Structure vs. Communitas — the Two Modes of Human Society

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May 28, 2023

Anthropologist Victor Turner discusses the two modes of human society - Structure and Communitas. They explore how these concepts relate to religion, science, social visions, and brain hemispheres. The episode sets the stage for further exploration of these fundamental aspects of human life.

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INSIGHT

Two Modes of Interrelatedness

Victor Turner describes two models of human interrelatedness: structure and communitas.
These represent the major trends of progress and decline in human history.

INSIGHT

Structure in Society

Structure, in the British anthropological tradition, is something individuals are aware of.
It dictates how we interact based on roles and status within society.

INSIGHT

Communitas as Anti-Structure

Communitas, or anti-structure, emerges where social structure is absent.
It represents the emptiness within the pot, essential for its function.

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Anthropologist Victor Turner, who popularised the term Liminality, found that human society has two modes of interrelatedness that function like a yin and yang — mutually dependant and without which human life would be impossible. Structure is the mode of status and hierarchy in society; Communitas of love, compassion and myth.

These two modes show up in very interesting ways in our current society. These can be fruitfully mapped over with the religious and scientific mindsets; with the Constrained and Unconstrained Visions of Thomas Sowell's work; with the Order and Chaos of Jordan Peterson's work Maps of Meaning and with the left- and right-hemispheres of the brain in Iain McGilchrist's work.

None of these are 1:1 mapovers but there's something rich even in this difference. This episodes marks the beginning of our explorations in this fertile model of human life.
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📚 Further Reading:
- Turner, V. _The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure_
- Turner, V. _Revelation and divination in Ndembu ritual_

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🎼 Media Used:

1. There’s Probably No Time — Chris Zabriskie
2. Lightless Dawn — Kevin MacLeod
3. Underwater Exploration - Godmode — Kevin MacLeod
4. Evening Fall Harp — Kevin MacLeod
5. Procession of the King — Kevin MacLeod

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⌛ Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
1:30 Structure
5:30 Communitas
6:32 The Communitas Mode of Being
10:01 Structured Communitas
13:12 Religion and Communitas