The Individual vs Society (2024)

Since their formation, humans have co-existed as either part of a tribe or a larger society. Through shared interests such as resources or land, they were able to come to an agreed upon set of rules that were to be obeyed by members of that society. As social creatures our desire for companionship is innate and, despite our differing opinions or beliefs, the choice to coexist has always been more beneficial than the alternative.

Alongside our desire for sociability is our rationality and autonomy. We can think for ourselves and form conscious decisions. We understand that things are harder by oneself. We’re aware that there is strength in numbers. It’s also by incentive, whether in security, comfort, or with money that we attempt to get along with one another. Naturally, things don’t always go smoothly. When conflict arises, depending on the type of society, a collective effort is made either to suppress or resolve it. With this understanding of the benefits and natural desire for a collective society, we can observe how humans at the individual level have determined the laws and norms that govern their society.

Within any society, laws or policies are maintained or enacted that affect everyone within. For the most part these are based off a larger framework or foundation laid by initial founders or legislators. Though these leaders may have had the best interest of their society in mind, as we progress into modernity it becomes the responsibility of descendants to ratify new or abolish antiquated policies/laws. Another part of society that frameworks shape are social norms. These are the unwritten or informal sets of beliefs or policies that dictate how we interact with one another. Though we aren’t actively aware of them, we adhere to them and trust in them. We teach them to our children. We become aware of them through interaction. To break these norms is to go against the preordained thought processes of society and if one does so, they are deemed not normal, strange, and in some cases either imprisoned or ostracized. These thought processes are seen in public opinion, a tool that can be used to suppress individuality or contrarian opinions.

If you’re going to the grocery store, these days you need to make sure you wear a mask, otherwise you’re denied entry, and promptly labeled. An important and necessary policy given our current situation, masks are a good example of the power of public opinion and the influence it has. Step outside your own collective society for a moment. Try to objectively observe the laws, norms, and beliefs maintained and upheld. Do you know all of them? Do you agree with all of them? All laws, social norms, and even beliefs are based on right or wrong. That right or wrong however, is subjective. This duality exists in every facet of perceptible reality. Good, bad, right, wrong. The correct answer is determined by the individual’s perception. One may believe that blue is the best while another declares that no, red is superior. The ‘correct’ answer will usually lie with the majority, however if opposing sides are egalitarian, they can work toward compromise. It’s through this compromise, in addition to shared understanding and empathy, that blue and red can make purple.

Equipped with a better understanding of social norms and policies/laws, it becomes clear that the individual has power within their own society. In most societies it’s through voting that the individual is able improve their society. Unfortunately, and this is the case almost everywhere, problems arise when like-minded individuals become a majority and have only their own interest in mind. This creates a power struggle which lasts until the minority eventually rebels or some dramatic change occurs. This can be seen with countless societies that have risen and fallen over the course of humanity and this phenomenon continues today in modern societies.

A disparity between majority and minority can take many forms, it does not only relate to ethnicity or background. It can exist because of wealth, religion, or sex/gender. It should also be noted that a minority group can hold most of the power, as seen with the wealth disparity in many countries.

It can be said that the desire for power/control is a psychological striving pursued as a way to make up for something missing, and though this may be true given the neuroticism seen in dictators, desire in of itself is a natural product of our rationality and autonomy. Everyone has a desire for something, whether it be status, wealth, or happiness. What makes humans so great is our ability to think for ourselves and form our own conclusions about the world we live in. No one is created good or bad, we just want to live. We want to pursue our desires. But when that pursuit infringes on the lives of other individuals, we need to reevaluate what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. We must treat everyone as humans, and we must not let our pursuit of our own desire harm others. I’d argue that the pursuit of desire beyond primal urges like hunger and thirst are a byproduct of our environment, but that’s another topic for consideration.

Everyone wants to be right, but that means someone must be wrong. The desire to be right plagues us all, but we mustn’t impose our beliefs or values on others, but rather seek compromise.

It starts first by observing our own society with an objective lens. We must understand that those before us may not have had all the answers. We must also understand that we won’t have the answers either, but an effort must be made. The first step is to question whether your beliefs, values, and opinions are conducive to not only your success, but the success of those in your society.