Individuality

[nz revolution]

Does anyone have any thoughts on the idea that is expressed over and over again about individuality?

This guy I know is very pro-communist and he was saying his idea of individuality is so people will stay in their little groups and not interact with others, so the idea of co operating with others doesnt sound very tempting, which will then keep people from uniting and doing away with capitalist oppression. Like when i was young I remember Barney the Dinosaur singing some song about being your own person or something, so the rightists are programming kids at a young age to be an individual and extremely self centred.

If you think about it, it is a good plan to keep everyone to themselves.

[Panamarisen]

Individualism and selfishness is too usually put in the same bag.
We have the right and even the duty to take care of our own selves as the individuals we are, each one of us... But in the same way we have to take care of the community we´re living in, which is formed by many individuals.
I think an important problem here is that today, and depending on the kind of environment we´re sharing, it may be kind of difficult to think about the community, for instance -and specially- in big cities. It´s much more difficult for people living in big cities to care for the other one, which you almost surely don´t even know nothing about. And this is a good reason for all of us to try to develop Society as to become a lot of relativelly small communities -as, BTW, natives still do all over the world. Indeed, only in this way you´re easily and naturally concerned with anything that has to do with your neighbour... It´s difficult to feel real love and to be truly concerned with the other one if you don´t know nothing about him, except when it´s our individual nature to do it or if we are able to behave like this not only with people we don´t know, but also, and firstly, with our own relatives and friends.
Guess one of the best way to live as an individual and at the same time care for the other ones is trying always to put our skin under his.

HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE!

[Guardia Bolivariano]

I agree with Panamarisen one can be an individual with a certain kind of persanality and still be a part of a community and help out.

[I Bow 4 Che]

The problem w/ the little "groups" is that then...there is "competition" and "comparison"...which leads minds to ....the big C

[Mazdak]

Individualism, is detrimental. People need to work like machines. Emotions cannot get in the way of anything.

[I Bow 4 Che]

LMFAO!!!! Mini Stalin!!!! Amen to that Mazdak!

[Social Democratic]

Well, individualism is not the same as selfishness (in my book), but it can be taken to the extremes eg, capitalism.
Individualism makes us what we are, our mind set, the way we do things etc, but when it goes over the top, we get excessive competition adn willful intenet to do harm! Not very communist, but then again we dont want a race of autometon droids (eh? Mazdak?) so its up to us to make a peacful comprimise while we plan for the new world.

Oh and nz revolution, are you from New Zealand? I am, where you from? Maybe we could get in contact, Communism In New Zealand, well.......its weak.

[Panamarisen]

Quote: from I Bow 4 Che on 11:19 pm on Nov. 11, 2002
The problem w/ the little "groups" is that then...there is "competition" and "comparison"...which leads minds to ....the big C



It´s unavoidable to compare among ourselves -we are human beings, even Mazdak ;) -, and besides competition isn´t bad in itself. Guess it´s a matter of the kind of goals we got on mind as individuals -for instance, social goals and such...
Natural human reactions and emotions musn´t be taken away from us, they just need to be well guided through learning and experience.

HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE!

[Blasphemy]

a lot of people say that communism works against individuality. i totally disagree. i think that capitalism, which put workers in huge factories where all they are is a number, works against it. in a communist society, where everyone has a chance to make something of themselves, and all have equal opprotunities, people have a chance to live their lives as they want it.

did that make sense? i'm pretty tired right now...

[trebboR]

Yeah that made sense and I totally agree with you. In communism everyone has a chance, everyone has a chance of developing his or herself.

[Jaha]

"From each according to HIS ability, to each according to HIS needs!"

sounds like it offers plenty of individuality.

[Commie Canuck 15]

What did Che say "Each of us alone, is worth nothing" he said that to his kids in his last letter to them, he musta believed it. But he probally beleived in individualism as long as it didnt interfere with your revolutionary duties.

[redstar2000]

Capitalist apologists like to make a big deal out of individuality but, if you look closely, it's really a very stunted and even deformed version of "individuality" that they have to offer.

In capitalist society, your individuality is measured only by...WHAT YOU CAN BUY. The rarer, the pricier, the more absolutely useless your possessions...the more of an individual you "are".

To own a mansion instead of a suburban tract house, well, that's pretty individual. But to own a mansion that YOU NEVER USE...that's real capitalist individualism.
When you can answer, like Nelson Rockefeller once did, that YOU DON'T KNOW how many mansions you own--you have reached the very peak of capitalist individuality.

Except that maybe "peak" is not the right word; maybe DEPTH is a better noun in this context.

[Panamarisen]

You´re right, redstar2000, that´s "depth".

Moreover, Capitalist pigs don´t even know about the idea that "owning" that much is not only useless, but actually make the person unhappy at the end...

HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE!