Reading ’The Ruin’ by Georg Simmel, 1911

Georg Simmel - German sociologist, philosopher and critic

’The Ruin’ - an essay discussing ruin aesthetics from the previous two centuries, i.e. since Romanticism. Introduces ideas of sublime in the organic and natural - something the 20th century would completely undermine. 

• Simmel describes a history of mankind as also a history of mastery over nature which is found outside ourselves but also to some extent within also.

• In the ruin can be seen the two cosmic tendencies of nature and spirit(human) working against each other.

• Architecture an extension of the human soul - the same conflict between upward striving and being cast downwards that happens in the ruin also occurs continuously in the human soul. 

• The profound peace that seems to surround the ruin makes it almost seem secure in its form - however the conflicts of the ruin have only been suspended for a time.

• As the ruin decays away to nothing but rubble, the metaphysical and aesthetic charm disappears as less and less of the aspiration of the soul can be sensed.

• The ruin “ creates the present form of a past life“ (p.265)   - contains the whole span of time since its construction. This spanning of time and sparking of our physical and spiritual attention means we are so enthralled by the ruin, that perception and thought are no longer divided - reach a unity of aesthetic enjoyment and awareness. 

// SIMMEL, Georg. 1965. ‘The Ruin’ (1911). In Kurt H. Wolff (ed.) Essays on Sociology, Philosophy and Aesthetics by Georg Simmel et al.New York: Harper and Row, 259-66.