Social 30 Source Based Question
By: Josh V
Source number one is a quote taken from an unknown source and it analyses the perception of individualism by those who are uneducated. When looked at unbiased, individualism is not a negative ideology. The writer appears to be frustrated with those who do not understand this principle. This is evident by the way he or she mocks those who do not understand individualism by calling them ignorant.. They also attempt to justify the ideology using diverse interpretations such as “I will not sacrifice myself to anyone-nor sacrifice anyone to myself” and “I will not rule nor be ruled”. The speaker attempts to deconstruct the preconceived notion of individualism and replace it with one of prosperity and self-reliance.
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The source also has a slightly negative undertone towards individualism which is evident by the disapproving tone and body language of the ant who is speaking. The ant with his arms crossed appears to be scolding the other ant which demonstrates how individualism is seen in this society of ants. In the movie Antz, the worker ant named Z begins to have individualistic tendencies and thoughts. When he tries to express these views and opinions he is met with strong resistance from the other members of the colony. However, his ideas soon spread which lead to a rebellion within the colony. Z is forced leave the colony and along with him so too go his individualistic ideas, squandering the rebellion in its infancy. Much like the movie Antz, the ant in the cartoon is attempting to destroy the individualism at its source in hopes that it will prevent further spread of ideas. However it is important to note that the real dangers of individualism aren’t the rights and freedoms that are typically considered to be associated with this ideology, but more the loss of an individual from the collective as a result. If individualism were to spread throughout the colony, more and more ants would lose the urge to be a part of the collective society. The ant scolding the other believes that if he allows this individualism to occur it will spread and wreak …show more content…
In source one, the writer evaluates how one must hold regard for others rights and freedoms and respect them and source three holds the opinion that collectivism on a small scale is acceptable but on a large scale it is dangerous. Both of these sources speak about how without collectivism, individualism can not prosper. Source two is different however, in that it shows a much more collectivist opinion. Although the views may not be in line with individuality, there are still some aspects of this ideology. If in an ant colony, One individual feels like they are more important than the others it will leave for chaos. However you also can not treat individuals as though they are nothing. You must be careful not to promote enough individualism so that the ideology spreads, but also be sure to provide enough so that each individual feels important. All three sources agree with the idea that collectivism and individualism are like ying and yang: Without one you can not have the
The major theme of the movie Antz is Individualism vs. Collectivism, it explored the concepts of both ideologies but it does not necessary tell which one is the better option between the two that’s why it is important to know their difference for our better understanding. Individualism as shown in the movie, was Z who is a firm believer of the ideology. He values freedom and the right to express their own beliefs. However in collectivism, they believe that each one of us has a fixed role in the society that we should obey for the benefit of the whole.
In 1946, Ayn Rand wrote, “‘The greatest good for the greatest number’ is one of the most vicious slogans ever foisted on humanity. This slogan has no concrete, specific meaning. There is no way to interpret it benevolently, but a great many ways in which it can be used to justify the most vicious actions.” Collectivism is defined as the practice of assigning primacy to a group over each individual within it. At its core, the ideology stems from prioritizing the well-being of all. However, when allowed to run rampant as it is in Anthem, collectivism contorts into a binding institution that impedes individual evolution. Idealistically, collectivism is utopic, but in practice it negates the significance of the identities of its subjects.
Individualism back during the late 18th century was given the meaning of the justification for individuals to focus more on their own economic success rather than have contributions to general society. This was the opposite of the original Puritan ideas of working hard in your position for the benefit of the community. These new capitalist ideas led to the downfall of moral economy as merchant took upon new individualistic economical approaches. With more successful stores and less competition, merchants had to power to drive prices higher than consumers liked. Economic opportunities and capitalist ideology would lead to the downfall of moral economy and a change towards a more capitalist
Collectivism¡¦s main argument is that society should not be controlled by people who are irresponsible. Hayek counters that point by stating that collectivism is nothing more than totalitarian in which individual freedoms are lost. He also states that the welfare and happiness of the society cannot be satisfied by a single plan (Hayek 63-64). This is especially true in countries that are very diverse in their people¡¦s education and culture. Collectivism also has the dilemma of ¡§who plans whom, who directs and
Individuality and excessive personal freedom does not threaten a harmonious, productive society as a matter of fact it improves society as a whole. If everyone was exactly the same, then there could not be an advancement in society because there isn’t an exchange of ideas since all ideas are the same. A difference in ideas is important because it helps us learn from each others mistakes and achievements and improve upon from them in future generations to come. Personal freedom is another important aspect because it gives us a chance as a society to explore the world around us. If we had our freedoms majorly restricted, humans would be unable to comprehend how the world around them actually works because they would believe whatever the leaders
Meanwhile in collective societies they prioritise their decisions for good of the group above their own personal goals. In a business context collective societies will work better in groups with people they have a personal relationship with. While individualist societies can work well as individuals and in groups with people they do not know. This allows for quicker decision making but not knowing a colleague on a personal level may lead to less active participation. Collective mentality takes more time but more options are analysed in more depth which in some circumstances is more effective but less time efficient.
