Individualism v. Communitarianism

[Misoir]

This is my first thread on this website so please be patient with me.

I have always struggled with these very important concepts and how they would relate to religion and society. Our Constitution here in the United States is very much based on the concepts of individualism over communitarianism. But should there not be a fine line that we must draw? While all individuals have their rights is it acceptable for us to place limits on the extent of how far individual rights can go?

These questions are very complicated and I am quite sure there is no clear or definitive answer to them but I would just like to get the opinion of the members here on these two philosophies and which you believe is more constructive as well as spiritually supportive.

 

[sweetashoney]

In my own opinion religion is the counter against the government in this regard. Our government insures the liberties of the individual, while the religion puts a counter pressure on the population to insure the cohesiveness of those individuals. If everyone thinks the same way, believes the same things, and has the same goals they don’t need to be dictated from above by a government. Communal actions are best freely chosen and driven by the heart and head rather by force and coercion. Individual rights tend to be protected by negative laws (don’t do this, and don’t do that). Communal needs have to be proactively enforced by positive laws (do this, and do that). Which makes communal regulations more numerous, more intrusive, and more oppressive.

These days the role of religion is dissipated by the breakdown of a common view of Christianity and growth of various other religious populations so those communal pressures are being transferred to the government. That’s extremely dangerous because it leaves the population without an equally powerful force of unification to rally against an overbearing civil government.

It’s easy to see how it would be advantageous to a government to purposely destroy religion in such a case, isn’t it? If they can take down the other leg, there is only one left to stand on. Not saying that’s the case in our country, but it makes a person think.

 

[Jerusha]

Communal needs have to be proactively enforced by positive laws (do this, and do that). Which makes communal regulations more numerous, more intrusive, and more oppressive.

This is the reason why the best of communitarian societies, our convents and monasteries, are voluntary and selective.

Without the communities of church and family, people are forced to gut it out as individualists. Fortunately in a very mobile society, we also now have the internet.

 

[sweetashoney]

This is the reason why the best of communitarian societies, our convents and monasteries, are voluntary and selective.

Without the communities of church and family, people are forced to gut it out as individualists. Fortunately in a very mobile society, we also now have the internet.

I’ve had some near-socialists tell me that the early Christian community depicted in Acts where members sold everything for the good of the community was proof that Jesus promoted communism. They completely neglect the fact that the apostles didn’t force anyone to join them and that Peter explicitly said that no one would have minded if someone held back due to honest reservations.

A community such as that in Acts, and in convents and monastaries are very good ideas, and work well in small groups. Not good for civil government of a large nation. That’s why we are a conglomeration of states. True freedom in the US used to be the freedom of mobility. Each local area has it’s own culture. If you didn’t like one, you could move to one you did like. Just like each religious order has its own Rule so you would pick the one you fit in with the best. With our more centralized government the freedom of mobility is gone: every place must have the same culture in order to fit in with the rules of the Federal govermnet instead of a more locally decided set of rules.

Without the communities of church and family we are forced to turn to the government for help in crises. That not only bypasses the natural development of reciprocal trusting and appreciative bonds of friendships, it actively fosters hostility and distrust among neighbors. It’s the difference between stealing and being given a gift.

 

[Jerusha]

every place must have the same culture in order to fit in with the rules of the Federal government instead of a more locally decided set of rules.

That is the reason why states’ rights and local government are so important.

 

[sweetashoney]

That is the reason why states’ rights and local government are so important.

I agree 100%. You don’t hear states rights being mentioned much in political debate, but I think it is the key solution, at least in the temporary sense until the country is reconverted.