As Earth becomes more globalized and connected, especially with the evolving status of technology and communication, individualism is often called into question by those fearing that the more integrated one becomes into a society, the more they lose their uniqueness as a person. However, many texts by prominent authors and leaders argue otherwise, and instead propose that an integrating society can lead to even further development of individualism. An individual can maintain their own goals and ambitions while staying independent from society, by focusing on one’s own ambitions and therefore strengthening the society, amidst their differences of seemingly opposing one another. Societal ties are heavily emphasized within the writings of notable …show more content…
King demonstrates his thesis that the community benefits from the strength and unity of its members through fighting for his fellow black community a hundred and fifty miles away, helping them in their time of aid against oppression from the white community. This thesis is also argued by Andrew Carnegie, one of the most successful and richest Americans in history, in his book The Gospel of Wealth. Within which the businessman argues that the rich have a duty to use their wealth to assist the poor, just as Carnegie had done within the last twenty years of publishing the article. Carnegie asserts that “Individualism will continue, but the millionaire will be but a 5 trustee of the poor, entrusted for a season with a great part of the increased wealth of the community, but administering it for the community far better than it could or would have done for itself”, demonstrating his belief that money accumulated and left sitting in a vault assists neither the community nor its owners, and that it would be best if set back into the communal circulation through almsgiving. Examining Carnegie’s background as one of the wealthiest men to live, his own worth demonstrates his authority on the subject of money and charity. Carnegie’s thesis is also echoed within the documentary Tent City, a film which follows the titular area for the homeless in …show more content…
One such proponent is Henry David Thoreau, who advocates for a simpler way of living in his magnum opus Where I Lived, and What I Lived For. Thoreau, being one of the most influential speakers for Transcendentalism, the belief of self-focus and improvement, argues that life is often taken for granted when one lives in society. Using his own adventures of living as a hermit and learning to appreciate nature more, he proposes that society often speeds up one’s day, until they are no longer able to enjoy life as well as one at a well-off pace. This sample of fighting against society and instead for focusing on one’s own pleasures is further echoed within the essay Facebook Friendonomics, written by Scott Brown. Within, Brown argues that many of the social platform Facebook often collects their friends similar to trophies, ironically alienating the two even more. Brown sarcastically suggests that Facebook implement a system that would allow friends of users to “fade” from their profile, until the two are no longer connected. Within the paper are large traces of sarcasm and hints of dark humor, as Brown pokes fun at those who follow social platforms to be more connected with their friends and community to only be less close with them. This demonstrates the individualistic thesis by bringing up a “what if” scenario and criticizing those who want to be more integrated