Topic > The concept of individualism

The concept of individualism emerged in the 19th century. The French were the first to use this expression when they expressed their reaction to the French Revolution and claimed their individual rights and took their interests into account. The term "individuality" can be understood and used in various ways. Therefore, the study of the term in history adds a kind of precision in the analysis of the concept in the current world, as Max Weber said: “Historically oriented conceptual analysis would at the present moment be of the greatest value for scholarship” ( Luca 2). Understanding the events, the concept of "individualism" will be the ability to create personal values ​​that stand in defense of oneself in the face of social norms and in their presence. Furthermore, it means the ability to work independently and rationally and be able to think from another perspective, not the one defined by society. Realo, professor of social and behavioral sciences, confirms that giving maximum "freedom" and "well-being" with the ability to have "self-direction" and "self-control" is what makes the person individual (Realo 164). In the following paragraphs, two different texts will be analyzed from the point of view of the term individualism and the common and different characteristics of the term will be sought. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay As of the article “A Letter from a Porn Star to Her Unborn Son” by Aurora Snow, the heroine Aurora was a self-sufficient character as she always had a tendency to talk about “my choices” and the “I want” without seeing any presence of external effects on his will. Aurora gave an impression of her personality by saying, “When you're 18 it's so easy to see the future and know exactly what you do and don't want” (Snow, paragraph 14), which meant that there was an absolute self- direct in his life and indicates that there was no one to dictate what should or should not be done. Furthermore, he was not ashamed of working in that field as long as he got the money without expressing any fear of having to face the ethical questions about it. Since it was clear that he did not address his past from the community's perspective, he only mentioned what was in his personal interest and the results it brought, away from any harm it might cause to others. Furthermore, it is important to draw attention to the way he gave the apology; the reasons stated the fact that Aurora expressed full ability to defend her personal decisions and choices even if they seem wrong to others. In the end, when he explicitly expressed his regret to his son, he asked him to make decisions based on his ability to carry out his decisions in the future and did not say what others will talk about and whether it is in line with the opinions of others. others, or defect and permission. In the second text, "No Name Woman" by Maxine Hong Kingston, we see that the aunt had an individual personality far from the values ​​of the village she lived in and paid the price for it because of her individuality. The aunt broke the rules of married women's ethics by combing her hair in a way that attracted the attention of the villagers and was interested in her appearance which was very different from how married women in her village looked. The aunt had special wishes, including the right to choose her own life partner and she wanted to love, not like other women in her village who married according to family choice. The desire to achieve personal freedom and to practice it away from the common culture between people also applies to the granddaughter "Kingston". She dedicates her memories to her aunt in denial to express her struggle in distinguishing her personal identity from culture. Era..