Durkheim on thinking collectively---?

Question

Explain Durkheim's defence of indivudualism in "Individualism and the Intellectuals." Does Durkheim really believe in the priority of th individual or does he believe in the society which creates or priduces individually? Explain.

Answer 1

I'm not sure he believed in individualism so much as saw in individuals valuing themselves (and therefore hopefully others) a vital reservoir of value to offset the trend of a complex societty to value people purely for their roles, their place in the great machine.

"The human person, whose definition serves as the touchstone according to which good must be distinguished from evil, is considered sacred"

Well yes, that's a view, but is it a view that's going to survive in large world rather than a small tribal one where every individual is known and important.

A corporation, looking at the bottom line, might not so think, nor a general planning a campaign.
Do advertisers consider the objects of their attention as "sacred", or "targets"?

At this point an interesting thought occurs. As educators try to develop the next generation of people, are they aiming to produce individuals or society fodder? (And do they know the difference!?)

C S Lewis on "The Abolition of Man" may be relevant here.

Thank you for pushing me to do some interesting reading.

Answer 2

It's a bit of a chicken and egg thing...
Nobody is completely individual, because we are all affected by the society in which we live, but, that leaves us with the obvious question - where did society come from?