Social organization :  A study of the larger mind

audiobook

Social organization : A study of the larger mind

by Charles Horton Cooley

EN·~10 hours

Chapters

Description

In this thoughtful exploration, the author treats the human mind as a single, living organism whose parts constantly influence one another, much like the instruments of an orchestra. By shifting focus from individual psychology to the larger “social mind,” the work examines how our thoughts, language, institutions and even unconscious habits are woven into a broader network of collective consciousness. The discussion highlights how personal self‑awareness is inseparable from our awareness of the groups we belong to, suggesting that every idea we entertain is both shaped by and shapes society at large.

The first part of the book lays out the foundational concepts of social organization, distinguishing between conscious and unconscious relations that underlie everyday interaction. It argues that the unity of society lies not in uniform agreement but in the dynamic organization of reciprocal influences. Readers are invited to look beyond isolated facts and see how the intricate web of human connections generates the ever‑changing patterns of social life.

Details

Language

en

Duration

~10 hours (628K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Original publisher

New York: Charles Scribner's sons, 1909, reprint 1911.

Credits

Bob Taylor, Aaron Adrignola and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)

Release date

2024-01-05

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Charles Horton Cooley

Charles Horton Cooley

1864–1929

Best known for introducing the idea of the “looking-glass self,” this American sociologist explored how people come to understand themselves through their relationships with others. His writing helped shape early social psychology and symbolic interactionist thought.

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