Three Aspects of Modernity in Simmel's Philosophie des Geldes: Its Epiphanic Significance, the Centrality of Money and the Prevalence of Alienation
Discusses the critique of modernity portrayed in Georg Simmel's Philosophie des Geldes ([Philosophy of Money] 1900). Although many 19th-century German intellectuals saw modernity as a threat to certain distinctive & uniquely valuable aspects of German politics & culture, Simmel depicted modern society as confusing & dangerous, but potentially liberating. Simmel argued that the processes of modernization could give expression to human powers, values, & traits that were uncultivated or totally repressed in the premodern era. However, this view of modernity as epiphany was countered by the more negative aspects of modernity cited by Simmel, who claimed that modern society was shaped & biased by the specific features of an advanced capitalist economy grounded almost solely in money, & the modern emphasis on capital, technology, & material goods inspired alienation. Simmel suggested that money, technology, & material goods bore little relation to human feelings, values, & desires; under these circumstances, modernity undermined traditional visions of reality & created a tremendous gap between what was valued by society & individuals. However, Simmel did not claim that alienation was exclusive to modernity, & he argued that intelligent & committed individuals could transcend this alienation. T. Sevier