Defining an Individual
What is an individual? How can one become an individual? Is it even possible to become an individual in society? Can we successfully distinguish ourselves from the majority to make our own decisions? How does your family affect your personality and every day decision making: your ethics and morals? How does your childhood affect you today? How does it affect our subconscious-something we can not control and we do not have access to? Is it possible to go back in time and completely erase everything we have been taught through years of brainwashing and manipulation, not only from the system that we are brought up in but also the family and lifestyles that are now part of us?
The term "individual" as seen from the Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary states as follows:
Individual-
1. Originally, not divisible, not separate.
2. Existing as a single, separate thing or being; single, separate, particular.
3. Of, for or by a single person or thing.
4. Relating to or characteristic of a single person or thing.
5. Distinguished from others by special characteristics, of a particular or striking character, as an individual style.
People claim to be individuals every day. Everywhere we go " individuals" follow us. They are on television, in movies, newspapers, magazines, they even live with us, in our homes. Everyone has a deep desire to stand apart. " Pave your own way." A classic example of individualistic patterns set from a society that at the same time pushes you away from that idea.
In a very literal sense to be an individual you need to live every moment of your existence in your very own personal way. Not hindered by the outside and inside persuasions, yo...
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...hy people rebel against the idea that it is impossible to be an individual.
In conclusion, it is not the fact that we are all individuals separate from each other or society. The fact remains that it is impossible to delve into your own subconscious and erase everything we have been taught and brainwashed. The important idea to remember is the relationship we have with our society and each other that truly is unique. That is where the individuality comes into play. Trying to separate ourselves and prove ourselves different is only going to frustrate even the most intelligent of characters. The world that we live in, no matter how incredibly large it may seem, is made for each and everyone of us. What we do with what society has set in us and what we do with all that we have been taught is the true answer in the ultimate question: Individuality- Is it possible?
Individualism and conformity--two very commonly used terms to describe anyone in today’s time. In comparison to the article “The Sociology of Leopard Man,” written by Logan Feys, one of the most notable quotes that relates to individualism and conformity is “to be a human is to be an individual human, with individual tastes [...][and]talents [...] that are distinct from those of others. Living in society, we are under constant pressure to surrender our individuality to the will of the majority, the school, the workplace, the family, …” (Feys Par. 6). To be truthful, conformity and nonconformity are used to determine a person’s inner-being, but every person is different, and in this case people will not always agree with each other on how they should live.
Livy begins early in establishing the basic characteristics of Romulus, arguably the most notable Roman in history. Romulus and his brother Remus were “energetic young men, who [were]… strengthened… in body and spirit.” (Livy 9). Livy then describes the clash of these attributes between the two brothers, as Romulus and Remus battle for supremacy. “From a war of words, anger turned them to bloodshed. In the heat of the melee, Remus met his death.” (Livy 11). Livy wastes no time in establishing the brutal tradition of war that helped to extend the Roman Empire. Romulus came to power because of force, and furthered his rule by the same means: “By brute force and without strategy the Roman king prevailed, using the might of his veteran army alone.” (Livy 20). This overwhelm...
Antony Kamm ~ The Romans: An Introduction Second Edition, Published in 2008, pages 47, 93
Individualism from the transcendentalist era is very different then it is in the modern day. In the transcendentalist era, everyone believed that the person is more important than the society. You see this in self reliance where Emerson says “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string. Accept the place the divine providence has found for you, the society of your contemporaries, the connection of events” (Emerson par. 3). In this quote, i believe the emerson is saying that you know what's best for yourself and you should follow your heart, but society is always going to try to tell you something different. In the modern day, people rely more on the
The next few years saw minor conflicts between the two bodies, during which both commanders built their navies. Octavian sent his admiral, Marcus Agrippa, to summon Roman fleets across the Mediterranean. These fleets were mostly composed of Triremes, the standard naval vessel of the time, and were equipped ...
