Thread: Individualism

http://wso.williams.edu/~ljacobso/quotes/Indiv.shtml

My favorites ...

"There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly." - Henry David Thoreau

"The lonely leaves are the last to fall" - Jimmy Newquist

"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher regard those who think alike than those who think differently." - Friedrich Nietzsche

"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Nice quotes - simple and elegant. But we shouldn't mistake individualism with selfishness.
It's right to be independent and never follow the herd, and that I'd call individualism.
But it's not right to live coconed from the reality enjoying one's own private world, and that I'd call selfishness.

Yeah! We must all reject collectivism!

Individualism is a nice thing. To bad not that much people have it.

That is a very good read. humbling.
We all have our flaws.

It seems to me though that individualism is the literal opposite of escaping these conditions.
Liberating yourself is freeing yourself form individualism. A social theory advocating the liberty, rights, or independent action of the individual , Us and our selfish ego. The lalbes we put upon others and ourselves lead to an egoic entity or the pursuit of individuals rather than common or collective interests; egoism.


What is true liberation?

Individualism is what leaves the USA without a national health service like many in Europe
I disagree with the majoroity of policies employed by my government but ehre in England we have the NHS the best health service i tnhe world. free of charge
ive rencetly ahd 3 operations on the NHS
we aren't poor but by no means rich, in the US we would ahve struggled to have all three operations done
The NHS is funded be general taxation of the people
Indivudalism rejects this
and therefore rejects the common mans right to health care

Imran

Indivigualisim can be a good thing, but sometimes people have to think as one.

I'm not against free thought, nore bracking the mold (I tend to piss people of at school by doing that )

What I'm saying is that not every independant thought or action and idea is a good one, or right. there are examples throughout history of that

Originally Posted by Keeper

Indivigualisim can be a good thing, but sometimes people have to think as one.

I'm not against free thought, nore bracking the mold (I tend to piss people of at school by doing that )

What I'm saying is that not every independant thought or action and idea is a good one, or right. there are examples throughout history of that
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yeah, I mean masses having the same Idea, that does rock! I mean look at nazi's, crucades, most wars. Basicly 'thinking as one' caused more war then induvidals. Wars arn't fought for the soldiers, but for 'the country'. If I was a soldier, fighting in vietnam or something, I would say: Fuck my country. If all soldiers wouldn't 'think as one' but think of their own lifes and families, there would be less war.

I kind of find "individualism" an oxymoron.

Originally Posted by Kaniaz

I kind of find "individualism" an oxymoron.
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Kaniaz I totally agree. Take my country of instance, "United we Stand". America is divided into Red states—those that vote Republic and Blue states those representing Democrats square off against one another, often with much anger and little civility. Political differences reflect a value and cultural divide between conservatives and liberals, between fans of "The Passion of the Christ" and those who cheer for "Fahrenheit 9/11."

First individualism acknowledges that each of us is capable of running our own life. We each have the power of reason and the free will to use that unique human capacity to understand ourselves and the world around us. We each must use that capacity to create the means of our physical survival and spiritual well-being. We each can and must live by our own judgment about what is right for us as individuals. No normal individual none, is inherently too weak or stupid to take care of him or herself. To suggest otherwise is to divide the country into potential masters and slaves.

unfortunately, humans are very gullible. As said earlier, people fight wars just because their leader tells them to. Fill a soldier\'s head with ideas of patriotism and his individuality will disappear.

Individualism IS an awesome thing. I take pride in the fact that i am different from everyone else on the planet. And i never let others directly influence who i am...

I don't understand how individualism is an oxymoron...Maybe we have different definitions.

Individualism is, for me, something that has to be earned. It involves resisting influence that so many young minds are susceptible to; especially in the middle school through high school years. It doesn't mean being selfish and doing whatever you want to do without regard to others, no, but to follow your own path without being embarrassed by it.

Cliche yes, true yes. I don't see why this is such a hard concept to understand.

Originally Posted by Manifold_Time

Individualism is, for me, something that has to be earned. It involves resisting influence that so many young minds are susceptible to; especially in the middle school through high school years. It doesn't mean being selfish and doing whatever you want to do without regard to others, no, but to follow your own path without being embarrassed by it.

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Most of them do it of their own will. They become quite upset when it comes to using the brain and making proper decisiones. In fact it costs a lot of exertion to think independently from time to time....