On Individualism

Individualism, according to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, is "the belief that the rights and freedom of individual people are the most important rights in a society". From this definition, individualism inherently creates a conflict between the individual and collective interest. Some advocate it and some criticize it. Yet, either the overdose or the abandonment of it would hinder the development of society. Hence, we should place individualism in a right position, not too high or too low.

Individualism calls for self-reliance; it promotes"freedom" and the "encouragement of diversity". It motivates as well as allows everyone to make full use of their intelligence and potential, which expedites the development of society. Without self-reliance, individuals would get lazy and depend on society, thus being a burden to society. Without respect for individual rights and freedom, individuals are discouraged and restricted in doing what they like, which stifles their creativity. A good case in point is China between the 1950s and the 1960s, when the national policy guaranteed equal share of people, regardless of contribution and called everyone to take government-assigned jobs without regard to individual interest. As a result, people lost the motivation to work hard, since no matter how hard you worked, it made no difference to your life. Many people had to take up jobs against their will so they lost interest in work and some even hated their jobs. In the end, the country became paralyzed. According to Emerson, "a society which requires extreme conformity and convention is doomed to be lifeless."