ARTSSCI 2A06 Lecture 5: Individualism

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Arts & Science
• Course: ARTSSCI 2A06
• Professor: Louis Greenspan

Document Summary

I(cid:374)di(cid:448)idualis(cid:373) (cid:272)o(cid:373)es a(cid:271)out i the (cid:1010)(cid:1004)s (cid:449)ith a(cid:374) e(cid:374)o(cid:396)(cid:373)ous fo(cid:272)us o(cid:374) (cid:858)doi(cid:374)g (cid:455)ou(cid:396) o(cid:449)(cid:374) thi(cid:374)g(cid:859). I(cid:374)di(cid:448)idualis(cid:373) as it fi(cid:396)st appea(cid:396)s (cid:271)ega(cid:374) i(cid:374) the p(cid:396)otesta(cid:374)t efo(cid:396)(cid:373)atio(cid:374) i(cid:374) the (cid:1005)(cid:1009)(cid:1004)(cid:1004)s. the idea (cid:449)as that (cid:455)ou(cid:859)(cid:396)e i(cid:374) so(cid:373)e se(cid:374)se dise(cid:373)(cid:271)edded f(cid:396)o(cid:373) (cid:272)o(cid:373)(cid:373)u(cid:374)it(cid:455) a(cid:374)d (cid:272)i(cid:448)ilizatio(cid:374). Paradoxically, protestantism and calvinism put together some of the best organized societies in history. The most individualistic societies, also became the most organized ones in terms of abstract authority. The second kind is political; this (cid:449)as lo(cid:272)ke, ho(cid:271)(cid:271)es a(cid:374)d ousseau. The idea (cid:449)as that (cid:449)e(cid:859)(cid:396)e (cid:271)ou(cid:374)d together by a social contract. This was the key point of political individualism, that we came together for protection, to ensure that law would be kept, a contract based on consent. To go against the contract would be to divide oneself from societies. Such a social structure is different from the ties of family, and tribe. Ex: native american girl died of cancer, after having refused chemotherapy in favour of natural medicine.