Social entropy
Encyclopedia
Social entropy is a macrosociological
systems theory
. It is a measure of the natural decay within a social system. It can refer to the decomposition of social structure
or of the disappearance of social distinctions
. Much of the energy consumed by a social organization is spent to maintain its structure, counteracting social entropy, e.g., through legal institutions, education
and even the promotion of television viewing. Anarchy
is the maximum state of social entropy. Social Entropy implies the tendency of social networks and society in general to break down over time, moving from cooperation and advancement towards conflict and chaos.
, a fundamental law of physics. This effectively states that Entropy (disorder) increases with time. As the system becomes more complex, through access to energy, it becomes more susceptible to changes that may occur if one were to remove this source of energy. Take away the energy inputs (largely from fossil fuels) and organization corrodes, thus society becomes less cohesive and trends toward anarchy
.
There would be no surplus if EROEI approaches 1:1. What Hall showed is that the real cutoff is well above that, estimated to be 3:1 to sustain the essential overhead energy costs of a modern society. Part of the mental equation is that the EROEI of our generally preferred energy source, oil, has fallen in the past century from 100:1 to the range of 10:1 with clear evidence that the natural depletion curves all are downward decay curves. An EROEI of more than ~3, then, is what appears necessary to provide the energy for societally important tasks, such as maintaining government, legal and financial institutions, a transportation infrastructure, manufacturing, building construction and maintenance and the life styles of the rich and poor that a society depends on.
The EROEI figure also affects the number of people needed for food production. In the pre-modern world, it was often the case that 80% of the population was employed in agriculture to feed a population of 100%, with a low energy budget. In modern times, the use of cheap fossil fuels with an exceedingly high EROEI enabled 100% of the population to be fed with only 4% of the population employed in agriculture. Diminishing EROEI making fuel more expensive relative to other things may require food to be produced using less energy, and so increases the number of people employed in food production again.
Macrosociology
Macrosociology is an approach to the discipline which emphasizes the analysis of social systems and populations on a large scale, at the level of social structure, and often at a necessarily high level of theoretical abstraction. Microsociology, by contrast, focuses on the individual social agency...
systems theory
Systems theory
Systems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems in general, with the goal of elucidating principles that can be applied to all types of systems at all nesting levels in all fields of research...
. It is a measure of the natural decay within a social system. It can refer to the decomposition of social structure
Social structure
Social structure is a term used in the social sciences to refer to patterned social arrangements in society that are both emergent from and determinant of the actions of the individuals. The usage of the term "social structure" has changed over time and may reflect the various levels of analysis...
or of the disappearance of social distinctions
Distinction (social)
Distinction is a social force that places different values on different individuals. The criteria for such judgements have always been a matter of controversy and subject to criticism. They are, furthermore, subject to constant change....
. Much of the energy consumed by a social organization is spent to maintain its structure, counteracting social entropy, e.g., through legal institutions, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and even the promotion of television viewing. Anarchy
Anarchy
Anarchy , has more than one colloquial definition. In the United States, the term "anarchy" typically is meant to refer to a society which lacks publicly recognized government or violently enforced political authority...
is the maximum state of social entropy. Social Entropy implies the tendency of social networks and society in general to break down over time, moving from cooperation and advancement towards conflict and chaos.
Social Entropy and Energy Inputs
Modern Western complex societies remain organized by large inputs of energy to mitigate the natural progression of increasing entropy (disorder), according to the Second Law of ThermodynamicsSecond law of thermodynamics
The second law of thermodynamics is an expression of the tendency that over time, differences in temperature, pressure, and chemical potential equilibrate in an isolated physical system. From the state of thermodynamic equilibrium, the law deduced the principle of the increase of entropy and...
, a fundamental law of physics. This effectively states that Entropy (disorder) increases with time. As the system becomes more complex, through access to energy, it becomes more susceptible to changes that may occur if one were to remove this source of energy. Take away the energy inputs (largely from fossil fuels) and organization corrodes, thus society becomes less cohesive and trends toward anarchy
Anarchy
Anarchy , has more than one colloquial definition. In the United States, the term "anarchy" typically is meant to refer to a society which lacks publicly recognized government or violently enforced political authority...
.
Energy Return on Energy Invested theories
A related economic model is proposed by Thomas Homer-Dixon and by Charles Hall in relation to our declining productivity of energy extraction, or Energy Return on Energy Invested or EROEI. This measures the amount of surplus energy a society gets from using energy to obtain energy.There would be no surplus if EROEI approaches 1:1. What Hall showed is that the real cutoff is well above that, estimated to be 3:1 to sustain the essential overhead energy costs of a modern society. Part of the mental equation is that the EROEI of our generally preferred energy source, oil, has fallen in the past century from 100:1 to the range of 10:1 with clear evidence that the natural depletion curves all are downward decay curves. An EROEI of more than ~3, then, is what appears necessary to provide the energy for societally important tasks, such as maintaining government, legal and financial institutions, a transportation infrastructure, manufacturing, building construction and maintenance and the life styles of the rich and poor that a society depends on.
The EROEI figure also affects the number of people needed for food production. In the pre-modern world, it was often the case that 80% of the population was employed in agriculture to feed a population of 100%, with a low energy budget. In modern times, the use of cheap fossil fuels with an exceedingly high EROEI enabled 100% of the population to be fed with only 4% of the population employed in agriculture. Diminishing EROEI making fuel more expensive relative to other things may require food to be produced using less energy, and so increases the number of people employed in food production again.
Entropy in the context of a Micro-level
The typical progression of time continues to see words appended with marginally altered meanings and / or contexts. Entropy is now used in a newly revised context that moves from an en-mass, social system to that of an individual's state of mind; To refer to another person's state of mind as "One of entropy" or, "Entropic" is to cite that individual as having conflicting thoughts specific to a topic that cannot be worked through via general cognitive process. Or, to remain in a general state of confusion due to fatigue or failing to understand Executive Functions which are critical to make it through a normal day.Further reading
- Klaus KrippendorffKlaus KrippendorffKlaus Krippendorff Frankfurt am Main, is the Gregory Bateson professor for Cybernetics, Language, and Culture at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.- Overview :...
's Dictionary of Cybernetics (University of Pennsylvania) - Kenneth D. BaileyKenneth D. Bailey (sociologist)Kenneth D. Bailey is an American sociologist, systems scientist and professor of sociology at the University of California in Los Angeles.- Biography :...
(1990). Social Entropy Theory. Albany, New York: State University of New York (SUNY) Press. ISSN 1094-429X