What is American Individualism? Do we really know? Explaining individualism may seem impossible considering it relies solely on your opinion of the topic itself. Individualism and collectivism are two key points in our society. Are we individuals by having our own body, own mind and own life, or are we simply individuals that surround ourselves around individuals as a group? To everyone there are pros and cons to both and everyone has their own opinion of what makes up the “ideal” American citizen, and what they see themselves as. To most people individualism is great. It’s one of the greatest qualities a person can have. Being true to themselves, dominate and being exactly what they are, an individual. Many people have to face the obstacles life throws at you while you’re being an individual and rely on yourself because thats what all seems to be left. Edgar Allen Poe is a great example of a person who practices individualism. He is a man of great power and has had many things break him down just to get back up again. He’s a legend in his time and very much in ours. In Masque of the Red Death, Poe wrote about his own life through the disease of tuberculosis and how it’s impossible for people to overcome or run away from this disease. For example this mysterious figure, being the disease, haunts the people at the party as everyone passes through each room and hallway. “ And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture to his fall” (Poe 461). Many of his family members died from Tuberculosis leaving him to be crucially devastated. He had to live and be apart of the individual world. Being alone and having no one to fall back on. He took this as a chance to fin... ... middle of paper ... ... collectivism holds many different meanings pertaining to many different people and how they feel about both. To this day many people don’t know what they fall under because it has come confusing as the world has changed. The more we evolve the more we need the strength of one another for us to be able to be individuals and hold the title of individualism. Works Cited The Masque of the Red Death." The Language of Literature. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2006. 455-61. Print. The Raven." The Language of Literature. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2006. 467-70. Print. Andre, Claire, and Manuel Velasquez. "American Society and Individualism." American Society and Individualism. Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, 2010. Web. 15 Dec. 2013. Ryan, V. "Characteristics of a Good Citizen." Characteristics of a Good Citizen. Technology Student, 2006. Web. 18 Dec. 2013.
Individualism outlines the link between the ‘individual and the collectivity which prevails in a given society’ (Hofstede, 1980: 213). The main distinction amongst individualism and collectivism is the way that people of various cultures classify themselves (Di Cesare and Sadri, 2002). They recognize themselves as either an individual or a member of a group. Individualism is the extent in which societies look after themselves and their immediate family while in collectivist societies, individuals belong to groups that tend to them in exchange for wholehearted allegiance (Torrington, 1994; Hofstede, 2015). Individualist actions are motivated by their own attitudes and customs, while collectivists are focused by collective norms (Kulkarni et al, 2010). Also, individualists are more focused toward undertaking a personal task, while collectivists are driven more in the direction of achieving balanced relationships (Kulkarni et al, 2010). In certain societies, being an individualist is seen as an advantage while in other societies it can be viewed as isolating. The amount of individualism or collectivism in a particular society will influence the essence of the relationship among the individual and the organization they belong (Hofstede, 1980). From the viewpoint of the organization, individuality can be looked at as the worker’s independence in distinction to the organization. The level of
Individualism and conformity seem to be the exact opposites of each other, but what if being individual meant conforming to the way of everyone else, and what if conformity was the key to being apart of a community? In the essay by Andrea Fishman “Becoming Literate: A Lesson from the Amish” the author looks at the conformity in the Amish culture in regards to education. However, in the essay by Stuart Ewen “Chosen People” Ewen discusses how mainstream America prides itself on individualism. Both essays explore the complexity of being an individual in societies that thrive on conformity.
The word collectivism often makes people cringe. Overall, there is a general fear of not being able to make personal decisions in America. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, collectivism can be defined as; emphasis on collective rather than individual action or identity (“Collectivism”). In Anthem, Ayn Rand describes an extreme collectivist society.
America has always been looked at as “The New World” where people from all over come to fulfil their dreams. Their dreams may not have been exceptional, but only to have enough to survive, have a house where their children could be raised and feel free and protected. Now, according to Webster’s online dictionary Americanism is defined as a custom, trait, belief, etc., peculiar to the United States of America or its citizens, but to me it means so much more.
