Your pointing to an overemphasis on individualism and its associated foregrounding of consumer are, to my mind, right on target. It seems to me that the notion that we are capable of being—and, should strive, more and more, to be--independent, stand-alone individuals is philosophically deeply flawed and politically profoundly dangerous. Who we are, as individuals, is deeply shaped by the associations we inherit and form with others throughout our lives. Indeed, without the richness that can come from such associations, our lives would be unimaginably thin and of little worth. Certainly, there are dangers to our being able to lead lives or our own choosing as external influences or controls become too many in number and too strong in their reach. Government is one institution that presents this danger. There are other institutions—with large corporations being the most evident of these—that also have a reach and a grip that diminish and even overwhelm our lives.
I suspect, then, that ongoing debates about critical issues (health care reform, environmental sustainability, education, poverty, and more) would hold far more promise if they took fuller account of the social as well as independent dimensions that are central to our freedom and if those on the right, left, and center would carry on the debates in terms and with a tone that show far greater respect for each of us (and, themselves) as thoughtful, social, and independent selves. Thanks again.
Larry Preston
