Exploring One’s Responsibility to Oneself

Society: the collection of individuals and community that surrounds an individual. The members of a society can work together to accomplish incredible feats, such as solving community problems and helping those in need. However, while one’s society may often be available for support in trying times, it can still put tremendous pressure on an individual. Phrases like “societal norms” describe the often extremely high standards to which many people are held, such as how they should behave, where they should work, or the manner by which they should live their daily lives. Because the role of society can fluctuate from being incredibly beneficial and supportive to extremely demanding and negative, an individual must keep his or her own needs in mind while making important decisions. Man does not owe anything to society because by the philosophy of individualism through history and modern times, self-awareness, and genuine acts of charity, it has become apparent that the only being to whom man owes anything is himself.

Individualism is the fundamental concept that proves the only person to whom a man should be held accountable is himself. It is defined as the philosophy that “regards man—every man—as an independent, sovereign entity who possesses an inalienable right to his own life, a right derived from his nature as a rational being,” (Individualism). Throughout history, individualism has led to many successes integral to the development of the modern United States. Due to the individual tenacity, determination, and desire for freedom of former colonial leaders and the Founding Fathers, the American colonies were able to separate from Britain to become the United States of America. As Caleb Jacobo explained in his arti...

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... new and impossible societal standards but instead to improve upon themselves to consequently improve society. Living for oneself and recognizing the value of personal achievement and happiness will make the world better more effectively than any efforts of individuals who only work due to a feeling of being indebted to others.

Works Cited

http://www.robertmprice.mindvendor.com/zblog/?p=21 (Price)

http://www.atlassociety.org/objectivism (Objectivism)

http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/individualism.html (Individualism)

http://www.nationofchange.org/essentiality-individualism-modern-america-1354804096 (Jacobo)

http://www.theobjectivestandard.com/issues/2012-spring/individualism-collectivism.asp (Biddle)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-koch/is-individualism-good-or-_b_4056305.html (Koch)

Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. New York: Anchor, 1997. Print.