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Sunday, August 17, 2025
September 11…Individualism in U.S. Culture (New Due date)
What other classes have you had in which individualism was discussed? How was it talked about? Is it seen largely as a good thing or a bad thing? If you haven’t encountered it in other classes, react to what you read in the chapter.
My philosophy class covered a wide range of topics, including individualism. What I remember was the teacher explaining Individualism and ethics, such as whether the intrinsic value of what someone wants is the right thing. Or, should they do what is right by society? It is only a complicated question because humans want to be happy, and individualism is a broad concept; therefore, what someone desires may not apply to society for good reasons. But, how will one be happy? Individualism is a loophole with different answers for everyone.
One of the most impactful classroom discussions I’ve had involving individualism was in my Fall 2024 Introduction to Teaching course with Dr. Johnson. In a lecture on building classroom culture, she introduced us to Yosso’s (2005) Cultural Wealth Model: a framework that highlights the rich, often-overlooked assets students bring into learning spaces, such as navigational, linguistic, resistant, and familial capital. As she walked us through each category, I found myself wondering: What would be a non-example of this? What undermines these cultural strengths? Dr. Johnson’s answer stayed with me: white supremacy culture. She explained that when classrooms are shaped by norms such as perfectionism, objectivity, defensiveness, and individualism, we may unintentionally create environments where success is framed as a solo pursuit, and where students are expected to assimilate into dominant norms or risk being left behind. This was the first time I had heard individualism directly linked to systemic limitations in education. That said, I don’t believe individualism is inherently good or bad. For some students, the individual path may feel empowering, while for others, collective learning or interdependence may feel more authentic. A culturally sustaining pedagogy makes space for all of that. It doesn’t force a single path, but instead holds space for multiple ways of being, knowing, and growing, including individualism, collectivism, and everything in between. That connection came back into focus while reflecting on our reading by Bulman. He argues that in most mainstream high school films, individualism is the dominant moral narrative: students must transcend their families, communities, and schools in order to discover their “true” identity. Whether in urban settings (“utilitarian individualism”) or suburban ones (“expressive individualism”), the message remains: to grow, you must go it alone. These stories rarely leave room for communal wisdom or intergenerational support. By incorporating the Cultural Wealth Model into the classroom through culturally sustaining pedagogies, we can gently challenge these narratives and offer students more agency. You can grow alone. And you can grow together. The key is to ensure that all pathways are recognized, affirmed, and supported.
My english class discussed literature, poetry, etc, but also individualism. My teacher explained that individualism can be seen in character and yourself going on different roadways with not one person on a similar one. Also with many different ways to have individualism that may cross paths with another or divide. We debated whether doing things completely on our own is possible with many distractions, whether individualism is a strengthening thing or depressing, and how society possibly changes individualism. We discussed, had charts, and examined many texts with heavy examples of individualism. I wouldn’t say individualism is a good or bad thing, instead it’s up to how a person does it themselves, with their own values, experiences, or beliefs; as individualism is a small part in many broad topics like culture, ethics, or politics, you can’t necessarily define it as good or bad. Anyone can have an opinion on individualism, and it would never be wrong. - Kayla
I feel like the most I’ve seen individualism discussed in a class would be in my history classes. I’d say most of the time in history, individualism was considered something positive. We see individualism during the Renaissance where new religions emerged trying to shift away from the Catholic church, or different forms of art were created outside of religious themes. Individualism during the Renaissance overall created personal achievements and advancements in art, science, literature… During the French Revolution, individualism was seen to promote human rights and privilege, but it was also seen as selfish, and a lack of thinking about the society in general. When you see individualism in history, you see very radical opinions about it. Humans don’t tend to be indifferent about it, or think about trying to find a balance with it. I think It would be a lonely life to try and fit into traditional standards, but it would be just as lonely if you constantly try to differentiate yourself from others. - Alpha
This is a really strong reflection. I like how you show that history doesn’t treat individualism as purely good or bad, but as something that can lead to both progress and conflict. Your point about balance really stood out extreme conformity and extreme individualism both lead to isolation, and history gives us a lot of examples of that tension.
matt here - I think one class that really stood out while I was here was my presentations class. Individualism was mentioned a lot, and it was heavily involved in the class. It was discussed in class in a good way that being yourself can help you thrive in class.
