Collectivism and Individualism

In this lecture we examine collectivism and individualism from the perspective of the 20th century economist and philosopher Ludwig von Mises
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Recommended Readings:

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[academyofideas]

Thanks for asking, at the moment there isn't really other than just sharing the videos with others if you like them. The two of us who put these together don't have much of a plan, we are just going to keep putting up videos and see where it goes.

[irissalemi]

This video is very interesting indeed!
However, based on its title, I would have expected an objective presentation of both individualism and collectivism, whereas here you present individualism and collectivism presented from the perpective of individualistic and western thinkers. There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages in both ways of organising societies, and I find it very important that we understand them in an objective way! For example, you could have presented the Confucian philosophy, placing collectivism as a solution to social cohesion and social order, in opposition to disorder resulting from violent protests which individualism allows. Asian societies are also very interesting to analyse, and I find that we don't understand them enough, or at least we don't try to understand them enough.
But your video was very insightful to deepen knowledge on individualism! Thank you very much!!

[andresfernandes]

Excellent video delving into such critical matters in such a succinct and straightforward manner. Was very lucky to come upon it at the very start of my inquiry into the ethics of individualism. Thank you

[shermanfirefly]

I often find it bizarre how individualism results in the disaster of the mass whereas the collectivism end up with the disasters of individuals

[Mijn]

Individualism Vs. Collectivism healthy and unhealthy consequences

Collectivism (healthy)
- Family/belonging
- Comfort
- Purpose
- Sexual gratification

Collectivism (Unhealthy)
- Tribalism
- Hatred
- Violence
- Inauthenticity

Individualism (healthy)
- Authenticity/Originality
- Self-Reliance
- Creativity
- Leadership

Individualism (Unhealthy)
- Depression
- Loneliness
- Suicide
- Narcissism

[academyofideas]

Glad you enjoy them and thanks for the comments you post on the videos, they are always an interesting read!

[johnnytocino]

Great topic. So fitting for our times more than even the renaissance and the enlightenment.
It's a balancing act we are forced to play born unto this world. We desire individuality and freedom but no man is an island and we are not wired to be antisocial beings. What is the best way to balance these two extremes? To choose one over the other? Of course not. Because then you are punished severly for your decision by others or by yourself.

[snoverstudios]

You have to take into account whether it is voluntary free association and if harm is being done to others. The Voluntarian lifestyle is the best path forward.

[academyofideas]

Again I think we are probably arguing over semantics. Mises’ point in his critique was not to dispute that cooperation/some form of consensus would be needed to allow for individual freedom. Rather the point of his critique was that if one values peace and prosperity then they should favor the establishment of a society that was organized so as to allow for the individualistic position.

[frankt]

This quote on individualism by Hayek is a great complement to this lecture, it really helps dispel some of the myths that people use to criticize the individualist position:

"This is the fundamental fact on which the whole philosophy of individualism is based. It does not assume, as is often asserted, that man is egotistic or selfish, or ought to be. It merely starts from the indisputable fact that the limits of our powers of imagination make it impossible to include in our scale of values more than a sector of the needs of the whole society, and that, since, strictly speaking, scales of value can exist only in individual minds, nothing but partial scales of values exist, scales which are inevitably different and often inconsistent with each other. From this the individualist concludes that individuals should be allowed, within defined limits, to follow their own values and preferences rather than somebody else's, that within these spheres the individual's system of ends should be supreme and not subject to any dictation by others." (The Road to Serfdom) 

[academyofideas]

You seem to be defining collectivism in a much broader manner than I do. The video defined collectivism as the view that the goals of the collective should be supreme. Cooperation or acceptance/enforcement of societal norms does not necessarily entail the promotion of collectivism in the sense which is being critiqued. Cooperation/acceptance of social norms are not an end/goal, they are a means to allow the individual to achieve their goals.

[academyofideas]

I appreciate your comments, they force me to think harder about these issue. But now we are kind of arguing in circles/over the meaning of collectivism. Having a debate in the comments of YouTube is not easy. Maybe if you see Mises’ views as flawed you should make a video that critiques, Mises' critique of collectivism ;)

[stephenbailey]

All societies are a mix of individual autonomy and collective activity. It is a continuum, not a mutually exclusive polarity.
That rhetorical polarity is often propounded when one wants to support a particular outcome. Both the political Left and Right use it so.

[Fafner]

Collectivism doesn't necessary implies a dictatorship. After all, democracy is a form of collectivism as well, and we all agree that at lest in politics sometimes the collective will (like majority vote) should override the will of a particular individual.

[neonmaple]

I'd much rather value my individualism where my voice is usually heard, rather than uphold a collectivist approach where my voice is shadowed over by a group that can very well castrate me for a different mindset.

[jakemcnamee]

I think there is a golden mean between the two. I see both camps fighting each other yet they're both right and wrong about different things.
I think it depends on what aspect of life you're applying collectivism or individualism to.
The truth is no individual exists as a singularly.We're part of our environments, or environments mold us and we also inherent things and have a closer relationship to people more than others. Be it a genetic or just ideological, or what ever.

So we're all composed of different combinations of influences around us. And we're all different because those influences are never exactly the same in the same two people. But some people are more alike than others. And we're like and unlike others in different respects.
Individually is on a scale anyway. There is the general norm wnd then there is differing extents of deviation.


So is there many philosophers who have a good middle ground on this issue

[Overitall]

Something different occurs in the psyche when people who are living together stop seeing eachother as individuals and more as a mass. The things that bind them begin to fade and cracks begin to appear in their connection. This is often where large conflicts begin and the major conflicts of humanity play themselves out.

[darkerpath]

Dude, I've watched every video. This by far is your most important video. God bless you buddy. You are doing something something very few people can do. You're introducing something to millions of people that is so important to human kind. Introducing Mises in the layman. It took me years to break down all of these works and your videos layout something special

[cheerful_crop_circle]

If you really think about it, the internet, multimedia and social media are actually leaning more towards collectivism. People from different backgrounds, cultures, races, nationalities and ethnics are connecting with each other and most of them use a common language (English). There are a lot of hive mind communities on the internet as well, which further contributes to that perception.

[nthperson]

One of the great books on this issue is the book "Out of Step, " the autobiography of the individualist philosopher Frank Chodorov. What makes Chodorov's analysis superior to that of von Mises and others who consider themselves libertarians is his recognition that there is a just distinction between those produced, tangible assets rightfully considered to be private property versus natural assets the indivdual control over which is rightfully considered a monopolistic privilege requiring a payment of the market-determined rent to the community.