Current spate of murders and suicides explainable through theory of solidarity

We have recently witnessed many murders, suicides and cases of depressions with serious consequences on society, robing us persons in their prime ages, workers or students whose future was very bright. Scholars have since time immemorial used theories and postulations to understand, predict and monitor behaviour. These murders and killings can be explained through the solidarity theory developed by the eminent philosopher, Emile Durkheim, in his broader study of Division of labour in society. The theory of solidarity came identified two types of societies namely mechanic and organic societies. Organic society has a strong integrating force to bring the individuals together through which societal problems are solved.

The society viewed each member as an integral part of the whole, hence a lot of solidarity with each other, which leads to a lot of care, love, sharing of pain and other unfortunate events. On the other hand, the mechanic society that resulted from the agrarian and industrial revolutions in Britain and spread to other societies, led to societies that were not in any strong solidarity with each other, individualism and self-centred societies. The African societies have always been organic, including embracing the ubuntu philosophy of “I am because you are”. The concept of group solidarity faces a lot of challenges because of the current living standards, the reduction in welfarist states as countries adopt more of capitalistic tendencies, the emergence of nationalistic narratives which means countries are inward looking and not outward looking even to the less developed neighbours.

Solidarity has also has been eroded by emergence of individualistic ideals that focus on personal success and development without caring what befalls others and the wider concept of globalization, which makes people to belong to a wider world, without care of what happens locally. These concepts characteristic of mechanic society has confined many Kenyans to a state where they have limited social support systems, counselling, inability to access basic needs and lack of people they can run to for true advice on various issues that confront them. Others may be unwilling to give advice. There is also no time for such social support issues as people are on hurry trying to beat this or that deadline. The results are a depressed society and one which is quick to commit any crime including on the self