在傳統的社會學中存在著幾種簡單的分析架構，諸如社會階級、民族 國家等。根據這些分析架構產生的社會分類，企圖包含所有的社會成員，而且個 人非屬此類便屬他類，生活風格則為這些分析架構（特別是社會階級）所決定。 然而，在當代較發達的社會，生活風格與階級的關係已鬆動，個人也有更多選擇 生活風格的可能性。這使傳統社會學假設的基本社會結構受到了質疑，連帶產生 的問題是：社會結構是否存在？如果存在，我們該如何分析社會結構？本文主張 生活風格本身就能成為社會分類和社群建構的標準，而且個人可以選擇、建立自 己的社會分類標準。「非．．．即．．．」的社會分類原則，亦應為「既是．．． 也是．．．」取代。本文稱此種社會分類為「個人主義化的社會分類」。根據狄 爾泰的觀點，透過對社會生活的體驗、描述，我們可逐步趨近對非常複雜的社會 結構的理解。實證研究則可用來支持或否證以抽離出的元素建構成的社會結構假 設。

　　　　　In the traditional sociology there are some simple analysis structures such as social classes, nation states etc. Social classifications according to these analysis structures want to include all social members with the principle of "one way or the other", and lifestyles are determined by these analysis structures, especially by social classes. Now it seems that lifestyles are independent from social classes, and individuals have more possibility to choose their lifestyles. This causes the question whether there is social structure or not, and if there is social structure, how we should analyze it. This article expresses the opinions that lifestyles self could be criteria of social classifications and building of social groups, and that individuals self could make their own criteria of social classifications. Also the principle of "one way or the other" will be replaced by the principle of "both...and". Such social classifications will be called by the author "individualized social classifications". The very complex social structure could be described and understood according to Dilthey's idea, even if quantitative empirical research could be used to support or falsify a hypothesis from a simple model of social structure.