Individuals and Individuality

Cultivating individuality is a process that calls for perseverance and commonsense.  Individuality does not exist in a vacuum but has to be tempered.  In American society it is usually impacted by social responsibility, laws, and spirituality in a democracy.

Why is it essential to cultivate individuality?

The cultivation of individuality is important because it allows a person to make his own decisions independently.  Normally, an individual takes all the facts at his disposal into consideration before deciding on a course of action.  Undoubtedly, there will be some areas about which he is not knowledgeable.  In such circumstances,  it is expected that he would turn to opinion leaders that he trusts on whom he will base his decision.

Let us say for instance, that Albert Smith is intrigued by the show Army Wives and he has no idea concerning the protocol in the military and wants some questions answered about soldiers being wounded in action, it would be a good idea for him to seek out an appropriate military personnel for an explanation.

Why is social responsibility necessary?

It is all well and good to be an individualist, but it has to be tempered by social responsibility.  Commonsense will dictate. Will a person shout fire in a crowded theater when there is no fire?  Pandemonium will break out, probably causing the lives of hundreds.

It is essential that in an election a person should be informed about the candidate that he is going to support.  He has to weed the chafe from the wheat as he reads and listens to sources for such guidance.  As far as the print media is concerned, his best bet is the elite press, like the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and Time Magazine.  On the broadcasting side, he can turn to ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, and Google for questions he is unsure about.

What is the role of laws?

Every society has a legal framework under which it operates.  They consist of those provisions that citizens have to function under and seek redress if their rights are violated.  Laws therefore play into individuality and social responsibility. They define a person’s limits.  Some individuals have seen it fit to push these limits with civil disobedience when, in their view, they were faced with no other options but to bring their demands to the public attention in this way.

What part does spirituality play?

In American democracy there is supposed to be a separation of church and state enshrined in its constitution.  Often, the lines are blurred.  A person’s spirituality though, is and will always be, an influence on his actions in society.  It will determine to what extent he pushes an issue.  How he approaches “hot button” topics like abortion, gay rights, stem 

Image by heypatrick via Flickr

Image by heypatrick via Flickr

cell research, and immigration reform.

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A democracy is dynamic.  It is always changing.  Leaders come and go, but some policies endure.  Behind these changes are the roles of individuals.

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