05 Dec 08
Originally posted by FMF"You want it. You take it. You pay the price. " Bruce Springsteen
"The exercise through public participation of our obligations to the body of the citizenry."
That's how Canadian philosopher and historian John Ralston Saul defines "individualism". Anyone have a different take on it?
05 Dec 08
Originally posted by FMFYou're talking about the John Ralston who started the first dog food factory? Yes! Nah,i really don't care.
"The exercise through public participation of our obligations to the body of the citizenry."
That's how Canadian philosopher and historian John Ralston Saul defines "individualism". Anyone have a different take on it?
GRANNY.
05 Dec 08
Originally posted by FMFWhat a coincidence. I was just reading about John Ralston Saul earlier today for the first time. Now I've got my eye on his book - 'The Collapse of Globalism.' Have you read anything by him?
"The exercise through public participation of our obligations to the body of the citizenry."
That's how Canadian philosopher and historian John Ralston Saul defines "individualism". Anyone have a different take on it?
05 Dec 08
3 edits
Originally posted by rwingett'Voltaire's Bastards' is his must-read work, I reckon. But 'The Collapse of Globalism' is full of astoundingly cogent and to-the-very-heart-of-it paragraphs screeming out to be underlined excitedly with a biro or highlighter pen although isn't it awful when you pick up a book, like in a youth hostel or some place like that, with shelves of books shedded by people on the move, and you find that some uncouth person has done exactly that to a book although, come to think of it, no one would leave a John Ralston Saul book behind in a youth hostel, except perhaps 'On Equilibrium' which some people I know have started to read, several times, but given up without finding too many underlineable paragraphs or perhaps 'Reflections Of A Siamese Twin' which maybe works well for someone who is very very Canadian, but certainly not the wonderfully sprawling 'Voltaire's Bastards' or what you might describe as the concise version of it, 'The Unconscious Civilization' or the highly droll and thought provoking 'Doubter's Companion', at least not in any youth hostel I've been to.
What a coincidence. I was just reading about John Ralston Saul earlier today for the first time. Now I've got my eye on his book - 'The Collapse of Globalism.' Have you read anything by him?
05 Dec 08
Originally posted by FMFHostel !!! If you would simply get a job you could afford to stay at Motel 6 and read your very own copy of any book you wish. You could even park your white horse in the stable behind the motel. Life's simple! Grow up!
'Voltaire's Bastards' is his must-read work, I reckon. But 'The Collapse of Globalism' is full of astoundingly cogent and to-the-very-heart-of-it paragraphs screeming out to be underlined excitedly with a biro or highlighter pen although isn't it awful when you pick up a book, like in a youth hostel or some place like that, with shelves of books shedded by peopl ...[text shortened]... ovoking 'Doubter's Companion', at least not in any youth hostel I've been to.
GRANNY.
05 Dec 08
1 edit
Originally posted by smw6869I think what you are illustrating here is "idiosyncracy" rather than "individualism".
Hostel !!! If you would simply get a job you could afford to stay at Motel 6 and read your very own copy of any book you wish. You could even park your white horse in the stable behind the motel. Life's simple! Grow up!
11 Dec 08
Originally posted by FMFThe quote seems to somehow equate social responsibility to individualism. For sound thinking on individualism I'd refer to the writings of Ayn Rand, starting out with Anthem, a short easy read, and finishing with Atlas Shrugged.
"The exercise through public participation of our obligations to the body of the citizenry."
That's how Canadian philosopher and historian John Ralston Saul defines "individualism". Anyone have a different take on it?
11 Dec 08
Originally posted by normbenignOh I see. So your concept of "individualism" is that I myself should go off, on my own, and read the books you mentioned so that I can find out what your definition of "individualism" is?
The quote seems to somehow equate social responsibility to individualism. For sound thinking on individualism I'd refer to the writings of Ayn Rand, starting out with Anthem, a short easy read, and finishing with Atlas Shrugged.
11 Dec 08
Originally posted by FMFWell, we could quote authors and philosophers all day long, or we could try
"The exercise through public participation of our obligations to the body of the citizenry."
That's how Canadian philosopher and historian John Ralston Saul defines "individualism". Anyone have a different take on it?
and formulate our own sentences to describe what we ourselves (as
individuals) believe individualism to be. And that would pretty much sum
it up, I think. It's about thinking for yourself and make something of it (be
it good or bad consequential wise).
11 Dec 08
Originally posted by JigtieWell, by all means, feel free to go ahead and do just that.
Well, we could quote authors and philosophers all day long, or we could try
and formulate our own sentences to describe what we ourselves (as
individuals) believe individualism to be. And that would pretty much sum
it up, I think. It's about thinking for yourself and make something of it (be
it good or bad consequential wise).
11 Dec 08
1 edit
Originally posted by JigtieI was brought up to believe that "individualism" is expressed through participation. Our "individuality" is our unique set of characteristics when we interact with others. Thus "individualism" is, in part, our sense of self and identity ("individuality" ) coupled with the exercise of autonomy and taking of reponsibility, all in the context of others.
we could try and formulate our own sentences to describe what we ourselves (as individuals) believe individualism to be.
Many definitions of "individualism" I hear strike me as being, in fact, definitions of "selfishness". We all specialize to a degree and that delineates our contribution to the group. That contribution is an essential element of our "individuality" and making that contribution is "individualism".
For that reason, I believe that you cannot really separate "social responsibility" from "individualism" as one cannot truly exist without the other. At least not in any meaningful sense.