The overwhelming preference is for each person to follow their own course and focus on what they know and love best. For this reason, individualism can lead to a narrowing of social vision. As a sense of community declines, we tend to associate more with people who are similar to us in some way.
Instead of a broad, inclusive understanding of society and its needs, members of an individualistic society may tend to see the world predominantly through the lens of their own individual characteristics, the knowledge they have, and the ways they apply it in the world. For example, with regard to socio-economic questions, those who possess mechanical skills tend to think that the problems of the world can be solved by more people with mechanical skills. Intellectuals emphasize the need for other people to give more thought to certain ideas and bodies of knowledge.
Professionals lament that more people do not pursue the education and work experience needed to enter a high-paying career the way that they did.
This makes it hard for different segments of society to cooperate in addressing complex social questions. All of those pursuits are necessary to the right degree and in the right balance with each other. But getting there requires a general perspective that includes the great variety of human experience within a broader community.
Down through the ages, religion has been the primary field of knowledge and practice to foster such a framework. This diversity, this difference is like the naturally created dissimilarity and variety of the limbs and organs of the human body, for each one contributeth to the beauty, efficiency and perfection of the whole.
It equalizes and unifies the two approaches, understanding that each is key to unlocking the power and value of the other. Tags: Relationships.
Greg Hodges is passionate about the intersection of social change and spiritual renewal. The official website of the Baha'i Faith is: Bahai. The official website of the Baha'is of the United States can be found here: Bahai. Greg Hodges Updated May 3, Interested in Other Topics? Never miss an article. Sign up. Greg Hodges May 27, Originally published May 27, Tags: Relationships. Greg Hodges. Achieving Loftiness without Pride. How to Raise Kind Kids. How to Celebrate the International Day of Friendship.
Log in now to comment! Sign in or create an account Continue with Facebook or E-mail. Sen McGlinn. I think there's a very big dimension missing here: there is no recognition that individualism is not selfishness. Individualism is the belief that the individual - every individual - has a higher value than any collective, be it the state or the party or the cause. In religious terms, the individual is the image of God, while collectives are made and remade by us according to our plans and abilities.
The individual is both the highest and the lasting category. This underlies Read more Thanks for the distinction, and yes, individualism can be a roadblock to working cooperatively, yet it can also be the progenitor of great ideas for a group to execute.
I've seen it all ways working on committees and management teams. Those who work cooperatively do better in my experience in achieving the goals for the whole entity and not a part. Stephen Kent Gray. It provides needed nuance to the points.
The dif between the two pairs of concepts can be as subtle as the grammatical dif between active and passive sense of a verb. The article gives various hypothetical examples and uses the two concepts to show the dif implications of both views and their implications on how people wind up with very dif summaries.
What obstacles and can internal preferences actually count as obstacles are things touched I'd recommend reading the article fully before reading my comments. Not to be a dissenting voice in the comments section, but your definition of Individualism is actually wrong. No Individualist ever said people shouldn't or couldn't form groups. Voluntary association, non-aggression principle, and self-ownership together form nuances to the stances that is Individualism.
Even Individualists as extreme as Max Stirner believed in people forming groups. The average Individualist isn't anywhere near as extreme as Max Stirner was. Religious wise, I have read articles at SGI. Negative versus positive rights later? Omphemetse Mputle. Michael L. They say very very little - and mainly to temper the expectations of Bahais, going back to those who expected it by A concern with the needs of the age we live in, and the needs of our Bahai communities today, will indicate healthier, For the few quotes I found, search on "Entry by troops time to be announced " Read more Jennifer H-m.
Eloisa Maria Molina. I'd written an essay about individualism for my literature class, it's good to know I was using both terms correctly. Knowing that our teachers, in fact, cared deeply for their students, I would engage the teacher and student in a restorative conversation to unpack this disconnect.
All of this suggests that what we say matters. A lot. As educators, we often unintentionally reinforce the notion that that success can and should be measured through a narrow lens of achievement — good grades, high test scores, and extrinsic approval. In some cases, the results are positive, but in many cases, they are not. Of course, many other factors that contribute to the achievement-driven mindset — the college admission process, the myth of meritocracy, and a culture of instant gratification, to name just a few.
What if teachers and schools actively used their words to redefine success? What if we began to recognize our children for who they are, rather than for what they do? What if we oriented our feedback towards how students contribute to their communities rather than to their portfolios? I bet a whole lot more children would feel a sense of value, significance, and belonging.
I bet we could chip away at the culture of work and stress that permeates American society. And I bet we would see a whole lot more engagement in schools. More and more schools are orienting themselves to the whole child and using diverse measures of student success. Another example is the work of Katie Wright and Dr. There are myriad entry points into this work, but here are a few good places to start.
Do you offer students praise instead of encouragement? You probably do. I still do. It can make kids sensitive to failure and unwilling to take risks. It also has an impact on their growth mindset.
You know, a time that you learned something — truly learned it. What happened during this experience that made it so deeply satisfying? Yes, I know you already do this, but keep doing it. Make it your mantra. Our students deserve to know every single day that they are loved and valued. Help them understand what their strengths are everybody has them! Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
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