<p>Has the emphasis on individualism in our society caused people to forget the importance of belonging to a community?</p>
<p>For generations, the value of the individual has been stressed in America. Although some people uphold the idea that community needs to play a bigger role, those people are too parochial in their thinking. Several examples from history, literature, and a personal anecedote clearly demonstrate the importance of the individual.
When the Founding Fathers layed out the constitution of the US, they had a particular vision in mind, one of freedom, prosperity, and the pursuit of happiness. This ideology eventually evolutionized into what wwe call the American Dream: having a good job, wealth and prosperity. In all of this, the individual is underscored; nowhere is the community mentioned. One of the most important values in the US is freedom; be that freedom of speech, press, religion, or freedom to be you. Hence, people should not be confined as part of a community, instead they should be celebrated for their uniqueness. </p>
<p>In the novel 1984 by George Orwell, Winston Smith lives in a society where the community is valued over the individual. The result, a fettered society where people are not even allowed to think on their own, and are under survellence 24/7. Winston does not agree with this ideology and decides to pursue individualsim instead of following the role of "Big Brother". Thus, people are not meant ot be restricted to a community and it is instrumental that we are all different because is classless society where everyone is integrated into one fabric is detrimental.
I was born in India, but I came to the US at a young age and was raised here. Firsthand, I know what it is like to reject the community. My parents always guided me to be a part of my cultural and religious community, but I refused. Individualism and independence go hand in hand, and mankind cannot expect to progress if we stick together. Being original, or creative brings about change in society, and the saying "Times change" means that people must also change. Therefore, a community means that we are holding on to one another, and unless we let go, we cannot progress.
Instead of identifying ourselves with a group, identifying ourselves with our uniqueness yields a more productive society, and although "belonging to a community has been forgotten" it is no longer necessary to thrive.</p>