Individualism

[LoxisParticipant 7]

Hello Brother’s,

Recently I’ve been thinking about this word and what it means to other people. I have begun to notice people have been using this word to justify their hoarding of wealth. When I think of individualism, I think about the creation of the self. And in order for you to create this new person you have to realize you nothing more put the traditions and values of the culture you were brought up. Which begs the question was their ever a you in the first place. Are you nothing more than a memory card that just keep’s passing thing we call a civilization. If your actually a individual you don’t need petty things like Patriotism, Nationality, Religion, to find worth within yourself. The reason I brought this up because I am writing a book on this topic. I find it interesting when I see a person creating a self reliant culture(away from this abstract ideas) they usually get into a lot of trouble, especially when his trying desperately to change people. I welcome any feed back, thank you for your time.

 

Loxis,

 

[Anonymous 18]

Loxis wrote:

And in order for you to create this new person you have to realize you nothing more put the traditions and values of the culture you were brought up. Which begs the question was their ever a you in the first place. Are you nothing more than a memory card that just keep’s passing thing we call a civilization

A set of ideas and beliefs at first not that dissimilar to the tradition and values of the culture I grew up in. Later on, some retained. Most discarded. Active search for set of beliefs through education, people, history or passive serendipitous life circumstances. Having a goal or aspiration that identifies with those old retained and newly acquired ideas or beliefs. Having interests and hobbies beyond the core set of beliefs to provide for other things in life in healthy dosages from time to time.

Loxis wrote:

If your actually a individual you don’t need petty things like Patriotism, Nationality, Religion, to find worth within yourself.

I wouldn’t personally need them but based on whatever I believe in it’s nice to project those ideas to these collective notions and feeling a part of something bigger than just myself and my limited goals and beliefs.

If it makes any sense.

[FrankOneParticipant 1417]

Individualism to me has nothing to do with accumulating wealth.  Wealth gives you more options in life, but hardly makes you an individualist.  In general, I’d say it’s harder to be an individualist when you’re married.  Many who think they’re individualists, are not — think rebellious teenagers targeted by advertisers, consuming pop culture and enriching mega corporations. Lemmings? Rebels without a cause?

There are plenty of individualists who live a rugged life in rural areas.  Farmers.  The proud poor.  The self-employed.

Some individualists do accumulate wealth.  But the hallmark of an individualist is doing whatever THEY want and not following the herd and not LIVING FOR OTHER PEOPLE.  If you buy a McMansion and a BMW and join the country club to impress others, you’re a herd animal.  If you buy the Bemer because you love the ride you’re an individualist.  For the record, I’m a cheap ass individualist and I drive a Saturn that you have to wind up with a crank to drive.

Patriotism in Oceania is good if it’s a free State and Eurasia is a totalitarian State; or put another way, patriotism is bad if you’re a patriotic Nazi who wants to exterminate Jews.

Is ‘hoarding wealth’ a bad thing?  I’d say Andrew Carnegie did great good with his fortune.

We don’t necessarily follow a mold.  We may reject the religion, traditions, and way of life of our parents and culture.

In my opinion, radical individualists DO tend to favor legalization of drugs and prostitution, and other victimless crimes, and tend to favor small government, because they tend to value maximum freedom with a minimal safety net.  Most individualists I know and have known are interested in continuous self improvement.

[RusskyParticipant 13503]

individualism in a nutshell – is an opposite of socialism, and has nothing to do with ego or egoism IMO
it’s when personal beliefs and opinions are valued above needs and wants of a society, as long as their expression is non-violent
individualist might, or might not be an egoist, but it’s not the same thing

proud carrier of the 'why?' chromosome

[Anonymous 13]

Loxis wrote:

Recently I’ve been thinking about this word and what it means to other people. I have begun to notice people have been using this word to justify their hoarding of wealth.

 

http://unityandstruggle.org/2013/09/12/i-am-a-woman-and-a-human-a-marxist-feminist-critique-of-intersectionality-theory/

You sound like a feminist to me.  I point out bulls~~~ when I see it.  And yet, those who have hoarded the most wealth, and have for a century or quite longer in some cases, seem to be the very ones who originally propagated collectivist views and/or feminist views.  The feminist view points and gender instability worked in many facets to favor them- their banks – and the social systems of the nation(s) of which their products and/or banks relied on.  To understand exactly what I am hinting at would take a five hundred page thesis – barrowing from multiple sources and other documents and articles on the subject matter.  When I dumb it down – its crudeness is usually to no avail.  Dependency – international medium of exchange market control – family unit dysfunction – more taxable households – more general consumption – less competition – easier indoctrination – high recidivism – bureaucracy expansion and complexity – easier bureaucratic corruptibility – national cohesion – policy manipulation –

 

Don’t be an ant – be “that guy”

[AncientwisdomParticipant 6089]

Individualism is tantamount to relativism. How can you define, quantify, or categorize it? It is RELATIVE by its very nature.

Resident cynic.

[LoxisParticipant 7]

Thank you for the feedback.

[LoxisParticipant 7]

 

http://unityandstruggle.org/2013/09/12/i-am-a-woman-and-a-human-a-marxist-feminist-critique-of-intersectionality-theory/ You sound like a feminist to me. I point out bulls~~~ when I see it. And yet, those who have hoarded the most wealth, and have for a century or quite longer in some cases, seem to be the very ones who originally propagated collectivist views and/or feminist views.

 

Loxis ,

Did you read the post, in what way was I advocating collectivism, I find their are certain problems with this kind of thinking as well. My stance on wealth maximization is does it actually create a unique person, Does having  wealth(money) separate you from other people, put at the same time you need the collective to recognize that all the money you have as some value. By your logic, anybody that has a problem  wealth inequality is a Feminist.

 

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