In my human spirituality class we talked about individualism. Individualism described in human spirituality is the belief that spiritual truth, growth and fulfillment. Also that your personal belief has to do with who you are as a person and your spiritual journey. For example if someone leaves their religion that they been following since a child because they feel that that divine doesn’t align with their beliefs.
One class that I took in the past in which individualism has been discussed is psychology. In that class, we looked at different personalities, how humans developed, and how our individual traits shaped our experiences as human. I think that individualism is not seen as a good or bad thing. I think that in some cases, it can be seen as a good thing because it allows individuals to express themselves. On the other hand, it also has a number of negatives like a sense of loneliness.
I took a psychology class in high school and we discussed individualism, and back then it was looked at in a relatively good light, we discussed how individualism is correlated with other traits like independence, and how it can build self reliance. In other classes though, like world history, I've learned about cultures that primarily promote individualistic societies like a lot of east asian cultures and there are mental health issues associated with it including loneliness and depression, and it is correlated with introversion.
Elena here: I've had quite a few other classes where we have discussed the idea of Individualism. I really love taking social sciences classes so the concept has popped up before. Back in highschool I took a sociology class and a AP psychology class which were both super fun. How I perceive individualism is the idea of favoring freedom over like working in a collective or under a government. In my Societies and Globalization class right now were talking about how some communities have a more individualism outlook on life. Like western countries your expected to be out of the house by 18 and making your own life. While in other countries they value community and collective. Families live together their whole life and that is partly a reflection of the mindset and values they carry.
One class that stood out for me and discussed individualism a lot was one of my english classes. Of course, throughout literature individualism can be connected and written about in a variety of ways. However, my teacher did a wonderful job of explaining what individualism is and how it is also seen within everyone. She talked about how everyone should express themselves freely wether or not it was considered the "social norm". -Alyson
I've discussed individualism in my literature class. The class focuses a lot on moral compass and identity struggle, which ties into personal sense of individualism. It's always been presented as a good thing to be seen as an individual before the collective. -Autumn
In my univ class we are currently discussing social identities, which in some way goes hand in hand with individualism. Both are ways in which we identify as people. However, your social identity groups you with a certain demographic whereas individualism separates you. Individualism is how you differ from those who are in the same social demographic as you are, in different intersections as well. - Jayla
(Sawyer) I have never expressly talked about individualism in any of my classes however I suspect I will soon as I was just tasked with watching the movie Heathers in my ‘Reading Film’ class. (Content warning!) In the film, a the antagonist goes on a serial murder spree and covers it up with fabricated suicide notes for the victims. The people he murders are all very blatant stereotypes (jocks, preppy students, etc.) within the 80s high school setting of the movie however in the notes he leaves he gives these characters false traits that break their character archetypes. In a twisted way the antagonist deepens his victim’s individuality and i feel this will be a central point we talk about in the class this coming Thursday. I feel that within a pop culture context that individuality often tows the line of being perceived as a positive or negative thing, too little individuality leads to overly boring/uniform content while too much will lead to less mainstream appeal which is often viewed as less profitable to those making the content. I do think however that it tends to be those individuality driven things that dare to be different which tend to have the biggest/most memorable cultural impact (ie grunge music and Quentin Tarantino movies in the 90s). The article highlights many of the reasons for the positive sentiments towards individualism in American culture from the influence of the Protestant reformation down to the more recent emergence of teenagers out of the middle class as a definable group that remains highly relevant in defining what gets to be pop culture through what I would define as an individualistic desire to be different from the generation before which is inherently how we grow as a society.
I'm taking a class on censorship in education, and as you might imagine individualism is a core tenet. A lot of the books we study are focused on individualism, either from the perspective of a specific person's experience, or the importance of how a cultural identity might shape writings. Oftentimes, individualism is seen as a threat to those in power, as originality often forces people to think critically about the systems we have in place as a country, and who those systems benefit. -Thomas
I cannot specifically recall a time in any of my other classes where we discussed individualism. The only thing my classes have really talked about is how everyone is different and I need to be sure to make lesson plans that are able to work for everyone no matter their background as well as if they have any type of disability. After reading i do agree that individualism is a rather dominant these in majority of films, I don't know if I necessarily think this is the case in life. I say this because yes, individualism is preferred in society, people are still lumped into groups based on what they prefer to do. Along with this is has a big factor into the types of friends people have because majority of the time your friends are going to like what you do at least to some degree. I do agree with a part of the reading where it states, "I suggest that the different expressions of individualism in these three film genres reveal a tension in American culture that is born out of conflicted feelings about social class in the United States." I think this is. a great way to describe it since we are automatically looked at based on things we might not necessarily think about. - Kailei
I’ve talked about individualism in international relations when learning about the Enlightenment, since thinkers like John Locke pushed the idea of personal freedom and rights. In IR 105, it came up when comparing individualistic cultures like the U.S. with more collectivist ones, showing both strengths and downsides. Overall, it’s usually seen as a good thing because it encourages independence, but we also point out that too much focus on self can hurt community and the growth of everyone together.
