The divide between
individualism and communitarianism flashed to the surface last week during the
presidential campaign. It came about after President Obama rather famously told
a Virginia audience. ”If you were
successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher
somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable
American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody
invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business. you didn’t build
that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn’t get invented
on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the
companies could make money off the Internet.”
This may sound like an
esoteric question, but it really gets at the heart of the discussion now going
on within the presidential campaign. Communitarianism or individualism? Where do you
fall?
Texas Faith is a weekly column at Dallas Morning
News managed by Editors William McKenzie and Wayne Slater, the material is
contributed by several panelists, for all responses please visit http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/2012/07/texas-faith-communitarianism-or-individualism-where-do-you-fall.html/
MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas
MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas
From the moment one is born to
the moment life ends, a normal human being cannot survive without nurturing. He
cannot birth himself or bury himself. There is always another human to be a part
of the support system from birth to death.
We are indeed an individual
strand in the web of the community. Whatever affects the web affect us (Chief
Seattle), and vice versa. Global warming, mad cow disease and other issues are
communitarian in nature, but driven by individuals in both
directions.
Everyone’s psyche or
conscience is a product of one’s environment, and our morality is a necessity of
co-existence.
Strict individualism works
well, as long as one is capable of taking care of one’s self. However, no
individual is free from vulnerability of accidents, diseases, wars and old age.
We are dependent on others to produce or consume.
Religions have contributed
greatly towards building the communitarian life where the invincible (lol) and
vulnerable both can live his or her life to the fullest extent
possible.
Indeed morality is the
insurance for the safety of individuals in a community.
Where do I
fall?
There is a balance to be
maintained in life. Justice is the core value and basis for the success of any
given society, without which no society can maintain its social, moral and
economic equilibrium.
One can get away with murder
or taking advantage of others. But that creates an imbalance and rots the
society with insecurity. It also puts the responsibility back on individuals to
restore that elusive and dynamic balance.
Individualism and
communitarianism can be best understood by looking at the extreme ideologies:
responsible capitalism and communism. Individuals have the burning desire to
excel and to do well, and capitalism becomes a catalyst for the prosperity of
individuals that directly benefits the society, through incentives to the
individuals, where as communism restricts growth through forced equality. As
capitalists we need to think about our own safety in the long haul caused by
inequalities.
If freedom and justice are the
core values of a given society, we need not worry about communitarianism or
individualism. Both complement each other.
_ _ _
Please mark
your calendar for Tuesday 9/11/2012, it's a big event in Dallas- details at
www.UnitydayUSA.com
No American
has to live in apprehension or fear of the other. There are solutions, here is a
trailer of the movie in making: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMXsTo4VYh8&feature=youtu.be
Mike Ghouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.comis updated daily.
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