Individualism and collectivism paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Individualism and collectivism paper - Essay utilizationIndividualism represents a society in which individual relations are not strong and in which people are expected to fend for themselves. Individualism is the opposite of collectivism and taken together they reach one of the dimensions of national cultures. Collectivism on the other hand connotes a form of society in which people from their childhood itself are integrated into strong cohesive groups that protect them for the rest of their life in return for their unquestioning allegiance.Individualistic cultures like those obtaining in the USA and France exhibit a greater stress on individual goals and people mainly on themselves as individuals. People in individualistic cultures emphasise their successes and achievements in their career or in the acquisition of wealth. In the USA the spirit of competitiveness is at its zenith.Collectivistic cultures lay a greater emphasis on groups. In such cultures harmony and loyalty are de emed to be paramount (Individualism versus Collectivism). Collectivism requires self - sacrifice, the subordination of ones interests to those of others (Letters of Ayn Rand). The main consequence of individualism on self identity is the engendering of independence and individual achievement promotion of self expression, individual thinking and individualized choice.