In fighting pandemic, pure individualism is a handicap

Daily Herald (Chicago) ^ | 4/2/2020 | Patrick Dickson

[Arones]

There comes every few years a phrase that perfectly captures a cultural moment. "Irrational exuberance" was Alan Greenspan's way of telling investors to tread lightly. The CIA liked "plausible deniability" in the 1960s.

The one I have seen recently, and really has struck a chord, is "pathological individualism."

It is without question that the conditions in early America, particularly during westward expansion, called for a type of person who was self-reliant, determined and able to shape his environment by sheer force of will. This became a uniquely American archetype in movies, portrayed by the likes of John Wayne or Gary Cooper, the man who stands alone, ready to duke it out with the evildoers.

It's a useful model, and survives because there are still times when one man fights the system. As films go, "Dark Waters" is a recent example.

But as "pathological individualism" implies, this mindset can be corrupted. There reaches a point at which individuals, even with the highest ideals in mind, misapply the concepts of individualism until it is indistinguishable from selfishness.

[meyer]

I will not assume gender on that one. Not even sure I should assume species!