THE SOCIOLOGY OF SOCIABILITY'

GEORG SIMMEL

Translatedby EVERETT C. HUGHES

ABSTRACT
Whileall humanassociationsare enteredinto becauseof some ulteriorinterests,thereis in all of them a
residueof puresociabilityor associationfor its own sake. Sociabilityis the art or play formof association,
relatedto the contentand purposesof associationin the sameway as art is relatedto reality.Whilesociable
interactioncentersupon persons,it can occuronly if the more seriouspurposesof the individualare kept
out, so that it is an interactionnot of completebut of symbolicand equalpersonalities.Whileit is a depar-
ture fromreality,there is no deceit in it unlessone of the personsinvolvedtries to exploitit.

There is an old conflict over the nature man experiencesin himself and which push
of society. One side mystically exaggerates him out toward other men, bring about all
its significance, contending that only the forms of association by which a mere
through society is human life endowed with sum of separate individuals are made into a
reality. The other regards it as a mere ab- "society."
stract concept by means of which the ob- Within this constellation, called society,
server draws the realities, which are indi- or out of it, there develops a special socio-
vidual human beings, into a whole, as one logical structure correspondingto those of
calls trees and brooks, houses and meadows, art and play, which draw their form from
a "landscape." However one decides this these realities but nevertheless leave their
conflict, he must allow society to be a reality reality behind them. It may be an open
in a double sense. On the one hand are the question whether the concept of a play im-
individuals in their directly perceptible ex- pulse or an artistic impulse possesses ex-
istence, the bearers of the processes of as- planatory value; at least it directs attention
sociation, who are united by these processes to the fact that in every play or artistic ac-
into the higher unity which one calls "socie- tivity there is contained a common element
ty"; on the other hand, the interests which, not affected by their differencesof content.
living in the individuals, motivate such Some residue of satisfaction lies in gymnas-
union: economic and ideal interests, warlike tics, as in card-playing,in music, and in plas-
and erotic, religiousand charitable.To satis- tic, something which has nothing to do with
fy such urges and to attain such purposes, the peculiarities of music or plastic as such
arise the innumerableforms of social life, all but only with the fact that both of the latter
the with-one-another, for-one-another, in- are art and both of the former are play. A
one-another, against-one-another, and common element, a likeness of psychological
through-one-another, in state and com- reaction and need, is found in all these vari-
mune, in church and economic associations, ous things-something easily distinguish-
in family and clubs. The energy effects of able from the special interest which gives
atoms upon each other bring matter into the each its distinction. In the same sense one
innumerableformswhich we see as "things." may speak of an impulse to sociability in
Just so the impulses and interests, which a man. To be sure, it is for the sake of special
I "Soziologieder Geselligkeit,"being the opening needs and interests that men unite in eco-
speechat the firstmeetingof the GermanSociologi- nomic associations or blood fraternities, in
cal Society(Verhandlungen desErstenDeutschenSozi-
ologentagesvom I9-I2 Oktober,I9IO, in Frankfurt cult societies or robber bands. But, above
A.M. [Tiibingen: J. C. B. Mohr, igIil). Pp. I-I6. and bevond their sDecial content. all these
254

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 THE SOCIOLOGYOF SOCIABILITY 255

