The Individual or the Community?

[ajtigger]

How would you respond to the following question:

What do you value more--the individual or the community? Why?

[bonehead]

neither...and both. The relationship between them is a two way street. It is up to the individuals who join communities to conform to the community standards and it is also up to the community to make allowances for individuality. (up to a point) There are too many problems when the pendulum swings too far to individuality, or to the community. Finding the balance is not easy but it is well worth the effort.

[Brian Douglas]

How would you respond to the following question:

What do you value more--the individual or the community? Why?

Interesting question. I am not certain to which type of community you refer as this word takes many forms.

I promote self help groups in the community villages here in Romania so that people can help each other, raise standards, the young help the old, the ones who are a little better off help the poor. This type of community is a developing one, but in all cases I note relies on an individual to lead the group!

Brian..

[THL]

The community.

This is what will eventually mold and create the individuals. People will react and respond to their surroundings and if those surroundings are filled with negative influences then the individual has a better chance of being a negative person and the same with a positive community influence.

I do not feel, though, that communities should be held responsible for the ultimate decisions of an individual.

[TopHatter]

People will react and respond to their surroundings and if those surroundings are filled with negative influences then the individual has a better chance of being a negative person and the same with a positive community influence.

I do not feel, though, that communities should be held responsible for the ultimate decisions of an individual.

Well said on both points.

[Debbie]

The individual and the community are intertwined as THL as alluded to above - one cannot be without both. As individuals, we are a social community. There lies in that community a standard of social norms that is expected to be adhered to. However, an individual within that community can choose to go against the social expected norms. We are individuals in a community of humanity and we are humanity in groups of communities. Those communities can be identified by neighborhoods, religious status, education, profession, criminal, etc.

Every community has standards that while most individuals can adhere to, some cannot for various reasons but it would seem for the most part a change in ideology/standards would be one of the key factors. Therefore persons can start moving into different communities within humanity and experience movement several times.

Philosophy was never my strong point, but quite obviously it doesn't stop me from trying.

[omon]

the way it was tought in ussr, first one should think about comunity, second one should think as his\her place in that comunity, only than one can think of his personal needs. but there wasn't much personal freedoms in ussr, in us i see ,people care about their needs first, than comunity, but in us it's dollar first than ideology, in ussr it was other way around, but for some reason us is going strong, and ussr is extinct. so i'd say dollar rules in us
(and 99% of the world), and it's stronger than any ideology.

[Parihaka]

Individuals.

Individuals can come together to create communities when necessary, but communities squash individuals as they are a threat.

[Ray]

Both are important. Individuals and also the Community.

One cannot be or exist without the other.

They should be mutually supporting and not mutually invasive!

[MarquezRazor]

Individuals come together to create a community.

Each individual should be responsible for the community.

[Brian Douglas]

Individuals come together to create a community.

Each individual should be responsible for the community.

I agree with this.
Brian..

[Bluesman]

So much crime and so many horrific acts have been justified by subsuming the individual and exalting the community that I think that history has made it absolutely clear that the individual MUST be sovereign over himself. The community should have only those rights that will allow individuals to live as freely as possible.*

Anything else, and you have the worst kinds of injustices being rationalized, and what kind of community do you have THEN?

One of the worst, most pernicious ideas was propagated through popular culture when a dying Mr. Spock told Admiral Kirk that 'the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few'. He may as well have expressed it as "from each according to his ability; to each according to his need.'








*NOTE: Apply Bluesman's Formula here:

The most important three-word combination in human existence is, 'to a point'.

[gunnut]

How would you respond to the following question:

What do you value more--the individual or the community? Why?

I value individual more, and I want YOU to value the community.

[Bluesman]

I value individual more, and I want YOU to value the community.

A shorter and better answer than mine.