Interdisciplinary Studies on the Human Condition
To better understand the good side of individualism in today’s society one must look at the opposite ideology, collectivism. Collectivism is described by the American Psychology Association as „the tendency to view oneself as a member of a larger (family or social) group, rather than as an isolated, independent being”. In a more political and hierarchical way Britannica describes the concept as “any of several types of social organization in which the individual is seen as being subordinate to a social collectivity such as a state, a nation, a race, or a social class”. In an article from Britannica (2019), the political aspect of G.W.F. Hegel’s philosophy is also emphasized: that the individual is able to achieve freedom when is submissive to the laws and orders of the state to which they belong. An article provided by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy regarding the work of Jean Jacques Rousseau explains collectivism from the perspective presented in „The social contract”, which states that in a highly developed society, collectivism is not only present but required in order to avoid dynamics that could lead to inequality. The view of collectivism is based on the idea that the individual’s virtue comes from him depending on society’s lows or groups of choice, which can create proper conditions for restrictive political forms of government such as communism and socialism. Now if we consider the ideology in a non-political manner and as being an alternative for belonging and socialization, we can find benefits regarding some of the social human nature traits. Another article from Britannica shows that individualism emerged in the XIX century, and different countries had different approaches in utilizing this ideology. In France, for example, the main focus was on personal gain, on the individual’s right over the collective. In Germany, individualism was based on the idea of self-importance and realization. In England, the topics of religion and economic integrity were the main source of prosperity in the matter. The article goes on to explore individualism regarding the influence of New England Puritanism that latter becomes in the United States a value of natural rights.
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