associations are accompanied by a feeling makes up its substance from numerous fun-
for, by a satisfaction in, the very fact that damental forms of serious relationships
one is associated with others and that the among men, a substance, however, spared
solitarinessof the individual is resolved into the frictional relations of real life; but out of
togetherness, a union with others. Of course, its formal relations to real life, sociability
this feeling can, in individual cases, be nulli- (and the more so as it approachespure socia-
fied by contrary psychological factors; asso- bility) takes on a symbolically playing ful-
ciation can be felt as a mere burden,endured ness of life and a significancewhich a super-
for the sake of our objective aims. But typi- ficial rationalism always seeks only in the
cally there is involved in all effective mo- content. Rationalism, finding no content
tives for association a feeling of the worth of there, seeks to do away with sociability as
association as such, a drive which presses empty idleness, as did the savant who asked
toward this form of existence and often only concerninga work of art, "What does that
later calls forth that objective content which prove?" It is nevertheless not without sig-
carries the particularassociation along. And nificance that in many, perhaps in all,
as that which I have called artistic impulse European languages, the word "society"
draws its form from the complexes of per- (Gesellschaft) indicates literally "together-
ceivable things and builds this form into a ness." The political, economic, the society
special structure corresponding to the ar- held together by some purpose is, neverthe-
tistic impulse, so also the impulse to socia- less, always "society." But only the sociable
bility distils, as it were, out of the realities of is a "society" without qualifying adjective,
social life the pure essence of association, of because it alone presents the pure, abstract
the associative processas a value and a satis- play of form, all the specific contents of the
faction. It thereby constitutes what we call one-sided and qualified societies being dis-
sociability in the narrower sense. It is no solved away.
mere accident of language that all sociabili- Sociability is, then, the play-form of as-
ty, even the purely spontaneous, if it is to sociation and is related to the content-deter-
have meaning and stability, lays such great mined concreteness of association as art is
value on form, on good form. For "good related to reality. Now the great problem of
form" is mutual self-definition, interaction association comes to a solution possible only
of the elements, through which a unity is in sociability. The problem is that of the
made; and since in sociability the concrete measure of significance and accent which
motives bound up with life-goals fall away, belongs to the individual as such in and as
so must the pure form, the free-playing, in- against the social milieu. Since sociability in
teracting interdependence of individuals its pure form has no ulteriorend, no content,
stand out so much the more strongly and and no result outside itself, it is oriented
operate with so much the greater effect. completely about personalities. Since noth-
And what joins art with play now appears ing but the satisfaction of the impulse to
in the likeness of both to sociability. From sociability-although with a resonance left
the realities of life play draws its great, es- over-is to be gained, the process remains,
sential themes: the chase and cunning; the in its conditions as in its results, strictly
proving of physical and mental powers, the limited to its personal bearers;the personal
contest and relianceon chance and the favor traits of amiability, breeding,cordiality,and
of forces which one cannot influence. Freed attractiveness of all kinds determine the
of substance, through which these activities characterof purely sociable association. But
make up the seriousnessof life, play gets its precisely because all is oriented about them,
cheerfulness but also that symbolic signifi- the personalitiesmust not emphasize them-
cance which distinguishes it from pure pas- selves too individually. Wherereal interests,
time. And just this will show itself more and co-operatingor clashing,determinethe social
more as the essence of sociability; that it form, they provide of themselves that the

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 256 THE AMERICANJOURNALOF SOCIOLOGY

individual shall not present his peculiarities intimately friendly situation with one or two
and individuality with too much abandor men as she would in a large company with-
and aggressiveness.But where this restraint out any embarrassment. In the latter she
is wanting, if association is to be possible at would not feel herself personally involved in
all, there must prevail another restriction ol the same measureand could thereforeaban-
personal pushing, a restriction springing don herself to the impersonalfreedomof the
solely out of the form of the association. It mask. For she is, in the largercompany, her-
is for this reason that the sense of tact is of self, to be sure, but not quite completely
such special significance in society, for it herself, since she is only an element in a for-
guides the self-regulation of the individual mally constituted gathering.
in his personal relations to others where no A man, taken as a whole, is, so to speak,
outer or directly egoistic interests provide a somewhat unformedcomplex of contents,
regulation. And perhaps it is the specific powers, potentialities; only accordingto the
function of tact to mark out for individual motivations and relationships of a changing
impulsiveness, for the ego and for outward existence is he articulated into a differenti-
demands, those limits which the rights of ated, defined structure. As an economic and
others require.A very remarkablesociologi- political agent, as a memberof a family or of
cal structure appears at this point. In socia- a profession,he is, so to speak, an ad hoccon-
bility, whatever the personality has of ob- struction; his life-material is ever deter-
jective importance, of features which have mined by a special idea, poured into a spe-
their orientation toward something outside cial mold, whose relatively independent life
the circle, must not interfere.Riches and so- is, to be sure, nourished from the common
cial position, learningand fame, exceptional but somewhat undefinablesource of energy,
capacities and merits of the individual have the ego. In this sense, the man, as a social
no role in sociability or, at most, as a slight creature, is also a unique structure, occur-
nuance of that immateriality with which ring in no other connection. On the one
alone reality dares penetrate into the artifi- hand, he has removedall the objective quali-
cial structure of sociability. As these objec- ties of the personality and entered into the
tive qualities which gather about the per- structure of sociability with nothing but the
sonality, so also must the most purely and capacities, attractions, and interests of his
deeply personal qualities be excluded from pure humanity. On the other hand, this
sociability. The most personalthings-char- structure stops short of the purely subjec-
acter, mood, and fate-have thus no place in tive and inward parts of his personality.
it. It is tactless to bring in personal humor, That discretion which is one's first demand
good or ill, excitement and depression, the upon others in sociability is also requiredof
light and shadow of one's inner life. Wherea one's own ego, because a breach of it in
connection, begun on the sociable level- either direction causes the sociological arti-
and not necessarily a superficialor conven- fact of sociability to break down into a soci-
tional one-finally comes to center about ological naturalism.One can thereforespeak
personalvalues, it loses the essential quality of an upperand a lower sociability threshold
of sociability and becomes an association de- for the individual. At the moment when
termined by a content-not unlike a busi- people direct their association toward objec-
ness or religious relation, for which contact, tive content and purpose, as well as at the
exchange, and speech are but instruments moment when the absolutely personal and
for ulterior ends, while for sociability they subjective matters of the individual enter
are the whole meaning and content of the freely into the phenomenon,sociability is no
social processes. This exclusion of the per- longer the central and controlling principle
sonal reaches into even the most external but at most a formalistic and outwardly in-
matters; a lady would not want to appear in strumental principle.
such extreme dcolletage in a really personal, From this negative definition of the na-

