Knowing the essence of things guarantees its proper use and improvement. And what is a social essence, human needs and functions? How do they affect the quality and content of an individual’s life? Are they subject to change at will? We will try to answer these and other questions in our article.
Natural
If we summarize all the synonymous meanings of this word, then its meaning can be summarized as follows: essence is the main internal content of an object, which is manifested in its external, visible forms and modes of existence.
Anthropology is the science of the origin of man, the ways of his existence in the ecosystem, where he stands at the highest stage of development. Man is a biological object, and his natural essence is manifested in the fact that he, like other representatives of the animal world, has a body, needs for housing, sleep, food, various inborn instincts. It lives in almost all corners of the globe. The study of this natural object involved in biology, physiology, genetics.
Social
Being a biological being, man is at the same time a social being. This is an important feature that sharply distinguishes it from a number of animals. Social essence is expressed in the following:
- a person knows how to control his feelings, emotions, instincts;
- labor is his internal and physical need;
- he is able to modify his living environment, make it safe, comfortable, aesthetic;
- he has, in addition to physiological, spiritual needs.
A person, being born a natural creature, experiences such an impact not characteristic of the animal world as upbringing.
It is it that gradually introduces him into the world of human relations, that is, into society. Society is interested in its citizen well understanding the essence of social functions and strictly fulfilling them. In addition, he must have certain human qualities that distinguish him from the animal, for example: hard work, kindness, honesty, patriotism, responsibility and others.
It should be said that the need for socialization is mutual. Just as a society needs to adapt a person to its requirements and rules, so a person needs protection and help from society.
Social needs
According to the definition, this is the need for something, the need for something that will satisfy the arising desires, requests. The social essence of human needs is manifested in what is not characteristic of animals and is explained by its belonging to the human race:
- He needs to communicate and recognize the virtues of his personality by other members of society, in self-respect, in achieving a certain position in society, in power.
- He wants to be useful to others, to help the weak and sick, to love and be loved, a good friend.
- He is ready to defend freedom, peace and justice.
Of course, these and other personal needs are expressed quite clearly not in all people. A person can possess various negative qualities: to be selfish, with hypertrophied self-esteem, in critical situations - a coward, a traitor. His personal qualities and social needs are the result of family and social education, education, and cultural development.
Will and labor give wonderful shoots ...
This folk wisdom gives an exact answer to the question of how to achieve social recognition, respect, love, etc. Purposefulness, perseverance and labor satisfy his natural and personal needs, as well as the need to transform his environment.
The social essence of human activity consists in the fact that it is a way of consciously reorganizing both the world and oneself. It is motivated, focused, carried out with the help of means and certain actions, effective.
The motive that motivates a person to work is the need to satisfy his material and cultural-spiritual needs. Goals and motives can change, be updated in the process of activity with a change in the interests, views, needs of the worker.
Along with creative and creative types, there are destructive activities: war, terrorism, drug trafficking, sectarianism, theft, etc. The work of an unscrupulous or inept leader, worker, driver, doctor can be destructive.
Human social functions
Man always acts not only in the name of his own well-being and benefit. In different situations of life, he contributes to meeting the needs of other people: a firefighter puts out fires and saves fire victims, a doctor heals, a hairdresser serves clients, teachers and parents raise children and prepare them for a decent life in society.
Thus, everyone performs the actions necessary for other people, which are called social functions. They are implemented within the framework of the rights and obligations imposed by the norms of law and morality.
The concept of “the social essence of human functions” is determined by the roles that a person plays in the family, in professional, social activities. So one and the same person, being a father, performs the function of an educator, and at work, he also performs the functions of a leader or executor.
Social roles can be long-term (father, worker, housewife, citizen) and short-lived and are determined by his immediate needs. Often a person enters into the brief role of buyer, passenger, viewer, observer, patient and others.
Each of these social functions has its own implementation rules, familiarity with which and exercises in their execution a person receives in the process of family and social education and training.
Sailing through life in the same boat ...
Even the most lonely and unsociable person sooner or later discovers that he has a need to turn to other people for something. That is, the satisfaction of his needs directly or indirectly depends on their actions (or inaction) and attitude to him.
A person’s life can be compared to a long trip by sea in the same boat with its other passengers. Inconsistency and neglect of the needs of neighbors can turn into a disaster.
Each member of society can involuntarily or intentionally improve or significantly worsen the material, physical, psychological, social position of another person. Awareness of this imposes an obligation to abandon destructive desires and actions that can bring misfortune, grief to the life of another person or society. The social essence of the individual lies in the fact that, recognizing the inviolability of her own rights and freedoms, she strictly fulfills duties in relation to other members of society and lives by the rule "my rights end where yours begin."