Hello there! Happy Valentine's Day! As we approach this special day, I hope you find success in how you choose to spend it. This week, I want to delve deeper into the topic of the individual and individuality. But first...

Weekly Inventory Check:

With Valentine's Day being all about love and relationships, let's keep that sentiment in mind while we assess our own connections with those important to us. Have you recently checked in with your loved ones? Perhaps it's time to reach out and touch base.

Individual and Individuality

I've recently been having interesting discussions with a friend from Switzerland, who has a different perspective on family than I do as someone from Pakistan. Our conversations continued at a philosophy meetup, where the topic was "Why We Do What We Do". We discussed the innate frustration that exists in humans, which drives our actions. The conversation then veered towards the difference between being told what to do and choosing what to do. I had a disagreement with this notion, as I believe that society and mass media still shape our desires and wants, just in a less overt manner than in a collectivist society.

The Individual still needs society, the current issue is with the balance of it. I like to say I should be able to do whatever I want, as long as it does not come at an expense of anyone else. A good example to illustrate the point was shared with my friend. His asian colleague told him, even before Corona, in China. If anyone is sick, they would wear a mask., they would think, i dont want to get anyone else sick so i can compromise. In the west, if someone is sick, they say, if you dont want to get sick, you should stay away from me. They do not want to take an action that is net better off because it might come at their expense.

It's this type of thinking that I've been pondering lately, and the goal should be to move from the binary "I vs. They" mentality to a spectrum of "Us." Us starts with the individual and extends out to the community.

Do you agree or disagree? Shoot me an email. Would love to hear your thoughts!

Want More?

"The Paradox of Individualism must lead to Compromise; Autonomy seems to lead to limitations on Autonomy." I couldn't phrase it better.

There is an argument that Individuality leads to Centralised Heirarchies by Design. Read it here.

I always thought Individualism is the reason why people in the west feel Lonely and Alone. This study argues against it and I am pleasantly surprised!

Read of the Week

While researching this topic, I came across the book "Ultrasociety," which explores the idea that human cooperation is the reason for our success as a species. I've read the synopsis and I'm eager to read the full book soon. It's definitely something you might be interested in as well.

Thoughts to Leave you With

Essentially, my current thoughts are focused on understanding why some people take but don't give back with the same spirit. Perhaps it's my collectivist background, where we always aim to give back twice as much as we receive, creating a culture of expectations. However, I don't believe that taking what you can and giving only when it suits you is the appropriate alternative.