The Lone Collectivist
27th January 2015
Bryan Caplan examines human nature.
When you’re a normal member of your society, the appeal of collectivism is easy to understand. Most people believe what you believe and enjoy what you enjoy. So wouldn’t it be great if society as a whole continuously celebrated your worldview and lifestyle? When you fit in, walking on eggshells to spare minority sensibilities is most tiresome.
If you’re weird, in contrast, the appeal of individualism is easy to understand. Most people neither believe what you believe nor enjoy what you enjoy. You already feel isolated and alone. Public celebrations of popular values add insult to injury – especially when these celebrations are infused by the presumption that “These are the values that we as a society hold in common.”
Strangely, though, weird people often hail collectivism and scoff at individualism. Marxists do it. Greens do it. And reactionaries do it. They’re totally out of sync with their societies, but they nevertheless lament their societies’ lack of community spirit and common purpose. “A country shouldn’t just be a bunch of people living next to each other” is a typical lament. But weird collectivists rarely ask themselves, “What would happen if I couldn’t live next to anyone who didn’t share my identity?” The unwelcome answer, of course, is that Marxists, Greens, and reactionaries would have to recant or relocate.