Ask a capitalist to explain evolution and he will speak about survival of the fittest. Ask a socialist to explain evolution and he will talk about survival of the species [society]. While many people believe that there can only be one or the other, neither has ever been practiced in a pure form. It is the tension of the paradoxical mix of these two systems that pulls American culture through the most difficult times. The United States of America is often referred to as the great melting pot, that people migrate from all over the world and become a part of the whole and live in harmony. In all actuality, there is more to the story: The United States is indeed a place where people come to find the American dream, self-fulfillment, a piece of the pie, freedom and individuality.
"We are Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile." -Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "I, Borg"
Collective societies such as those found in parts of Asia are concerned with harmony, order and duty; however they are often segregated into groups with which they mainly interact, such as religion, ethnicity or kinship. The groups generally contribute to the common good, for the benefit of the group as a whole, though there are varying degrees of collectivism such as compensatory societies, which provide compensation to motivate members, and obligatory societies, which require contributions to the common good without compensation and are based on the economy of control. Obligatory groups are generally those societies run by centralized government agencies. Conformity to the group is the basic standard and freedom is a secondary issue.
“The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. To be your own man is hard business. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.” – Rudyard Kipling
American culture is largely based on individualistic ideas which precede even American colonization, though during the time of colonization, the American free market was a blank slate in which new ideals could be created and pursued by people starving for a different way of life and for happiness. It was a perfect breeding ground for every-man for-himself-thinking, economically speaking, where people create their own destiny by competing against each other in the free market. At the same time, there was still a sense of community among the colonists, the tasks of creating government and building a country. There were town meetings, political movements and faith-based organizations to bring people together. The Declaration of Independence was signed by fifty-six representatives from thirteen states; men banding together to declare independence for the greater good of liberty. A term included in the Declaration of Independence, “all men are created equal” is a collective notion in itself, though in the context of the document it holds an alternate meaning as well, that we are equal and we all have the right to be free; therefore we will join together and create a new government to maintain our freedom to be individuals and to be liberated from oppression. The catch is that we, being equal and self-governed, have the power to also change or deconstruct the government and start over, as also stated in the Declaration.
It was an exciting time, but also a time of insecurity. Emerging commerce gave early settlers a sense of stability as well as a sense of accomplishment and independence from England planted a proud seed. Still, the union of states was sparked by the underlying desire for individual freedom and the careful construct of wording, after long and heated debates, protects individual states from becoming too collective, or centralized.
Thomas Jefferson often wrote of republican principles which emphasized self-governance of the people, states and ultimately the union. In many ways, these ideals are inclusive of both individualism and collectivism. Though his writings indicate that he believed strongly in the freedom of the individual, he is quite clear about the importance of collective power, in that the main function of a union is a safe guard against the oppression of a monarchy such as England. In a letter to the Virginia General Assembly, Jefferson says, “Our preference to [the republican] form of government has been so far justified by its success, and the prosperity with which it has blessed us. In no portion of the earth were life, liberty and property ever so securely held.”
“United we stand, divided we fall.” – Aesop
Throughout American history, people have strived for individual success when the economy has been good, and there have also been times when people have grouped for a greater good. A fine example of this is the rise in membership of labor unions in the 1930’s during the Great Depression. Agreeing to strike during such a time was not an easy thing for workers to do, but realizing the power in numbers, union members supported each other and fought for fair wages. They did so in order to provide for their families, which again is an underlying form of individualism.
Today the United States continues in the culture of individualism, though now the flaws in the system are becoming more and more apparent, as noted by Thomas Ogletree “…the exploitation of [international] labor, the marginalization the ‘least advantaged’, environmental harm, and the reduction of politics to strategies of advancing special interests.”. There is less involvement in government by the American people, therefore the government is run without true democracy. Also, government on both State and Federal levels have become less transparent and more complicated, making self-governing by the people extremely difficult.
In the United States, all are supposed to be considered equal, though in this capitalist system, the most financially successful individuals become powerful, which creates divided classes. This is one of the most criticized flaws of capitalism and it tips the scales in several ways, especially now with technological marketing, big money corporations can afford to sway the masses financially and politically through mass media. Technology as a tool has expedited commercial transactions, but has depersonalized human interaction to a large degree. The internet is an example of modern individualism inflated beyond boundaries. While it can be a wonderful tool in many ways, this faceless form of communication allows apathy to breed, allowing risk-free interaction even when ideas are dishonest or hurtful. It lacks the responsibility of face to face exchange of human emotion. This is one aspect of overgrown separateness which will be hard to correct in these times.
People may argue that it is individualist ideals that fuel the United States; however bent our thinking has become with the obstacles we are facing today, there is a unique consistency within the American people that is the strong-hold of this country, which has been the power that has set us apart from the rest and that power is the unwillingness to be dominated and controlled. In the American Individualist, Herbert Hoover said, “In the end, no group can dominate the nation and a few successes in imposing the will of any group is its sure death warrant.” It is our common desire for individual freedom, which draws us together.
“— And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” – the last line of the Declaration of Independence.
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