Individualism and Community

As a principled supporter of individual rights, I am frequently accused of not caring about "society" or "community." As this clip points out, I think that people who put community before the individual are getting it backwards. Without putting the lives and rights of autonomous individuals first, there is no community, just gang warfare.



(HT Ideas Matter)

Quote of the Day - Inalienable Individual Rights--or not?

This is the crucial point...This is the point which allows no compromise. You must choose one or the other. There is no middle. Either you believe that each individual man has value, dignity and certain inalienable rights which cannot be sacrificed for any cause, for any purpose, for any collective, for any number of other men whatsoever. Or else you believe that a number of men — it doesn't matter what you call it: a collective, a class, a race or a State — holds all rights, and any individual man can be sacrificed if some collective good — it doesn't matter what you call it: better distribution of wealth, racial purity or the Millennium — demands it. Don't fool yourself. Be honest about this. Names don't matter. Only the basic principle matters, and there is no middle choice. Either man has individual, inalienable rights — or he hasn't.

--Ayn Rand "To All Innocent Fifth Columnists", 1941

If you consistently hold that a man has an inviolable right to his own life, and only to his own, then a majority vote can not justify "redistribution" of property for any purpose. Not "universal" health care. Not "public" education or other "public works." Not "the greater good of society." Not anything.

Those who advocate taking from another without his explicit voluntary consent are violating a man's right to his own life.

Abandoning the principle of a man's right to his own life is not compassionate. It will not and can not lead to peace and cooperation but instead results in power struggles and an ever escalating use of force.

The best way to help the poor, and promote peace, is to rigorously protect individual rights--for everyone.

It's the right thing to do.

(HT Kelly Valenzuela for pointing me to the article)

Individuals with Ideas vs. the Collectivism of Race

When Americans can focus on ideas instead of ethnicity, on individuals instead of race --we will have taken a giant step forward in the advancement of civilization. Racism is just one more form of collectivism --all of which subordinate the value of unique individual human beings to the needs, the desires or the identity of the group.

I am grateful to the individuals who stood at the podium in the following clip. It takes courage, integrity, and trust in one's own mind to risk viewing the world out of step with the mainstream.