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 THE SOCIOLOGYOF SOCIBILITY 257

ture of sociability through boundaries and tions, the inequalities with which real life
thresholds, however, one can perhaps find disturbs the purity of our picture, it is be-
the positive motif. Kant set it up as the cause modern life is overburdenedwith ob-
principle of law that everyone should have jective content and material demands. Rid-
that measure of freedom which could exist ding ourselves of this burden in sociable
along with the freedom of every other per- circles, we believe we return to our natural-
son. If one stands by the sociability impulse personal being and overlook the fact that
as the source or also as the substanceof socia- this personal aspect also does not consist in
bility, the following is the principle accord- its full uniquenessand natural completeness,
ing to which it is constituted: everyone but only in a certain reserveand stylizing of
should have as much satisfaction of this im- the sociable man. In earlier epochs, when a
pulse as is consonantwith the satisfaction of man did not depend so much upon the pur-
the impulse for all others. If one expresses posive, objective content of his associations,
this not in terms of the impulse but rather in his "formal personality" stood out more
terms of success, the principle of sociability clearly against his personal existence: hence
may be formulated thus: everyone should personal bearing in the society of earlier
guarantee to the other that maximum of times was much more ceremonially rigidly
sociable values (joy, relief, vivacity) which and impersonally regulated than now. This
is consonant with the maximumof values he reduction of the personal periphery of the
himself receives. As justice upon the Kanti- measure of significancewhich homogeneous
an basis is thoroughly democratic, so like- interactionwith others allowed the individu-
wise this principle shows the democratic al has been followed by a swing to the oppo-
structure of all sociability, which to be sure site extreme; a specific attitude in society is
every social stratum can realize only within that courtesy by which the strong, out-
itself, and which so often makes sociability standing person not only places himself on a
between members of different social classes level with the weakerbut goes so far as to as-
burdensome and painful. But even among sume the attitude that the weaker is the
social equals the democracyof their sociabil- more worthy and superior. If association is
ity is a play. Sociability creates, if one will, interaction at all, it appearsin its purest and
an ideal sociological world, for in it-so say most stylized form when it goes on among
the enunciated principles-the pleasure of equals,just as symmetry and balance are the
the individual is always contingent upon the most outstanding forms of artistic stylizing
joy of others; here, by definition, no one can of visible elements. Inasmuch as sociability
have his satisfaction at the cost of contrary is the abstraction of association-an ab-
experiences on the part of others. In other straction of the characterof art or of play-
forms of association such lack of reciprocity it demands the purest, most transparent,
is excluded only by the ethical imperative most engaging kind of interaction-that
which govern them but not by their own im- among equals. It must, because of its very
manent nature. This world of sociability, the nature, posit beings who give up so much of
only one in which a democracyof equals is their objective content, who are so modified
possible without friction, is an artificial in both their outward and their inner signifi-
world, made up of beings who have re- cance, that they are sociably equal, and
nounced both the objective and the purely every one of them can win sociability values
personalfeatures of the intensity and exten- for himself only underthe condition that the
siveness of life in orderto bring about among others, interacting with him, can also win
themselves a pure interaction, free of any them. It is a game in which one "acts" as
disturbing material accent. If we now have though all were equal, as though he espe-
the conception that we enter into sociability cially esteemed everyone. This is just as far
purely as "humanbeings," as that which we from being a lie as is play or art in all their
really are, lacking all the burdens, the agita- departuresfrom reality. But the instant the

