Individualism, Collectivism & Us

Individualism and collectivism are concepts that are expressed differently in various cultural traditions. Individualism is mainly expressed in the West, while collectivism in the East. Both approaches attribute their roots to religious and philosophical thoughts that have evolved over time in these regions of the world.

The Western Approach

Most Westerners based this belief on Greek philosophy and Judeo- Christianity. In the Bible an emphasis is placed on the significant roles of spiritual leaders and their vertical relationship with God. Some of these figures are Moses, Abraham, Noah of the Old Testament, John the Baptist, Mary and the twelve Disciples (later apostles) in the New Testament.

The views expressed of their societies were not flattering. Egypt that held Israelites in bondage was seen as a pariah. Sodom and Gomorrah was reduced to rubble. Pharisees and Sadducees were engaged in debates that attempted to justify their social structure. Many societies were depicted worshiping man-made idols, false gods and images. It would take an omnipotent and omniscient God and his appointed to endeavor to set things straight.

Concerning the true meaning of life and the role of the mass media and an individual’s relationship to God, some prominent individuals focus on the imperative of Divine truth in the scheme of all things. Such a religious leader of Catholic persuasion was Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274).

The mass media could provide hope for individuals. Many stories could focus on how citizens in a democracy are capable of rising to their fullest potential in a secular world. Still relevant today are the critical ideas expressed by the French aristocrat Alexis De Tocqueville (1805-1859) on democracy and the American experience (Mayer 1988).

In the West journalists emphasize “objectivity” in news coverage. This evolution resulted from the combination of two Schools of Thought: 1) Those philosophers that believe that knowledge could be acquired without experience and 2) Empiricists that implicitly subscribe to the basis of their knowledge on observation borrowed from the natural and physical sciences. Using a “dialectic approach” journalists try to present both sides of a story leaving the reader or viewer to draw his own conclusions. The American public has become accustomed to opinion polls during electoral and other processes.

On the other hand editorials are free to express their opinions. They argue for a particular point of view that is supported by facts and analysis. These mainly come from the ranks of seasoned journalists with many years of professional experience. They are media specialists i.e. of science, business, politics, etc. These are respected in the editorial pages for their incisive analyses. Editorialists consider their positions to be pearls in the journalism field.