Individualism and Collectivism are much more different than they are alike. Collectivist “place a great deal of importance on extended families and group loyalty. In the United States, this is the case in the Amish communities and in some Latino/Native American communities” (pg.104) Being Latina, I am able to see the difference in those that are first generation Mexican-Americans versus those who migrated from Mexico to the United States. A perfect example of this is my aunt. Although she pursued a nursing degree she decided to quit school and get a full time job to stay home to contribute to her mother and father. She sacrificed any self-desire to build her own family because her families necessities were more important than her own. Her loyalty
Source II is a quote explaining collective prosperity. The quote explains that in order to live a happy and well to standard life, there needs to be cooperation and participation in a society so that each individual can benefit as a whole. Collectivism is a principle of ownership and authority over production and distribution by the people in a collective group, most often under the supervision of the government. Public property, cooperation, adherence to collective norms, and economic equality depends mostly on the government. This quote was written by a man known as Robert Owen, believed in a similar ideology as Karl Marx. Robert Owen was a religious free thinker. He believed that religion created wrong mindset for men, which was a barrier
* Individualism / Collectivism: Relative importance of the interests of the individual vs. the interest of the group.
Collectivism-> is basically when you think that values and the goals of the group and the common good over the goals of any one individual are the most beneficial. It stresses human interdependence and the importance of a collective, rather than the importance of separate individuals
However, people continue forwards showing others that they can get along without your help. People from collectivism cultures are more likely to have a connection among others people. Throughout people life they can define themselves having a relationship with others and sees their background changing. I came from a Latin American culture where this culture has a collectivism emphasize that in this group of family our mutual cooperation and solidarity can be observed. For example, that supports my answer is that in America the individualism of the people fighting for a better position works. Another example of collectivism culture are expected to work well in groups.
The logic underlying this is simple. A society, by definition, is a group of individuals. So when we "value the interests of society", we are really just valuing the interests of the largest possible number of individuals within that society-- we are valuing the interests of the majority. And since an individual is statistically more likely to part of the majority than the minority (duh), collectivism ensures that any given individual is more likely to have their interests protected than not. Thus, theoretically, collectivism increases the probability of individual prosperity.
Marzi also shows her stance on conformity when she plays with the ants (67). The ants move in unison one after another but sometimes she finds a stray ant. She then reunites the strays to the group. Marzi’s desire for the ants to stay together shows she wants everyone to stay together. The stray ants represent isolationism and total individuality from the community (the greater group of ants). Marzi choice to move the ants back to the group shows she chooses conformity over individuality. Marzi then states “when I touch [an ant] gently with my finger it panics” (68). This shows to be at peace with oneself, you must fall in line to be a part of the whole. This ideal is forced on her by her society. Marzi grows up where everyone around her lives the same. For
The source aligns with Thomas Hobbs in that there should be a high level of government control. Hobbs believes that people are characterized by fear, violent and dangerous by nature. For these reasons, he believes that a governing body should be in place to have control over the people in the society. While the source doesn’t explicitly say that people are individualistic, it does imply that a high level of government control is needed to keep order and fairness. This is the key similarity between Hobbs’ ideology and the source.
Hofstede (1984) defines that individualist societies are those in which the interests of the individual prevail over the interests of the group, and in which people are expected to look after themselves and their immediate families. In individualist cultures, decisions are based on what is good for the individual, not for group, because the person is the primary source of motivation. Conversely, collectivist societies are those in which the interests of the group prevail over the interests of the individual, and in which people from birth onward are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups. More specifically, in collectivist cultures, decisions that juxtapose the benefits to the individual and the benefits to the group are based on what is the best for the group and the groups to which a person belongs are the most important social units. It can be seen from the film that Bushmen in the Kalahari is a collectivist culture in which the group or tribe’s needs are more significant than the individual’s needs. In the scene from 02:40 to 03:04, the Bushmen share everything they find in nature and “have