Émile Durkheim

The true object of sociology is the study of social facts, not individual psychology. One might say, we're interested in the forest, not just the trees.

Religion is a system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden. And sometimes, quite amusingly so.

Anomie is a state of normlessness. Or, as some might call it, a Tuesday.

The collective consciousness is not a mere sum of individual consciousnesses. It's more like a very opinionated crowd.

Education is the action exercised by the older generations on those who are not yet ready for social life. A rather polite way of saying 'indoctrination,' wouldn't you agree?

The sacred and the profane are two distinct genera. One might even say, they rarely mix at parties.

Suicide is a social fact, not merely an individual tragedy. It's society's way of saying, 'You're not alone in your despair, but you're also not alone in your statistics.'

The more we advance, the more we see that the individual is a product of society. A rather inconvenient truth for those who prefer to think they're entirely self-made.

Mechanical solidarity is based on similarity. Organic solidarity, on difference. It's like the difference between a choir singing in unison and a very loud, diverse orchestra.

The cult of the individual is a modern religion. And like all religions, it has its fanatics.

Social facts are external to the individual and coercive. They're like an invisible hand, but with a rather firm grip.

To understand society, one must look beyond the individual. A bit like trying to understand a symphony by only listening to a single violin.

The moral authority of society is not a matter of opinion, but a matter of fact. And facts, as we know, can be rather stubborn.

When society is sick, it is not because individuals are sick, but because the social organism is sick. A rather convenient way to shift blame, wouldn't you say?

The division of labor is not merely an economic phenomenon, but a moral one. It's how we learn to depend on each other, for better or worse.

The collective effervescence is a state of intense collective excitement. Think of a rock concert, but with more ritual and less questionable fashion choices.

Sociology is not a philosophy, but a science. We deal in observations, not just musings. Though, sometimes, the observations are quite amusing.

The individual is not born free, but becomes free through society. A rather paradoxical freedom, wouldn't you agree?

The more complex the society, the more specialized the individual. And the more specialized, the more likely they are to complain about their colleagues.

Social currents are like air currents; they carry us along despite ourselves. And sometimes, they lead us to rather unexpected destinations.