Individualism, Freedom, And Ethnocentrism

It brought us the Civil Right Movement to help black people get their rights and help destroy some of the cultural divides in america causing overall equal treatment . So individuality maybe seem hard and impossible but people have done great things with it. In conscience in the novel The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier showcases a story about a Jerry and showcases some of the negative of individuality with how it affects his personal,social life and the social expectations and pressures he

Individualism is the idea of being independent and acting on what is considered to be freedom. And these three individuals: Cady Stanton which perfectly portrays early women’s rights movement in her pleasant piece the Declaration of Sentiments in which she talks about how women are equivalent to men, Kate Chopin is also a good example of early feminism with her short story A Story Of An Hour which she conveys the character Louise Mallard a women who lost her husband and felt joy of knowing she will experience freedom for the very first time in her life, and as for Frederick Douglass he perfectly model what a true individual is by fighting for anti-slavery in his stunning piece What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July? In which he gives a profound speech on why he does not celebrate Fourth Of July. Individualism in the 19th century was fighting for what a certain group of people considered to be “freedom” without the importance of what others thought.

Ethnocentrism is the tendency to assume that ones own culture and way of life represents the norm or is superior to others. Americans in particular tend to be very ethnocentric in part because the United States has been perceived as a superpower for most of its existence, and in part because of the global influence of American media. Patriotism and love for ones country is also instilled in Americans from an early age to a greater extent then in other countries. For example, American children recite to the pledge of allegiance to begin each new school day and the national anthem is played at most sporting events.

Through Uncle Tom's Cabin, I was able to learn numerous things about the United States History, particularly related to slavery. One aspect I was amazed at while reading was the great faith that the slaves had. Religion becomes a major theme in this book and is greatly seen through Uncle

Do you stand alone as a unique and special individual? Since the beginning of American history there have been struggles for individualism. The American Revolution, the American Civil War, and the separation from family life are all examples of individualism in American history. Individualism is an American paradigm designed by the modern societal structure that is an altered idea of the foundation by immigrants. In today’s society the struggle for individualism is more personal and represents how American values have shifted since the beginning of American history.

Throughout the novel, Anthem, and a speech from Fountainhead, written by Ayn Rand, it expresses the argument between individualism vs collectivism. An individual is a person who has control of his or herself, while a collectivist is someone whose hard work benefits their society. Although, another ideology that Ayn Rand mentions in her literature is egoism, throughout her books the significant meaning of being an egoist is considered a good thing, but in our modern society today we consider it a trait reflected by a selfish person.

Set in a dystopian society in the future, the novella Anthem written by Ayn Rand is all about being a collective society which doesn’t believe in individualism. Ayn Rand constructs a society in which individualism is a transgression. The government enforces the idea of collectivism to the society. They believe that in the human race each person is not single. The protagonist, Equality 7-2521 wants to be an independent person. He wants to be free. As stated in the novel, “To be free, a man must be free of his brothers.” This statement means that in order to be successful, he has to be his own person. As the novel goes on Equality 7-2521 learns to be an independent man and frees himself from the society which forces collectivism.

Henry David Thoreau in his speech-turned-essay, Civil Disobedience, makes the case for individuals to be self-sufficient and independent. Thoreau’s purpose is to illustrate the importance of those qualities in everyday life and how someone should always keep these unwavering principles throughout their existence. Utilizing diction, imagery and syntax, Thoreau adopts a forthright tone to invoke independent thinking, action, and self-contemplation in the American populace.

The word “slave” indicates man’s bondage to labor in his monetary-dominated society. Thoreau truly believed he was more free than any other man who partook in the community ruled by an “unjust government,” for he deemed them slaves; he refused to “pay one copper penny” to a government that supported slavery and unjustifiably initiated war on an innocuous country (1.60). This defiant diction in his refusal to pay even a single cent of his taxes reinforces his argument. Conversely, in Civil Disobedience, Thoreau’s declaration that “all men recognize the right of revolution when its tyranny or its inefficiency are great” doesn’t communicate his thoughts as vividly as his diction in The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail (5). There is no resistant diction; he simply states that men have the right to rebel. In the play, Thoreau’s argument against paying taxes encourages citizens to “sign off from the government” to condemn its immoral actions (1.60). The action “sign off” has an unsatisfied connotation of rebellion and implies the inclination to disobey the government. Thoreau evokes a feeling of urgency to secede from society that

In this paper I will begin by defining personal culture and national culture. After, I will then elaborate my own personal and national culture. I will continue to talk about the subject with the person that I have chosen for my cultural group, my mother, and I will identify her personal and national culture. Lastly, I will talk about my own personality and how it has a connection with my own natural culture; knowing this is important, it lets us know who we are, and how we act with people who are from different cultures.

The definition of individuality states a total character peculiar to and distinguishing an individual from others. In a society a person can chose to take the easy way out by following the crowd or, do the hard thing and be an individual and embrace the characteristics that make you different from others. Being an individual and standing out from the crowd might be hard at first but, it can lead to a better society for everyone. In Anthem, by Ayn Rand, the theme of the book is individuality outweighs the expectations of society. This theme is clearly shown throughout the book through the protagonist's internal conflict, the introduction to conflict and the climax. In the beginning of the story Equality 7-2521 introduces himself and he says, “Our name is Equality 7-2521, as it is written

The people of the United States of America pride themselves on being noble and free members of an exemplary society, one with values which other countries should use as guidelines for their own government. As a general principle, the republican theory that defines America’s Constitution is one that values pluralism and diversity, and protects individuals’ rights against all kinds of government abuse. The Declaration of Independence, written as a founding document for the freedom and values that the Americas established in escaping British control, states that “We [Americans] hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Regardless of its many guarantees to personal liberty, the original Constitution was deeply flawed in its express recognition and permission of slavery. Spread out amongst the seven articles are contradictory statements regarding the treatment of slaves within the U.S. government, such as prohibiting Congress from banning the slave trade until 1808, calling non-slave states to return escaped slaves into bondage, and distributing slaves to those in the House of Representatives and the Electoral College. The autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, exhibits the corruption of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness outlined in the Declaration of

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was a philosopher and writer who is well known for his criticism of the American government during the time. During Thoreau’s life, there were two major issues being debated in the United States: slavery and the Mexican-American War. Both issues greatly influenced his essay, as he actually practiced civil disobedience in his own life by refusing to pay taxes in protest of the Mexican War. He states that the government should be based on conscience and that citizens should refuse to follow the law and has the duty not to participate and stay as a member of an unjust institution like the government. I argue that the notion of individualism and skepticism toward government is essential in the basis of many

The United States of America was founded on July 4, 1776. Seeking a life free of the British Government, a host of immigrants founded a new nation. Because the United States was created by the migration of people from various parts of the world, it is sometimes described as a “melting pot.” Along with their personal possessions, these immigrants brought their respective cultures and traditions as they meshed together into a new society. Despite being categorized together as citizens of the same country, the independent traditions and lifestyles of humankind have created challenges throughout history. It is important for Americans to share a sense of pride, patriotism and loyalty. Equally important, however, is the need for respect regarding differences and individualism. Ethnocentrism is a barrier between understanding culture and diversity.

Many people across the world have their own definition and beliefs of the word individualism. There is nothing selfish to be able to express ones personality and internal emotions. Being an individual alone could value a person’s overall true character. The claim presented would be opposed by many because people like to feel independent and self-reliant. Individualism in today’s society lets people express themselves, and helps create something small into something big. For a long time now individualism has existed since the founding of our country. History was created by those who showed independence and proved that an individual can do it all.