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 258 THE AMERICANJOURNALOF SOCIOLOGY

intentions and events of practical reality the man on without letting matters come to
enter into the speech and behavior of socia- a decision, to rebuff him without making
bility, it does become a lie-just as a paint- him lose all hope. The coquette brings her
ing does when it attempts, panorama fash- attractiveness to its climax by letting the
ion, to be taken for reality. That which is man hang on the verge of getting what he
right and proper within the self-contained wants without letting it become too serious
life of sociability, concerned only with the for herself; her conduct swings between yes
immediate play of its forms, becomes a lie and no, without stopping at one or the
when this is mere pretense, which in reality other. She thus playfully shows the simple
is guided by purposes of quite another sort and pure form of erotic decision and can
than the sociable or is used to conceal such bring its polar opposites together in a quite
purposes-and indeed sociability may easily integrated behavior, since the decisive and
get entangled with real life. fateful content, which would bring it to one
It is an obvious corollarythat everything of the two decisions, by definition does not
may be subsumed under sociability which enter into coquetry. And this freedom from
one can call sociological play-form; above all the weight of firm content and residual
all, play itself, which assumes a large place reality gives coquetry that character of
in the sociability of all epochs. The expres- vacillation, of distance, of the ideal, which
sion "social game" is significant in the deep- allows one to speak with some right of the
er sense which I have indicated. The entire "art"-not of the "arts"-of coquetry. In
interactionalorassociationalcomplexamong order,however, for coquetry to spread as so
men: the desire to gain advantage, trade, natural a growth on the soil of sociability, as
formation of parties and the desire to win experience shows it to be, it must be coun-
from another, the movement between oppo- tered by a special attitude on the part of
sition and co-operation, outwitting and re- men. So long as the man denies himself the
venge-all this, fraught with purposive con- stimulation of coquetry, or so long as he is-
tent in the serious affairs of reality, in play on the contrary-merely a victim who is in-
leads a life carriedalong only and complete- voluntarily carriedalong by her vacillations
ly by the stimulus of these functions. For from a half-yes to a half-no-so long does
even when play turns about a money prize, coquetry lack the adequate structure of so-
it is not the prize, which indeed could be won ciability. It lacks that free interaction and
in many other ways, which is the specific equivalenceof the elements which is the fun-
point of the play; but the attraction for the damental condition of sociability. The latter
true sportsman lies in the dynamics and in appears only when the man desires nothing
the chances of that sociologically significant more than this free moving play, in which
form of activity itself. The social game has something definitively erotic lurks only as a
a deeper double meaning-that it is played remote symbol, and when he does not get
not only in a society as its outward bearer his pleasure in these gestures and prelimi-
but that with the society actually "society" naries from erotic desire or fear of it. Co-
is played. Further, in the sociology of the quetry, as it unfolds its grace on the heights
sexes, eroticism has elaborated a form of of sociable cultivation, has left behind the
play: coquetry, which finds in sociability its reality of erotic desire, of consent or denial,
lightest, most playful, and yet its widest re- and becomes a play of shadow pictures of
alization. If the erotic question between the these seriousmatters. Where the latter enter
sexes turns about consent or denial (whose or lurk, the whole process becomes a private
objects are naturally of endless variety and affair of the two persons, played out on the
degree and by no means only of strictly level of reality; underthe sociologicalsign of
physiological nature), so is it the essence of sociability, however, in which the essential
feminine coquetry to play hinted consent orientation of the person to the fulness of
and hinted denial against each other to draw life does not enter, coquetry is the teasing or

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 THE SOCIOLOGY OF SOCIABILITY 259

