Comments on: The misconception of individualism

By: Dehumanizer

Dehumanizer — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 06:40:15 +0000

Some random quotes from that movie:

Z: “I’m supposed to do everything for the colony? What about my needs?”

Barbatus: “Don’t make my mistake, kid. Don’t follow orders your whole life. Think for yourself.”

General Mandible: “Sacrifice. To some, it is just a word. To others, it is a code.”

Z: “The whole system makes me feel… insignificant.”
Psychologist: “Excellent. You’ve made a real breakthrough.”
Z: “I have?”
Psychologist: “Yes, Z. You ARE insignificant.”

By: velvetsatine

velvetsatine — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 23:52:36 +0000

have you seen the AMAZING movie “AntZ”? It’s one of the best hymns to individualism I’ve ever seen.

I saw Antz but not from the individualistic perspective! LOL

Isn’t that the one where they have to hide the fact that the Berlin Wall has fallen and there’s no longer a Communist East Germany to a woman who came out of a coma? I saw the trailer, looked nice…

Yes, that’s the one. You MUST see it. I truly believe you’re going to enjoy it.

By: Dehumanizer

Dehumanizer — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 21:35:22 +0000

I still think of colectivism as an utopia for a socialist / communist society and the foundations of it have always fascinated me. In its basis the dream of communism was in fact a good one, a shame it couldn’t work.

It would probably work for ants or ant-like beings. Yet even those… have you seen the AMAZING movie “AntZ”? It’s one of the best hymns to individualism I’ve ever seen.

Have you ever seen Goodbye Lenin? If not, please do it soon.

By: velvetsatine

velvetsatine — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 21:26:15 +0000

I’ve never seen an individualist as “a manipulating, selfish, self-centered bastard who uses people and is incapable of caring about anyone”.

However I must admit I still have the notion that individualists think mainly about themselves and don’t care about others. It’s not about using people. You can be friends with someone, get along well with people but not being really concerned or sympathetic about their problems or their welfare because you think it doesn’t have anything to do with you.

An individualist is not necessarily a selfish person - I agree with that.

Anyway the presented definition by you is very logical. It makes sense. However I never thought extremes were good or healthy be them individualists or colectivists.

As for the USA I still don’t think they’re a colectivist society though Bush’s administration may be one.

By: Dehumanizer

Dehumanizer — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 19:34:15 +0000

That would be for another article. But let me put it this way: socialism/collectivism + religious fanaticism + warmongering does not equal “right-wing” in its real meaning. It just equals the Bush administration. They, too, want a government controlling every aspect of people’s lives, restricting freedoms in the name of “national security”, redistributing wealth supposedly according to “need” or “fairness”, but in reality according to favors and influence. They, too, speak of “sacrifice”. They, too, want the government to become bigger and bigger, with the power to make every kind of law, no matter how arbitrary, and no matter what the Constitution says.

True “right-wing” (if that term still applies) would be something like this, or this. Individual rights, including the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”, as the founding fathers of the USA wrote - very wisely, too. And a non-intruding, minimalistic government, who does not attempt to legislate morality or ensure “fairness” by taking from those who work and produce to give to those who don’t.

Anyway, this is all offtopic. This article was about how many people speak (badly) of “individualism” without having the slightest idea of what it means.

By: velvetsatine

velvetsatine — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 19:09:17 +0000

I never thought of the United States of America as a colectivist society, much on the contrary. I must read further on this because I don’t think I have understood it.

By: Kanzentai

Kanzentai — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 16:59:15 +0000

As I read about Collectivism, 4 words came up: United States of America. And, on a national basis, three words: Bloco de Esquerda.

I believe criminals are to be punished and heroes to be rewarded. However, both must be given the chance to get back to doing “honest” work: no one wants a “recurring” criminal or a lazy hero.