Individualism: Is it a good or bad thing?
If someone called you an individualist, would you be flattered or insulted? An individualist might be a rugged John Wayne, a pioneer like Amy Johnson, a creative innovator like Kate Bush, or an entrepreneur like Richard Branson.
People we admire for refusing to follow the crowd, for being true to themselves. But individualism is also often said to be the source of Western civilization's degeneracy — accused of leading to selfishness, shallow consumerism, the breakdown of society.
Individualism is a double-edged sword. Many believe its Western roots go right back to early Christianity. Jesus taught that salvation did not depend on what tribe you belong to, but on how you chose to live your life. God had a one-to-one relationship with people, not to groups.
The 16th Century Protestant Reformation took this further, taking away the need for priests to act as intermediaries between God and ordinary people. This sowed the seeds for the flowering of the modern individual in the 18th Century Enlightenment. The Prussian philosopher Kant summed up its key message in the Latin phrase Sapere Aude: dare to know, to think for yourself.
Personal autonomy became the central value of Western society. We see this in the principles of one person one vote, civil liberties, and equal rights for all. But this in many ways welcome development has gone hand in hand with the decline of community. The growth of independence and autonomy leads to a decline in interdependence and solidarity.
In other cultures, these communal values have traditionally taken precedence. Across East Asia, who you are cannot be separated from the groups you belong to. That does not mean you lose your identity in the crowd, you find your identity in it: as a parent, a child, a ruler, a teacher, an apprentice. When we can all be different and yet all come together, we have harmony, the highest value in Confucian philosophy.
Across the world, individualism is lamented when it turns us into atomized units, cut off from each other, showing little or no interest in our fellow citizens. But if you can be yourself, while also being part of society, contributing to it, your individualism will be praised and celebrated.
词汇表
individualism [ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəlɪzəm] n. 个人主义，我行我素
individualist [ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəlɪst] n. 个人主义者，特立独行的人
flattered [ˈflætərd] adj. 感到荣幸的，受宠若惊的
insulted [ɪnˈsʌltɪd] adj. 受到侮辱的，被冒犯的
rugged [ˈrʌɡɪd] adj. 坚毅的，粗犷的，强健的
innovator [ˈɪnəveɪtə(r)] n. 革新者，创新者，改革者
entrepreneur [ˌɒntrəprəˈnɜː(r)] n. 企业家，创业者
degeneracy [dɪˈdʒenərəsi] n. 堕落，退化，衰退
consumerism [kənˈsjuːmərɪzəm] n. 消费主义
breakdown [ˈbreɪkdaʊn] n. 崩溃，瓦解，故障
double-edged sword [ˌdʌbl edʒd ˈsɔːd] 双刃剑（有利有弊的事物）
Christianity [ˌkrɪstiˈænəti] n. 基督教，基督精神
salvation [sælˈveɪʃn] n. （基督教中）灵魂的拯救，拯救
tribe [traɪb] n. 部落，宗族
one-to-one adj. 一对一的，两人之间的
Protestant Reformation [ˌprɒtɪstənt ˌrefəˈmeɪʃn] （16世纪欧洲的）新教改革
priest [priːst] n. 牧师，神父，神职人员
intermediary [ˌɪntəˈmiːdiəri] n. 中间人，中介
sow the seeds for [ˌsəʊ ðə siːdz fɔː(r)] 为…播下种子，为…奠定基础
flowering [ˈflaʊərɪŋ] n. 繁荣，兴盛
Enlightenment [ɪnˈlaɪtnmənt] n. （18世纪欧洲的）启蒙运动
Prussian [ˈprʌʃən] adj. 普鲁士的，普鲁士人的
Sapere Aude [ˌsæpəreɪ ˈaʊdeɪ] 敢于求知（拉丁语）
autonomy [ɔːˈtɒnəmi] n. 自主权，自治权
civil liberty [ˌsɪvl ˈlɪbəti] 公民自由
go hand in hand with 与…密切相关，与…相伴而生
interdependence [ˌɪntədɪˈpendəns] n. 相互依赖，相互依存
solidarity [ˌsɒlɪˈdærəti] n. 团结，团结一致
communal values [kəˈmjuːnl ˈvæljuːz] 集体价值观，公共价值观
take precedence [ˈpresɪdəns] 优先，占据优先地位
apprentice [əˈprentɪs] n. 学徒，徒弟
Confucian [kənˈfjuːʃən] 儒家的，孔子学说的
lament [ləˈment] v. 哀叹，惋惜，抱怨
atomized units [ˈætəmaɪzd ˈjuːnɪts] 孤立的个体
fellow citizens [ˌfeləʊ ˈsɪtɪzənz] 同胞，公民同胞
💡 视频、翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】