The Difference Between Self-Determination and Individualism

I find myself in a lot of conversations these days pointing out and critiquing the value and practice of individualism. But then, I was also talking today about the need to make our own choices outside of structures that don't work for us or offer real choices. So I got some good pushback that led me to reflect on the nuances, and what is it that I really believe and am advocating for.


Individualism


Definition -"Belief in the primary importance of the individual and in the virtues of self-reliance and personal independence. A doctrine advocating freedom from government regulation in the pursuit of a person's economic goals. A doctrine holding that the interests of the individual should take precedence over the interests of the state or social group." - freedictionary.com


My critique is that this value, from its clear description, is both bad for the individual and bad for the communal whole. To begin with, it is operating in a framework that places the individual as separate from a community. Separateness has never served humanity or the planet. I am currently reading a really interesting article about the ways in which our division and control of the natural world has led to a similar treatment of our bodies and our selves. This fragmentation makes our decision-making more analytical and less holistic, more short-sighted, more immediate, and less intuitively complex.  


Secondly, the economics of individualism are really damaging. How do you get this "personal independence" and "self-reliance?" By paying for it and replying on your wealth to get your needs met. This compounds wealth hoarding and materialistic aspirations, at the cost of deeper life experiences and human connection, and at the cost of our spiritual centeredness. Nobody is actually self-reliant, existing in a vacuum. Just like capitalism relies on a supply and demand concept, the process of living is an unending cycle of having desires and getting them met. 



Self-Determination in the context of a communal whole


What I understand self-determination to mean is very different. It acknowledges a self, and is talking about the ability (or lack of) to determine our own selves. Every person has a self, and we live in constant struggle with the inner and outer selves - with knowing, being, and reconciling the two (or many) layers of our being. Self-determination is also about the freedom to make choices and live lives that allow us to influence our own paths. Maybe for lack of a different frame, I am going to stick with self-determination as the nuanced alternative to individualism, and to add the important descriptor that I mean it in the context of a community (or many layers of).


This self-determination acknowledges the centrality of community, and is also balanced with interdependence. It does not pretend we live without other human beings, or that our choices don't have impact on others. It acknowledges our desires to govern ourselves and in this instance, I say govern because it implies decision-making power about policies and structures that shape core life possibilities. But, it also recognizes that decisions cannot be made at the expense of another's well-being. There is no room for hateful "free" speech here. 


The inner self has a spirit that allows us to look within for contentment, and also to zoom out to witness our desires and discontentment. It also pushes us to grow in our ability to connect meaningfully with others, which involves reliance on others, and hence interdependence.  It balances individual development/self-improvement with what is good for a broader group. That is always how humanity has survived and evolved.The determination is about our own dignities and the power that each of us wants to have to steer our own lives to realize our dreams and joys - that is freedom. We are not confused by a freedom that steals from or steps on others - that is individualism, not freedom.  Freedom is for everyone, equally. And it is truly freeing because it offers the possibility of decreasing our endless wants, and also increasing the depth of meaning in our lives.