I took developmental Psychology last semester and we talked about how individualism plays an important role in our lives. My professor expressed how people begin to form their own identities as they grow. It was told it's a good thing when individuals start learning about things they enjoy, and I agree. What you're interested in shapes your personality and choices you make in life.
Yes, I have encountered individualism in my Women of Color in Leadership class as well as in my Race and Racism in America class. In both classes it revolved around not accepting the status qou or how marginalized groups (African Americans, POC, Women, etc) had to find alternative ways to express themselves throughout history. I think individualism is a good thing but in some instances it is perceived negatively because a person self expression may go against the norm, that is how we drive change. Then their are some cases of people being performative which takes away from many movements motivated by individualism.
The only classes that I've taken that have ever talked about individualism are high school English and ap government. I think both classes talked used them differently but was essential to my understanding of individualism as a whole. For instance, in ap gov we discussed individualism as a core value of American political culture in the sense of equal opportunity, rule of law, ect. In addition to it being in political debates in terms of role of government and our civil liberties. When in english we used the topic of individualism as a theme or in analysis. I think weather or not you think individualism is good or not varies from person to person. Individualism is the idea that freedom of thought and action for each person is the most important quality of society. In my opinion I like having my own opinions and enjoy the vast difference of people in my community. Personally I would hope its a good thing. With out it society would all be the same. Boringgggg....- Laney
Individualism has been discussed within many of my art classes in both high school and college. It is discussed in a relatively positive manner, and its importance is often emphasized as it facilitates the understanding of one’s identity and unique perspective when creating pieces. Depending on the class, the topic of individualism may take on a slightly different meaning based on the context, which demonstrates the nuance within the concept itself.
Individualism has been discussed in my art classes. I believe that Individualism is largely a good thing, even though there are some people that run with this idea to the point it turns into narcissism, or causes an obsession of being "unique". I think, however, that Individualism is a key component in a person's growth and self discovery, and without it our society would be incredibly homogeneous.
In my previous class about African American culture, we talked about individualism in relation to how leadership and identity can develop in marginalized communities. We often talked about how resistance was often a form of resistance and empowerment. We also acknowledged that individualism was necessarily a bad or good thing, but it is powerful when it is paired with a sense of responsibility.
By Mohammed Alhamadani Thinking about individualism, I realize it has come up in different ways across my classes. In my design courses, for example, individualism is often celebrated. We're encouraged to develop our own "voice" or "style" and not just copy what's been done before. Professors emphasize that creativity grows when you bring your personal perspective into a project. In that setting, individualism feels like a good thing-something that sets each student apart and makes their work unique. On the other hand, in engineering and science classes, individualism isn't always talked about directly, but it comes up in a different way. We work on group projects, and sometimes the focus shifts from standing out to learning how to collaborate. In those moments, being "too individualistic" can actually create tension because success depends on teamwork and clear communication. In those spaces. individualism is seen as valuable only if it contributes to the group's progress, not if it isolates you. From what we've read in the chapter, it's clear that individualism has both strengths and weaknesses. It pushes people to innovate, think critically, and take ownership of their ideas. But at the same time, if it goes too far, it can pull us away from community and make us forget that learning and growth often happen together. For me, the best version of individualism is balanced. It's about having your own perspective while also recognizing that you're part of a larger group-whether that's a classroom, a team, or a community. School is one of the few places where we get to practice that balance, and I think that's what makes the idea of individualism so interesting to talk about.
