Extreme Individualism
KPCC’s AirTalk radio host Larry Mantle focused on recent instances in the US where public figures, e.g. Congressman Joe Wilson and performer Kanye West, have brazenly expressed their opinions in public forums, dismissing protocol and the rights of others. Many have referred to these people as having a lack of decorum, while some have suggested it signals a change in US culture.
Above: President Obama, Vice President Biden and Speaker Pelosi are distracted by Joe Wilson’s outburst.
Mantle uses words like “narcissism,” “imperiousness” and “self-importance” to describe the acts. He says that these very self-righteous individuals think their opinion is either fact, or that it matters the most, which leads to a lack of control.
With the impact of social networking phenomena like Facebook, Twitter and the blogosphere, we’re wondering if these public outbursts herald a cultural shift towards extreme individualism. Now, anyone can express their opinion on the internet. Historically, societal value systems change very slowly, but we’ve witnessed this change over the last five years as networking technologies have been introduced on a global scale.
How is this impacting your life? What kinds of behavioral changes have you noticed? How far can individualism go in a country like the US, where the society’s interest is served through a delicate balance of individual expression with a respect for others and the group-as-a-whole.
Click here to listen to Mantle’s show, “Outbursts and consequences,” which aired on September 16th.
Sean