Collectivism versus Individualism

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It is human nature to see those who are different and group them into distinct categories. The distinction of Individualism versus Collectivism is one that is currently being studied extensively. On one side, individualism sees individuals as the fundamental unit of a society. Individuals are supposed to be unique, independent, and most importantly, willing to put their own interests above all others. On the other hand, collectivism views the basic building block of society as social groups, stressing the interpersonal bonds between people. Collectivist values dictate that group goals and values have higher precedence than an individual’s. Due to the seemingly polar opposite nature of these ideologies, it is inevitable that they will be compared to see which is more beneficial to the country and its people. Some might point to the success of the US, an extremely individualistic country, in support of individualistic values. They will point to the freedom of choice and diversity that individualism boasts of. Others stress the flaws of the US in response, and while both sides do have their truths, the costs that come with individualistic values are too great to be ignored. Highly individualistic attitudes have caused many large scale problems which have long been identified as difficult to resolve issues. These problems include, but are not limited to, promoting aggressive acts, creating an obsession with social power, and allowing a system of injustice to be born. This notion that individualistic values encourages aggressive acts, which are very forceful and often lead to many unpleasant interpersonal tensions, has been supported by many studies. In 2011, Gordon B. Forbes and other researchers at Millikan University performed a st... ... middle of paper ... ...314. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Nov. 2013. Wilson, Steffen and Gore, Jonathan. "Appalachian Origin Moderates The Association Between School Connectedness And Gpa: Two Exploratory Studies." Journal Of Appalachian Studies 15.1/2 (2009): 70-86. Academic Search Premier. Web. 30 Oct. 2013. Torelli, Carlos J., and Shavitt, Sharon. "Culture And Concepts Of Power." Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology 99.4 (2010): 703-723. PsycARTICLES. Web. 30 Oct. 2013. Zdaniuk, Agnes and Bobocel, D. Ramona. "Vertical Individualism And Injustice: The Self-Restorative Function Of Revenge." European Journal Of Social Psychology 42.5 (2012): 640-651. Academic Search Premier. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. Turner, Jack. "American Individualism And Structural Injustice: Tocqueville, Gender, And Race." Polity 40.2 (2008): 197-215. Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 31 Oct. 2013.

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