My philosophy class covered a wide range of topics, including individualism. What I remember was the teacher explaining Individualism and ethics, such as whether the intrinsic value of what someone wants is the right thing. Or, should they do what is right by society? It is only a complicated question because humans want to be happy, and individualism is a broad concept; therefore, what someone desires may not apply to society for good reasons. But, how will one be happy? Individualism is a loophole with different answers for everyone.
ReplyDeleteJoaquin
DeleteOne of the most impactful classroom discussions I’ve had involving individualism was in my Fall 2024 Introduction to Teaching course with Dr. Johnson. In a lecture on building classroom culture, she introduced us to Yosso’s (2005) Cultural Wealth Model: a framework that highlights the rich, often-overlooked assets students bring into learning spaces, such as navigational, linguistic, resistant, and familial capital. As she walked us through each category, I found myself wondering: What would be a non-example of this? What undermines these cultural strengths?
ReplyDeleteDr. Johnson’s answer stayed with me: white supremacy culture. She explained that when classrooms are shaped by norms such as perfectionism, objectivity, defensiveness, and individualism, we may unintentionally create environments where success is framed as a solo pursuit, and where students are expected to assimilate into dominant norms or risk being left behind. This was the first time I had heard individualism directly linked to systemic limitations in education.
That said, I don’t believe individualism is inherently good or bad. For some students, the individual path may feel empowering, while for others, collective learning or interdependence may feel more authentic. A culturally sustaining pedagogy makes space for all of that. It doesn’t force a single path, but instead holds space for multiple ways of being, knowing, and growing, including individualism, collectivism, and everything in between.
That connection came back into focus while reflecting on our reading by Bulman. He argues that in most mainstream high school films, individualism is the dominant moral narrative: students must transcend their families, communities, and schools in order to discover their “true” identity. Whether in urban settings (“utilitarian individualism”) or suburban ones (“expressive individualism”), the message remains: to grow, you must go it alone. These stories rarely leave room for communal wisdom or intergenerational support.
By incorporating the Cultural Wealth Model into the classroom through culturally sustaining pedagogies, we can gently challenge these narratives and offer students more agency. You can grow alone. And you can grow together. The key is to ensure that all pathways are recognized, affirmed, and supported.
My english class discussed literature, poetry, etc, but also individualism. My teacher explained that individualism can be seen in character and yourself going on different roadways with not one person on a similar one. Also with many different ways to have individualism that may cross paths with another or divide. We debated whether doing things completely on our own is possible with many distractions, whether individualism is a strengthening thing or depressing, and how society possibly changes individualism. We discussed, had charts, and examined many texts with heavy examples of individualism. I wouldn’t say individualism is a good or bad thing, instead it’s up to how a person does it themselves, with their own values, experiences, or beliefs; as individualism is a small part in many broad topics like culture, ethics, or politics, you can’t necessarily define it as good or bad. Anyone can have an opinion on individualism, and it would never be wrong. - Kayla
ReplyDeleteI feel like the most I’ve seen individualism discussed in a class would be in my history classes. I’d say most of the time in history, individualism was considered something positive. We see individualism during the Renaissance where new religions emerged trying to shift away from the Catholic church, or different forms of art were created outside of religious themes. Individualism during the Renaissance overall created personal achievements and advancements in art, science, literature… During the French Revolution, individualism was seen to promote human rights and privilege, but it was also seen as selfish, and a lack of thinking about the society in general. When you see individualism in history, you see very radical opinions about it. Humans don’t tend to be indifferent about it, or think about trying to find a balance with it. I think It would be a lonely life to try and fit into traditional standards, but it would be just as lonely if you constantly try to differentiate yourself from others. - Alpha
ReplyDeleteThis is a really strong reflection. I like how you show that history doesn’t treat individualism as purely good or bad, but as something that can lead to both progress and conflict. Your point about balance really stood out extreme conformity and extreme individualism both lead to isolation, and history gives us a lot of examples of that tension.
Deletematt here - I think one class that really stood out while I was here was my presentations class. Individualism was mentioned a lot, and it was heavily involved in the class. It was discussed in class in a good way that being yourself can help you thrive in class.
ReplyDeleteIn my human spirituality class we talked about individualism. Individualism described in human spirituality is the belief that spiritual truth, growth and fulfillment. Also that your personal belief has to do with who you are as a person and your spiritual journey. For example if someone leaves their religion that they been following since a child because they feel that that divine doesn’t align with their beliefs.
