collective consciousness

is a barren and absolutely useless concept for an ethnographical observer.

[malinowski] had concluded that the 'postulate of a collective consciousness' was 'barren and absolutely useless for an ethnographical observer' (1916:273-74)' (Stocking 1986:23)

is an emergent characteristic (meaning it takes on a life of its own) of a group or society arising from and supporting a unified mental and emotional response to events of the world.

The totality of beliefs and sentiments common to the average members of society forms a determinate system with a life of its own. It can be termed the collective or common consciousness' (Durkheim, 1984: 38-- 39). Yet in The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, Durkheim seems to acknowledge that there may be individuals within a given society whose consciousness might not coincide with the predominant collective consciousness. Thus, he writes: If [society] is to live, there is not merely need of a satisfactory moral conformity, but also there is a minimum of logical conformity beyond which it cannot safely go. For this reason it uses all its authority upon its members to forestall such dissidences (Durkheim, 1965: 30).

collective consciousness, n.Definitions

collective consciousness