even ironic play with which eroticism has of the momentary content to become its
distilled the pure essence of its interaction substance any more than one may put a
out from its substantive or individual con- piece of three-dimensional reality into the
tent. As sociability plays at the forms of perspective of a painting. Not that the con-
society, so coquetry plays out the forms of tent of sociable conversation is a matter of
eroticism. indifference;it must be interesting, gripping,
In what measure sociability realizes to even significant-only it is not the purpose
the full the abstraction of the forms of socio- of the conversation that these qualities
logical interaction otherwise significant be- should square with objective results, which
cause of their content and gives them-now stand by definition outside the conversation.
turning about themselves, so to speak-a Outwardly,therefore,two conversationsmay
shadow body is revealed finally in that most run a similar course, but only that one of
extensive instrument of all human common them is sociable in which the subject mat-
life, conversation. The decisive point is ex- ter, with all its value and stimulation, finds
pressed in the quite banal experiencethat in its justification, its place, and its purpose
the serious affairs of life men talk for the only in the functional play of conversation
sake of the content which they wish to im- as such, in the form of repartee with its spe-
part or about which they want to come to an cial unique significance. It therefore inheres
understanding-in sociability talking is an in the nature of sociable conversation that
end in itself; in purely sociable conversation its object matter can change lightly and
the content is merely the indispensablecar- quickly; for, since the matter is only the
rier of the stimulation, which the lively ex- means, it has an entirely interchangeable
change of talk as such unfolds. All the forms and accidental character which inheres in
with which this exchange develops: argu- means as against fixed purposes. Thus socia-
ment and the appeals to the norms recog- bility offers, as was said, perhaps the only
nized by both parties; the conclusion of case in which talk is a legitimate end in it-
peace through compromise and the discov- self. For by the fact that it is two-sided-
ery of common convictions; the thankful ac- indeed with the possible exception of look-
ceptance of the new and the parrying-offof ing-each-other-over the purest and most
that on which no understanding is to be sublimated form of mutuality among all so-
hoped for-all these forms of conversational ciological phenomena-it becomes the most
interaction, otherwise in the service of in- adequate fulfilment of a relation, which is,
numerable contents and purposes of human so to speak, nothing but relationship, in
intercourse, here have their meaning in which even that which is otherwise pure
themselves; that is to say, in the excitement form of interaction is its own self-sufficient
of the play of relations which they establish content. It results from this whole complex
between individuals, binding and loosening, that also the telling of tales, witticisms,
conquering and being vanquished, giving anecdotes, although often a stopgap and
and taking. In order that this play may re- evidence of conversational poverty, still can
tain its self-sufficiency at the level of pure show a fine tact in which all the motives of
form, the content must receive no weight on sociability are apparent. For, in the first
its own account; as soon as the discussion place, the conversation is by this means kept
gets business-like)it is no longer sociable; it above all individual intimacy, beyond
turns its compass point around as soon as everything purely personal which would not
the verification of a truth becomes its pur- fit into the categories of sociability. This ob-
pose. Its character as sociable converse is jective element is brought in not for the sake
disturbed just as when it turns into a serious of its content but in the interest of sociabili-
argument. The form of the common search ty; that something is said and accepted is
of the truth, the form of the argument, may not an end in itself but a mere means to
occur; but it must not permit the seriousness maintain the liveliness, the mutual under-

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260 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

standing, the common consciousness of the ness of realities otherwise demands of its
group. Not only thereby is it given a content ethical decisions.
which all can share but it is a gift of the indi- This total interpretation of sociability is
vidual to the whole, behind which the giver evidently realized by certain historical de-
can remain invisible; the finest sociably told velopments. In the earlier German Middle
story is that in which the narratorallows his Ages we find knightly fraternities which
own person to remain completely in the were founded by friendly patrician families.
background; the most effective story holds The religious and practical ends of these
itself in the happy balance of the sociable unions seem to have been lost rather early,
ethic, in which the subjectively individual as and in the fourteenth century the chivalrous
well as the objectively substantive have interests and conduct remain their only
dissolved themselves completely in the serv- specific content. Soon after, this also disap-
ice of pure sociability. pears, and there remain only purely sociable
It is hereby indicated that sociability is unions of aristocraticstrata. Here the socia-
the play-form also for the ethical forces of bility apparently develops as the residuum
concrete society. The great problemsplaced of a society determinedby a content-as the
before these forces are that the individual residuumwhich,becausethe content hasbeen
has to fit himself into a whole system and lost, can exist only in formand in the formsof
live for it: that, however, out of this system with-one-anotherand for-one-another.That
values and enhancement must flow back to the essential existence of these forms can
him, that the life of the individual is but a have only the inner nature of play or, reach-
means for the ends of the whole, the life of ing deeper, of art appears even more clearly
the whole but an instrument for the pur- in the court society of the ancien regime.
poses of the individual. Sociability carries Here by the falling-off of the concrete life-
the seriousness,indeed the frequent tragedy content, which was sucked away from the
of these requirements,over into its shadow French aristocracy in some measure by the
world, in which there is no friction, because monarchy, there developed free-moving
shadows cannot impinge upon one another. forms, toward which the consciousness of
If it is, further, the ethical task of associa- this class was crystallized-forms whose
tion to make the coming-together and the force, definitions, and relations were purely
separation of its elements an exact and just sociable and in no way symbols or functions
expression of their inner relations, deter- of the real meanings and intensities of per-
mined by the wholeness of their lives, so sons and institutions. The etiquette of court
within sociability this freedom and adequa- society became an end in itself; it "etiquet-
cy are freed of their concrete and substan- ted" no content any longer but had elabo-
tively deeper limitations; the manner in rated immanent laws, comparable to those
which in a "society" groups form and break of art, which have validity only from the
up, conversation spins itself out, deepens, viewpoint of art and do not at all have the
loosens, cuts itself off purely according to purpose of imitating faithfully and striking-
impulse and opportunity, that is a miniature ly the reality of the model, that is, of things
picture of the social ideal that man might outside art.
call the freedom of bondage. With this phenomenon, sociability at-
If all association and separation shall be tains its most sovereign expression but at
the strictly appropriate representation of the same time verges on caricature. To be
inner realities, so are the latter here fallen sure, it is its nature to shut out realities from
by the way, and only the former phenome- the interactive relations of men and to build
non is left, whose play, obedient to its own its castle in air accordingto the formal laws
laws, whose closed charm, represents aes- of these relations which move within them-
theticallythat moderationwhich the serious., selves and recognize no purpose outside