ReplyDeleteOne class that I took in the past in which individualism has been discussed is psychology. In that class, we looked at different personalities, how humans developed, and how our individual traits shaped our experiences as human. I think that individualism is not seen as a good or bad thing. I think that in some cases, it can be seen as a good thing because it allows individuals to express themselves. On the other hand, it also has a number of negatives like a sense of loneliness.
ReplyDeleteIreland
DeleteI took a psychology class in high school and we discussed individualism, and back then it was looked at in a relatively good light, we discussed how individualism is correlated with other traits like independence, and how it can build self reliance. In other classes though, like world history, I've learned about cultures that primarily promote individualistic societies like a lot of east asian cultures and there are mental health issues associated with it including loneliness and depression, and it is correlated with introversion.
ReplyDeleteElena here: I've had quite a few other classes where we have discussed the idea of Individualism. I really love taking social sciences classes so the concept has popped up before. Back in highschool I took a sociology class and a AP psychology class which were both super fun. How I perceive individualism is the idea of favoring freedom over like working in a collective or under a government. In my Societies and Globalization class right now were talking about how some communities have a more individualism outlook on life. Like western countries your expected to be out of the house by 18 and making your own life. While in other countries they value community and collective. Families live together their whole life and that is partly a reflection of the mindset and values they carry.
ReplyDeleteOne class that stood out for me and discussed individualism a lot was one of my english classes. Of course, throughout literature individualism can be connected and written about in a variety of ways. However, my teacher did a wonderful job of explaining what individualism is and how it is also seen within everyone. She talked about how everyone should express themselves freely wether or not it was considered the "social norm". -Alyson
ReplyDeleteI've discussed individualism in my literature class. The class focuses a lot on moral compass and identity struggle, which ties into personal sense of individualism. It's always been presented as a good thing to be seen as an individual before the collective. -Autumn
ReplyDeleteIn my univ class we are currently discussing social identities, which in some way goes hand in hand with individualism. Both are ways in which we identify as people. However, your social identity groups you with a certain demographic whereas individualism separates you. Individualism is how you differ from those who are in the same social demographic as you are, in different intersections as well. - Jayla
ReplyDelete(Sawyer) I have never expressly talked about individualism in any of my classes however I suspect I will soon as I was just tasked with watching the movie Heathers in my ‘Reading Film’ class.
ReplyDelete(Content warning!) In the film, a the antagonist goes on a serial murder spree and covers it up with fabricated suicide notes for the victims. The people he murders are all very blatant stereotypes (jocks, preppy students, etc.) within the 80s high school setting of the movie however in the notes he leaves he gives these characters false traits that break their character archetypes. In a twisted way the antagonist deepens his victim’s individuality and i feel this will be a central point we talk about in the class this coming Thursday. I feel that within a pop culture context that individuality often tows the line of being perceived as a positive or negative thing, too little individuality leads to overly boring/uniform content while too much will lead to less mainstream appeal which is often viewed as less profitable to those making the content. I do think however that it tends to be those individuality driven things that dare to be different which tend to have the biggest/most memorable cultural impact (ie grunge music and Quentin Tarantino movies in the 90s). The article highlights many of the reasons for the positive sentiments towards individualism in American culture from the influence of the Protestant reformation down to the more recent emergence of teenagers out of the middle class as a definable group that remains highly relevant in defining what gets to be pop culture through what I would define as an individualistic desire to be different from the generation before which is inherently how we grow as a society.
I'm taking a class on censorship in education, and as you might imagine individualism is a core tenet. A lot of the books we study are focused on individualism, either from the perspective of a specific person's experience, or the importance of how a cultural identity might shape writings. Oftentimes, individualism is seen as a threat to those in power, as originality often forces people to think critically about the systems we have in place as a country, and who those systems benefit. -Thomas
ReplyDeleteI cannot specifically recall a time in any of my other classes where we discussed individualism. The only thing my classes have really talked about is how everyone is different and I need to be sure to make lesson plans that are able to work for everyone no matter their background as well as if they have any type of disability. After reading i do agree that individualism is a rather dominant these in majority of films, I don't know if I necessarily think this is the case in life. I say this because yes, individualism is preferred in society, people are still lumped into groups based on what they prefer to do. Along with this is has a big factor into the types of friends people have because majority of the time your friends are going to like what you do at least to some degree. I do agree with a part of the reading where it states, "I suggest that the different expressions of individualism in these three film genres reveal a tension in American culture that is born out of conflicted feelings about social class in the United States." I think this is. a great way to describe it since we are automatically looked at based on things we might not necessarily think about. - Kailei
ReplyDeleteI’ve talked about individualism in international relations when learning about the Enlightenment, since thinkers like John Locke pushed the idea of personal freedom and rights. In IR 105, it came up when comparing individualistic cultures like the U.S. with more collectivist ones, showing both strengths and downsides. Overall, it’s usually seen as a good thing because it encourages independence, but we also point out that too much focus on self can hurt community and the growth of everyone together.
