Late 19th century industrial society was a particular time of high rates of suicide, marital break-ups and conflict. Such behaviour, according to Durkheim, indicates the breakdown of normative control. The rapid social change disrupted the norms governing behaviour. Today, with high rates of divorce, crime, family break-ups, single mothers, strikes, teenage pregnancies and greater expression of individuality, Durkheim, and all his pessimism, would see these all as clear indicators of Anomie. However, post-modernists would se all of the above as positive things as they stress individuality, their key concept. Traditional society has disappeared and we have moved from modern,...
of Habermas, whose project to reformulate the notion of rationality is based on the idea that it is still possible, a view clearly at odds with Post-modernism. He suggests that there might still be some basis for rational and critical thinking. Ernest Gellner and Habermas represent this option - return to the roots of reason. Proclaim universality is once more alive and capable of instantiating reason in the world

Taylor -- finds in the modern ideal of authenticity - of clinging to the self"s commitment to being true - a hope for the future.