Social systems are the center of governance in a society or community. But what is the relationship between social systems and practicality? What do we need to know about them? Let’s find out.
You might have heard about the terms patriarchy and matriarchy. One of them is so well-known that people even have differing opinions on it. It is also the most followed social system in the world.
By social systems, I do not mean the universal or particular social value structures but the society driven by either of the sexes.
Now, it’s obvious. A group or a community of people might be against a particular social system. Whether patriarchy or matriarchy, both influence the rigid principles to establish a structure in society.
However, no matter what people say, the structure is no longer a vital component of society and is at present replaced by the ideas of freedom and individuality.
Practicality has a completely different outlook on the relevance of social systems. For instance, let us consider practicality as a sentient being with its own will and desire to place on structures and systems.
Now, our social systems depend to a great degree on the fundamentals of practicality. The necessity of a structure and order had compelled us to form a society that is governed by either men or women but not both.
But, this isn’t enough to draw out the relationship between social systems and practicality, right?
So, “What is the relationship between social systems and practicality?”
And, “How can we understand it?”
Let’s find out.
Why are social systems not prevalent in the present times?
You might have seen many SJWs and protestors rallying on the roads or platforms as well as in auditoriums. Most of these protesting and rebellious groups come from countries where people value individual rights more than communal harmony.
Well, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that social systems go against notions of individual rights. Moreover, choosing or favoring a particular government system doesn’t benefit the free will of the individuals.
Social systems aren’t prevalent anymore due to their partial and dogmatic approach. The preferences over social systems have changed to a great degree due to the egalitarian values of the modern generation.
But, this might not be enough to find out why social systems are not prevalent in the present times.
So, here are 3 prime reasons why it is so.
1. Individuality and freedom have taken over the world:
An elaborate discussion about individuality and freedom leads us to one of the prime reasons why social systems aren’t prevalent anymore. The present generation values individuality more than anything.
Besides, the freedom to live a life without the fear of someone else imposing a will on them has made people even more aggressive and adamant about the relevance of egalitarian values.
It might not seem likely, but individuality and freedom have taken over the world and might also influence the forthcoming generations and their political views.
2. Social systems have shown limited progress over time:
All the people out there who value social systems such as patriarchy and matriarchy might not like this, but the society under such systems has shown little progress in the past times.
Instead, the social systems also inhibit opportunities due to their favoritism and partiality toward one gender, which makes it very difficult for society to grow in multiple fields.
Progress is not the product of an individual alone but also a community towards which the social systems seem to fail from time to time.
3. Suppression and disregard for other factions of society:
Society isn’t just composed of men and women. It also comprises the transgenders, cisgenders, and the other communities of LGBTQIA+. Hence, it is vital to have a stable social system that equally supports these communities.
Now, the suppression and disregard for such communities not only takes away their rights but also deprives them to have an identity or existence that would be accepted by the members of society.
The lack of support for these communities is the reason why social systems failed to endure in the present times.
So, we now know why these systems aren’t relevant anymore.
But, “What is the relation between social systems and practicality?”
Let’s find out about it in the next section.
What is the relation between social systems and practicality?
Social systems might not be prevalent, anymore but that doesn’t mean they have no practical basis. More than individuality and freedom, social systems have a good relationship with practicality.
However, there is a little confusion in the present times as to how it shapes social systems and to what extent. In other words, the reality of humankind has a lot to tell about rules and structures.
For instance, an egalitarian man lives in a matriarch country and leads his life with the rules and regulations of woman leaders. But he doesn’t realize how partial it can be until he experiences them himself. In this way, he learns the practicality of his country set by the women-led society.
Although it just tells us about one side of the equation, yet there are many ways to prove the impact of practicality on social systems.
So, here are 5 ways social systems and practicality are related.
1. Social systems are biased and so is the reality:
No disrespect to social systems, but this is the foundation of their ideologies. One thing to note here is that social systems are necessary for the proper functioning of society, yet they are still biased.
But there is nothing wrong with being biased. Having a bias towards something is what practicality is. A practical person will always choose the shortest and least resistant path to achieve anything. Hence, he is also biased and partial in his approach.
Therefore, the practical and realist aspects of humans influence the biased nature of social systems.
2. Social systems value cooperation and social construct:
Cooperation is not limited to an individual and his will to help others. The social systems have an equal contribution to promoting a cooperative attitude amid the social construct.
The best part is the survival of humanity entirely depends on our cooperation and the socially adept environment of these systems. They might not be perfect, but we still need them to maintain a good society of strong people.
To live in a society, one has to understand the value of cooperation and social construct. With our survival depending on it, it becomes an important aspect of practicality.
3. Social systems are dogmatic and value their own opinions:
As stated above in the previous section, social systems are very dogmatic and value their own opinions over individual concerns. Everything that they must do is for the interests of the community and society at large.
Now, they also lay principles and force others to accept them. However, those seemingly dogmatic principles serve a large purpose of going with practicality and the reality of life.
Being dogmatic and valuing one’s own opinions might seem impractical, but they are more practical in the long run.
4. Social systems also believe in the dog-eat-dog world:
I think due to bias judgments and preference for one gender over the other is one of the major reasons why social systems also follow the harsh reality of the world.
These systems also prefer cut-throat competition, and people under such systems are very competitive and aggressive in their behavior. Their belief in the dog-eat-dog world is typical and follows the cruel nature of practicality where competition is necessary for survival.
Hence, practicality has also influenced social systems with its dark side that values competition and survival skills.
5. Lastly, social systems are utilitarian as opposed to egalitarian:
Utilitarian principles are important for the benefit of humanity. They have a lot to teach us about the significance of society for human survival. Egalitarian values might not benefit humanity in the long run.
Social systems are aware of the significance of a utilitarian approach in dealing with unfortunate circumstances that lead to a greater threat. Though biased, these systems consider the long-term benefits of the community by sacrificing the interest of others who are in minority.
Utilitarian principles might seem to value inequality and prejudice, but at the end of the day, it still concerns themselves with the basic survival instinct of humanity, which is a very practical thing.
Final Words:
To sum up, the irrelevance of social systems might be the result of changing attitudes of people towards the likes of equality and individuality. This article doesn’t promote social systems and doesn’t undermine any such social construct.
But, the above ways are good enough to prove the primitive relationship between social systems and practicality and how they turn out in the long run.