ReplyDeleteI took developmental Psychology last semester and we talked about how individualism plays an important role in our lives. My professor expressed how people begin to form their own identities as they grow. It was told it's a good thing when individuals start learning about things they enjoy, and I agree. What you're interested in shapes your personality and choices you make in life.
ReplyDeleteLexi
DeleteYes, I have encountered individualism in my Women of Color in Leadership class as well as in my Race and Racism in America class. In both classes it revolved around not accepting the status qou or how marginalized groups (African Americans, POC, Women, etc) had to find alternative ways to express themselves throughout history. I think individualism is a good thing but in some instances it is perceived negatively because a person self expression may go against the norm, that is how we drive change. Then their are some cases of people being performative which takes away from many movements motivated by individualism.
ReplyDeleteThe only classes that I've taken that have ever talked about individualism are high school English and ap government. I think both classes talked used them differently but was essential to my understanding of individualism as a whole. For instance, in ap gov we discussed individualism as a core value of American political culture in the sense of equal opportunity, rule of law, ect. In addition to it being in political debates in terms of role of government and our civil liberties. When in english we used the topic of individualism as a theme or in analysis. I think weather or not you think individualism is good or not varies from person to person. Individualism is the idea that freedom of thought and action for each person is the most important quality of society. In my opinion I like having my own opinions and enjoy the vast difference of people in my community. Personally I would hope its a good thing. With out it society would all be the same. Boringgggg....- Laney
ReplyDeleteIndividualism has been discussed within many of my art classes in both high school and college. It is discussed in a relatively positive manner, and its importance is often emphasized as it facilitates the understanding of one’s identity and unique perspective when creating pieces. Depending on the class, the topic of individualism may take on a slightly different meaning based on the context, which demonstrates the nuance within the concept itself.
ReplyDeleteIndividualism has been discussed in my art classes. I believe that Individualism is largely a good thing, even though there are some people that run with this idea to the point it turns into narcissism, or causes an obsession of being "unique". I think, however, that Individualism is a key component in a person's growth and self discovery, and without it our society would be incredibly homogeneous.
ReplyDeleteAkiko M
In my previous class about African American culture, we talked about individualism in relation to how leadership and identity can develop in marginalized communities. We often talked about how resistance was often a form of resistance and empowerment. We also acknowledged that individualism was necessarily a bad or good thing, but it is powerful when it is paired with a sense of responsibility.
ReplyDelete- Alana "Ana" W
DeleteBy Mohammed Alhamadani
ReplyDeleteThinking about individualism, I realize it has come up in different ways across my classes.
In my design courses, for example, individualism is often celebrated. We're encouraged to develop our own "voice" or
"style" and not just copy what's been done before. Professors emphasize that creativity grows when you bring your personal perspective into a project. In that setting, individualism feels like a good thing-something that sets each student apart and makes their work unique.
On the other hand, in engineering and science classes, individualism isn't always talked about directly, but it comes up in a different way. We work on group projects, and sometimes the focus shifts from standing out to learning how to collaborate. In those moments, being "too individualistic" can actually create tension because success depends on teamwork and clear communication. In those spaces. individualism is seen as valuable only if it contributes to the group's progress, not if it isolates you.
From what we've read in the chapter, it's clear that individualism has both strengths and weaknesses. It pushes people to innovate, think critically, and take ownership of their ideas. But at the same time, if it goes too far, it can pull us away from community and make us forget that learning and growth often happen together.
For me, the best version of individualism is balanced. It's about having your own perspective while also recognizing that you're part of a larger group-whether that's a classroom, a team, or a community. School is one of the few places where we get to practice that balance, and I think that's what makes the idea of individualism so interesting to talk about.