Is individualsm nurtured by society or in opposition to it.

[kvnchrist]

This subject has always intrigued me, especially growing up in a faith-based environment. It seems indiviualism is the only way for society to not be stagnant, but too much at one time, tends to scare the hell out of everyone.

[Legotrash]

Each and every person is an individual since each and every person is different. IMHO it's impossible for anyone to stop that. Sure,plenty of people look the same for whatever the reason but that doesn't mean they are. People don't share the same actions,thoughts,emotions and experiences. It just can't happen.

Now,about the title's question. I'd say it's in opposition to our societies since they try so hard to turn everyone into a homogeneous blob and its main weapons (but not only weapons) are tv,internet and music.

[kvnchrist]

I can't help but relate the role of liberals and conservatives in with this, since most liberals see a need for change and many conservatives see the need preserve what has worked inb thge past. This doesn't mean these two are opposed to one another or that they see no reason to incoporate eachothers ideals, but there is always those at the fringes that demonize all others for not being more like them.

 

I wonder just how well a liberal or conservative from the 60's would realte to their younger counterpart if they were somehow transprted into present day. Would they agree with the way things are done these days or would they think they'd ended up in some alternative universe?

[Legotrash]

The way I see it the politicians would agree while the average person would go bananas (hopefully). Politicians belong to the very same side regardless of their labels. They all lead the world to crash and burn,it's the insignificant details that change.

Anyway,I'm not really the best person for political conversations since I see the whole thing as a very bad joke. The only way we could find one or two decent politicians IMHO is to either start looking in the graveyards or at "lost,found and nobody cares" section.

 

For the record,I still believe that politicians are individuals. They just have the same agenda for their own reasons. It's a point where it connects their roads but they could be different on every other aspect in their lives for all we know.

[HeyYou]

I am going to say "in opposition", for the same reasons Legotrash sites. Seems even our schools are teaching conformity.......

[Syco21]

Each and every person is an individual since each and every person is different. IMHO it's impossible for anyone to stop that. Sure,plenty of people look the same for whatever the reason but that doesn't mean they are. People don't share the same actions,thoughts,emotions and experiences. It just can't happen.

Now,about the title's question. I'd say it's in opposition to our societies since they try so hard to turn everyone into a homogeneous blob and its main weapons (but not only weapons) are tv,internet and music.

You are completely ignoring the fact that all of those things pulls the individual in many different directions.

[RGMage2]

The main forces against individualism are the government, the school system, and religion, as they try to mold you into that nice neat little square block that will fit into their vision of what the future of humanity should be. These three forces are the foundation of society, so I'd have to say individualism is formed in opposition to society.

[Legotrash]

 

Each and every person is an individual since each and every person is different. IMHO it's impossible for anyone to stop that. Sure,plenty of people look the same for whatever the reason but that doesn't mean they are. People don't share the same actions,thoughts,emotions and experiences. It just can't happen.

Now,about the title's question. I'd say it's in opposition to our societies since they try so hard to turn everyone into a homogeneous blob and its main weapons (but not only weapons) are tv,internet and music.

You are completely ignoring the fact that all of those things pulls the individual in many different directions.

 

 

I'll put this simply. It's like the branches of a tree,no matter which one you choose to touch you'll also be touching the tree itself.

 

We live in in the times of globalization and the way to achieve something like that is by reducing the differences between people,enhancing their similarities and even create artificial common points if possible.

In case someone misunderstands: I'm not saying those things happen to achieve globalization,it has started before we were even born.It's a procedure that takes time. Globalization was already on-going,it'll keep on going and....who knows what happens.

[Vagrant0]

Individualism can only exist within a society that has is capable of producing more than it needs to just sustain itself. The more excess "wealth" a society has, the more individuality can exist concurrently drawing upon those spare resources to innovate, create, inspire, or advance that society or the lives of those individuals. This in turn has a potential to improve the state of that society, creating other resources, giving other people a niche to exploit, and cycling back into itself. What harms a society uses up resources while not producing anything else, making it harder for individualism to spread acting as its own balancing mechanism.