anger that contribute to the lack of morality. Regardless of the societal outrage that will result from societal changes, Durkheim discusses the "repeated dissatisfaction and disappointments" one will receive from living one's life gaining temporary joy through electronics rather than interacting with people in person. Yet another path open to becoming socially withdrawn and isolated without being able to implement moral structure in one's life (TenHouten, 2016). This is where society will once again begin to see an increase in deaths of despair and anomic suicides. Durkheim states: “No living person can behappy or even live at all if her needs are not sufficiently well adapted to her means.” In order to prevent unrealistic goals from limiting one's achievements, a person must be consciously aware of the goals they have set for themselves. This means being able to identify the difference between desires that “stimulate needs instead of satisfying them.” One can do so much more with their time, money, ideas, and themselves if they focus on meeting their needs rather than creating more than they already have. In doing so, they gain a sense of satisfaction in life and free themselves from unnecessary desires that can rob them of their ability to feel authentic happiness. Durkheim discusses the idea that poor people are saved from suicide because of their inability to set unrealistic expectations in life. because their lives are much more realistic than those who live in a middle-class neighborhood in the United States. Their reality prevents them from dreaming beyond what they have in front of them and a disruption of their reality can lead to anomie. Although there are social classes that differentiate rich from poor, nothing “maintains inequality” aside from earned income and inherited wealth. Durkheim goes on to discuss the possibilities that would present themselves in life if inherited wealth were nonexistent. All individuals would be born with equal opportunities and chances to succeed in life. Society lacks the moral regulation necessary to improve social standards. Durkheim states that "only society can precisely create a moral system superior to individual morality. Through the dominant force, the individual follows." The dominant power within society is not control through fear or violence but rather respect. As society is built on good conscience and morality, no man will feel obligated to follow the laws created by a society that does not uphold moral standards. Instead, people will be able to obey the laws through moral guidance and conscience. A society that does not force people to live a life centered on materialism and money will give people the opportunity to find their individuality and establish a greater form of happiness that is not determined by "facts". social”. This means that people will have the freedom to live freely by working and pursuing the dreams they want as long as they live within the moral standards created by society. So that someone is able to identify what separates good moral standards from bad ones. , they must be in tune with their natural self to gain insight into the peace that resides within each person. You have to find your inner self to be able to understand how to allow your inner compass to guide you when making decisions. This can be done by eliminating the current social structure driven by consumerism. Once one realizes that all they need in life are their basic necessities, they will be satisfied with whatever they have because more happiness will come from this simple lifestyle. Durkheim states that by “attenuating the resistance that things put up against us, he persuades us that they can be constantly overcome.” Each person will experience the abrupt detachment from the previous social structure that was in place, but will see great benefits once they become accustomed to the new circumstances and eventually overcome what they never would have could imagine doing. Once one transitions into a society that respects moral rules, they must find their own way of doing things, because there are no rules for how human beings should live their lives. There is no yet.