During the period of 1789-1799 people lived much differently than individuals do today and there were many reasons for this. During the French Revolution there was a large amount of taxation for certain class groups, “While average tax rates were higher in Britain, the burden on the common people was greater in France” (GNU, 2008, pg. 2). Due to these large taxations on the peasants and lower class and not on the clergy and nobles it caused excessive conflict between the classes. Not only was taxation a cause of conflict between classes but so was the corrupt monarchy of France. The main causes of the French Revolution were over taxation, class conflict, and corrupt monarchy.
From conquering Gaul to when he crossed the Rublican with his army, and also when he defeated his enemies and became the most powerful man in Rome. At the age of 14 Octavian had finally met his great-uncle and hero when he came back from Asia Minor and said the 3 famous words that summed up his victory, "Veni, Vidi, Vici." Latin for "I came, I saw, I conquered" In Caesar's will, Octavian's dream had finally come true. Caesar had adopted him as his son. In Caesar's will he left his money to a man named Marc Anthony. He was a powerful general at the time. He was a consul of Rome and successor to Caesar.
The idea of Individualism can be traced all the way back to England before America’s existence. As we know, individualism has been interpreted in many forms throughout history. The 19th century is no different, taking hold of its own idea of individualism, called transcendentalism. Transcendentalism suggests freedom should not be confined to those focused on money and superficial gains. Instead, people should depend on no one but themselves. This movement focused on “greater individualism against conformity” (Corbett et al.). Heavily influenced by the Romantic period, transcendentalism adopted the belief that reason was more important than logic as Benjamin Franklin has believed. Reason must also include unique emotion and spirit (Corbett et
Individualism in today’s society is the “belief that each person is unique, special, and a ‘basic unit of nature’.” The individualism concept puts an “emphasis on individual initiative” where people act independently of others and use self-motivation to prosper. The individualists “value privacy” over community the individual thrives to move ahead in life (U S Values).
Individualism is defined as many different things, but one definition of individualism became very popular in the early 19th century especially in many of the literary works of the time period: the pursuit of individual rather than common or collective interests. This new idea was expressed by many early American authors in their writings.
In the Individual level, all persons are in some respects unique from other individuals, while, at a genetic level, humans are the same; however, we all possess individuality.
Social identity theory can be applied to many different problems and real life situations. It demonstrates the role of categorization in behaviors, and explores how being part of a group affects social interaction in everyday life.
The idea of individualism can seem rather abstract in our society today. People get preoccupied with how they believe others perceive them, which is in stark contrast to the idea of individualism. Take, for instance, peer pressure, which can affect not only younger children and teens but also adults. All members of a structured society will at some point be impacted by the pressures of society to be normal, and to reach the same milestones as their peers. In Edward Albee’s play, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? the reader gets shown firsthand how the desire to conform, and to be normal, can drive our actions as well as our behavior.
Individuality and conformity both play a major role in society. No matter what it may be individuals will need to choose appropriately between conforming and acting individualistically about their situation. Individuality allows individuals to freely express themselves while conformity offers safety under the protection of other conformers. Both of these aspects are beneficial to many individuals and is a key to maintaining societal order; however, it is disastrous to have too much of either side of the spectrum. Therefore, there should be a balance between individuality and conformity because having too much of either side morally and physically harms components of society, such that it pressures and forces individuals to do tasks against their will, and causes individuals to think selfishly and worry solely about themselves.
The chief entities of individualism come in regards to man, every man. The element of this philosophy is a, “Sovereign entity who possesses an inalienable right to his own life, a right derived from his nature as a rational being. Individualism holds that a civilized society, or any form of association, cooperation or peaceful coexistence among men, can be achieved only on the basis of the recognition of individual rights…” (Rand 129). This very belief ties in with the transcendentalist lifestyle as the idea of thinking for oneself without the rules set by society rises to the scale. Individuals tend to exclude the imposed rules of society, and instead, live a more naturalistic life. While adopting the transcendentalist lifestyle, Americans would only prosper, as the room for innovative thinking would have no boundaries. There would be more independency in the world, resulting in greater numbers of leaders rather then followers. Instead of following under the confines of oth...