We explain what social awareness is and some characteristics of this mental activity. Also, what is class consciousness.
What is social consciousness?
Social awareness is that study or mental activity through which a person can become aware of the state of other individuals or even of herself within a community or group.
Social consciousness is a particular type of consciousness. Consciousness is a psychological concept, probably one of the most important within this discipline. However, it has not been exclusive to psychology; Philosophy has been one of the first branches of science responsible for reflecting on the role of consciousness in knowledge.
The conscience can be understood as that ability to reasonin which we can interpret external and even internal stimuli and sensations (that is, mental states). Self-awareness, that is, recognizing oneself as a rational entity different from what surrounds one, is one of the main differences with the rest of living beings.
Now, if consciousness is that ability to reason, to relate through our intellect with ourselves and the world around us, what is social consciousness? Social consciousness is a particular type of consciousness, it is one that allows us to relate in society, establishing relationships of empathy with the people around us. This type of awareness is vital for the correct development of a community, since it forms more respectful, virtuous individuals capable of developing their full potential.
The need and relevance of social awareness vary, depending on the historical moment and the form of government. With monarchical systems, social conscience It was not necessarily a relevant factor for the way of governingsince even though all social actors became aware of their situation, they did not have ways to come to power, except revolutions or civil wars.
Besides, With the French Revolution people finally became citizens. This entails a radical change in the way of life of individuals, since it is the cradle of human rights where social conscience is established with basic parameters that cannot be violated. Democracy is the form of government that brings social consciousness to its maximum expression, being one of the pillars of this system.
Many dictatorial phenomena, mainly those that occurred throughout the 20th century, have a deep ideological bias that makes social conscience a tool of control. This is mainly due to the fact that many great ideologues of the worst political and ideological movements have a great “social consciousness”.
At first glance, this may contradict what was previously said, but it is necessary to make a clarification: as we said, social conscience is the ability to recognize the situation we find ourselves in with respect to othersbut this does not necessarily have to translate into a good attitude towards others. Social consciousness can be reduced to its instrumental character, interpreting the social context to take measures that can guide the behavior of individuals.
See also: Socialization
Social consciousness or class consciousness
For the Marxist current, social consciousness is a synonym or at least a necessary consequence of class consciousness. Class consciousness, for its part, is that action through which a class assumes itself (in this case, the proletariat) as an actor in a historical future, closely associated with the place it occupies within history itself.
For Marxism, history is the history of class struggle. Throughout the development of civilization, the two great classes, oppressors and oppressed, constantly confront each otherbut it will only be when the proletariat understands that it is itself the one who produces the wealth that gives movement to the system. The worker or proletarian who fails to achieve social consciousness (or in this case class consciousness) is completely alienated.
In this sense, social consciousness manifests itself under the crystallization of the class condition and is expressed in art, philosophy, religion and many other cultural expressions, all expressions of a greater condition: ideology.