Firstly, The Masque of the Red Death is a short story that dwells on a wide variety of societal issues. On the other hand, The Raven adopts the form of a poem, which is especially notable for its dramatic and melodic properties. The poet uses the refrain of “Lenore” and “nevermore” in order to emphasize the narrators’ troubled interaction with death (Poe, The Works of Edgar Allen Poe). Furthermore, The Raven employs allusion in its attempt to explain the mysteries surrounding death. The poet seeks to know whether there is “balm in Gilead” in reference to the hope of life after death demonstrated in various religious faiths such as Christianity. In The Masque of the Red Death the author addresses death’s inevitability and its wider implication on the society (Poe). The short story addresses the ability of epidemics to wreck havoc on populations. Furthermore, the short story addresses the authority’s selfishness and incompetence when it comes to addressing pivotal issues affecting people. Instead of finding ways of protecting people from further infections, the prince selfishly runs away from the rest of the population. Whereas death finally catches up with everybody regardless of one’s social status, the short story plays a pivotal role in highlighting leadership discrepancies that plague many civilized
This article provides me a detailed research on a group of American and Chinese adults with plenty of data and analysis. They provided a lot of real and objective opinion on the comparison between individualism and collectivism. The fact of the whole respondents are students gives me an advantage on finding better ways to understand and use this research in my
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...
Collectivism is a way of thinking that benefits the lower class of society, raising their status to equal with the rest of society. In Anthem the horrible effects
In the last text, Edgar Allan Poe creates a very vivid and gruesome theme in his short story The Masque of the Red Death. Poe creates a fictional country that has been struck by a very deadly, devastating disease known as the Red Death, commonly referred to as the Plague. The text focuses on a character known as Prince Prospero. As his citizens are
What does it mean to be an American? For me, personally, being an American means to know the history of America. This is very important because if you know the past, you can learn from it, don't make the same mistakes and make the America a better place to live. Following the American Dream is very important as well. Being an American means to be free, become whoever you want to be in your life, become successful and achieve your goals. Patriotism is what makes person a "true American". It is important to be a patriot because it shows how do you love and support your country and even be ready to give your life for the country. Being an American means to respect people from other countries and people different races.
What does it mean to be an American? Never given it much thought before. I just thought, "Well, I'm here. In America. The land of the free and the stupid. Americans can't drive, our government is... well lets just say decent, and it definitely isn't filled with the wisest of old men/women. The main things I feel people that were born in America focus on, is sports or becoming famous. We already have it well enough. Just because of our individual rights and all. So why not make it better by getting more money, right?" That's what I thought on a daily basis when talking to new people or just seeing new people. Who am I to criticize anyways, right? I'm not quintessential, at this moment I'm not even driving. I mean I could be just as terrible as the other Americans that think they can drive. I would like to become famous and rack in some cash as well, but I still have my mind set on college. So after thinking about it, I came to the realization that what being an American means to me is, individuality.
What does it mean to be an American? To be an American is to be prideful,bold, patriotic, and most of all free. Just like in the constitution, these things are self-evident, that all Americans are entitled to the things mentioned as well as many others.
¨The shoe that fits one person pinches another ; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases¨ (Carl Jung). This quote means, not everybody is the same. Just because one way suits one person, it may not suit another. Individuality means a lot to me because, being different and ¨Weird¨ is okay and not a lot of people understand that. America's´ gift to my generation is individuality.
“The Masque of the Red Death.” Short Stories for Students. Ed. Ira Milne. Vol. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2000. 232-260. Short Stories for Students. Web. 12 Jan. 2010.
This dimension describes the relationship between the individual and the collectivism that prevails in a given society. Individualism means mostly caring of oneself and one’s immediate family. In contrast, collectivism relates to caring for both oneself and other groups.