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 THE SOCIOLOGYOF SOCIABILITY 26i

themselves. But the deep-running source, parts of observed reality, that the combina-
from which this empire takes its energies, is tions of certain superficialelements possess
nonetheless to be sought not in these self- a relation to the depth and wholenessof life,
regulating forms but only in the vitality of which, although often not easy to formulate,
real individuals, in their sensitivities and makes such a part the bearerand the repre-
attractions, in the fulness of their impulses sentative of the fundamental reality. From
and convictions. All sociability is but a sym- this we may understand the saving grace
bol of life, as it shows itself in the flow of a and blessing effect of these realms built out
lightly amusingplay; but, even so, a symbol of the pure forms of existence, for in them we
of life, whose likeness it only so far alters as are released from life but have it still. The
is requiredby the distance from it gained in sight of the sea frees us inwardly, not in
the play, exactly as also the freest and most spite of but because of the fact that in its
fantastic art, the furthest from all reality, rushing up only to recede, its receding only
nourishesitself from a deep and true relation to rise again, in the play and counterplay of
to reality, if it is not to be empty and lying. its waves, the whole of life is stylized to the
If sociability cuts off completely the threads simplest expression of its dynamic, quite
which bind it to real life and out of which it free from all reality which one may experi-
spins its admittedly stylized web, it turns ence and from all the baggage of individual
from play to empty farce, to a lifeless sche- fate, whose final meaning seems neverthe-
matization proud of its woodenness. less to flow into this stark picture. Just so
From this context it becomes apparent art perhaps reveals the secret of life; that
that men can complain both justly and un- we save ourselves not by simply looking
justly of the superficiality of social inter- away from it but precisely in that in the ap-
course. It is one of the most pregnant facts parently self-governingplay of its forms we
of mental life that, if we weld certain ele- construct and experience the meaning and
ments taken from the whole of being into a the forces of its deepest reality but without
realm of their own, which is governed by its the reality itself. Sociability would not hold
own laws and not by those of the whole, this for so many thoughtful men who feel in
realm, if completely cut off from the life of every moment the pressure of life, this
the whole, can display in its inner realization emancipating and saving exhilaration if it
an empty nature suspended in the air; but were only a flight from life, the mere mo-
then, often altered only by imponderables, mentary lifting of its seriousness. It can
precisely in this state of removal from aU often enough be only this negative thing, a
immediate reality, its deeper nature can ap- conventionalism and inwardly lifeless ex-
pear more completely, more integrated and change of formulas;so perhaps in the ancien
meaningful, than any attempt to compre- regime,where gloomy anxiety over a threat-
hend it realistically and without taking dis- ening reality drove men into pure escape,
tance. According as the former or the latter into severance from the powers of actual
experiencepredominates,will one's own life, life. The freeing and lightening, however,
running its own course accordingto its own that preciselythe more thoughtful man finds
norms, be a formal, meaningless dead thing in sociability is this; that association and
-or a symbolic play, in whose aesthetic exchange of stimulus, in which all the tasks
charm all the finest and most highly subli- and the whole weight of life are realized,
mated dynamics of social existence and its here is consumed in an artistic play, in that
riches are gathered. In all art, in all the simultaneous sublimation and dilution, in
symbolism of the religious life, in great which the heavily freighted forces of reality
measureeven in the complexformulationsof are felt only as from a distance, their weight
science, we are thrown back upon this belief, fleeting in a charm.
upon this feeling, that autonomies of mere UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

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