论工业社会的形式化之维

The formalization dimension of the industrial society

当今人类之所以遭遇了风险社会,工业社会普遍存在的形式化现象难辞其咎。工业社会的发展是一直走在形式化的道路上的,这个社会的所有方面都表现出对形式的格外关注,反映在人的生活和活动中,则是形式主义盛行。虽然工业社会的形式化并不是风险社会的直接原因,但这种形式化反映在思维方式上,则形成了一个只有形式而失去了本质的世界观。或者说,我们的世界观是不完整的,所反映的只是世界的形式方面。基于这种残缺世界观而形成的实践方案并付诸行动,必然要陷入与世界的冲突之中。特别是在政治生活以及社会治理活动中,以形式民主的方式开展的活动,不仅不能解决人类所遭遇的问题,反而源源不断地制造出了各种各样的问题,生产出了诸多社会风险。

Nowadays,the reason why mankind falls into a risk society is due to the common formalization phenomenon in the industrial society.The industrial society has always been developing on the road towards formalization.All aspects of this society pay special attention to form,which is manifested in people’s life and activities prevailed by formalization.Although the formalization of industrial society is not the direct cause of the risk society,it is reflected in thinking mode and forms a world outlook with only form but no essence.In other words,our world outlook is incomplete,which only reflects the form of the world.Based on this incomplete world outlook,the practical schemes and corresponding actions are bound to fall into conflict with the world.Particularly in political life and social governance activities,those actions by means of formal democracy cannot solve the problems encountered by mankind,but instead continuously create various problems and produce numerous social risks.