Somewhat politically motivated

[adrian76]

This past weekend, cid62 and I got into a conversation with someone about what was more important...the individual's needs or wants or the community needs or wants. Let me know what you think.

Poll What is more important?

Comments

[justben]

I worry that political discourse in America often degenerates to false dichotomies, much like this one here -- "the individual versus the community" -- when in fact the two are intertwined in a fashion far too complex to be described so simply.

The potential for strength in the hands of mindful individuals is vital to the sustainability of a society. Societies are strong because their people act with strength. A policy which eliminates this potential and this strength, then, is a danger to that society because it enervates the motive force that drives the society. It asphyxiates itself from within.

On the other hand, people are an envious lot. If strength of will leads some to wealth while its lack leads others to poverty, then the latter group will always be envious of the former. If the difference becomes sufficiently dire, the latter will revolt when they are able, taking power by force from the hands of perceived tyranny instead of building it through established systems. Our own country was formed from just such a revolt.

If it were a simple matter of balancing society's need for individual advancement with its need for stability by curbing the worst of the envy, governing would be a fairly simple matter. The root problem is that a variety of forces in modern American society have led to the popular perception of certain unrealistic dichotomies. Among these false dichotomies is between the desires of the individual and the needs of the community, and this dichotomy has grown so strong that members of both camps are driven by fear to reject any compromise or balance on the matter.

Ultimately neither extreme is sustainable. The only way to resolve this problem is to understand and counteract this popular false dichotomy, opening people to open discussion and fair judgement in the place of dichotomy's fear.