0. Preface: The Goal Of Knowledge Part 1

0. Preface: The Goal Of Knowledge
Part 1 Individual Life

TOPIC
Compare 
Individuality with Conformity  

 "I believe one of the fundamental characteristics of our age is that human interest centers in the cultus of individuality." TPOF 0.0

Cultus Of Conformity
In a cultus of conformity, you do not question authority.

  

Cultus Of Individuality
In a cultus of individuality, an effort is made to remove every kind of authority.

Cultus: system of established or accepted customs and beliefs

STEP #1 (0.0)
Compare Expert Validation with Individual Validation

Expert Validation
Conformist: The conformist accepts nothing as valid, unless its source is recognized experts or respected institutions.

  

Individual Validation
Individualist: The individualist accepts nothing as valid, unless it springs from the inner source of individuality.

STEP #2 (0.0)
Compare Group Empowerment with Individual Empowerment

Group Empowerment
Conformist: The conformist sacrifices himself for the growth and empowerment of the organization.

Individual Empowerment
Individualist: The individualist sacrifices other things that hinder his personal growth and empowerment.

STEP #3 (0.0)
Compare Following A Hero with Finding Your Own Way

Follow Your Hero
Conformist: The conformist chooses a hero and follows their footsteps in the struggle up the mountain.

Find Your Own Way 
Individualist: The individualist finds his own way in the struggle up the mountain.

STEP #4 (0.0)
Compare Group Ideals with Individual Ideals

Group Ideals
Conformist: The conformist accepts the ideals demanded by the group.

Individual Ideals
Individualist: The individualist allows no ideals to be forced upon him.

STEP #5 (0.0)
Compare Some Are Worthy with All Are Worthy

Some Are Worthy
Conformist: The conformist believes only some of us are noble and worthy of development.

All Are Worthy
Individualist: The individualist believes that if we look in the heart of each one, there is something noble and worthy of development.

STEP #6 (0.0)
Compare Striving To Be Normal with Striving To Be Your Self

Strive To Be Normal
Conformist: The conformist believes there is a norm of human life to which we must all strive to conform.

Strive To Be Your Self
Individualist: The individualist no longer believes in a norm of human life, but strives to be himself.

STEP #7 (0.0)
Compare Perfecting The Group with Perfecting Each Individual

Perfection Of Group
Conformist: The perfection of the group depends on the perfection of group cooperation.

Perfection Of Each
Individualist: The perfection of the group depends on the unique perfection of each individual.
STEP #8 (0.0)
Compare Collective Action with Individual Action

Collective Action
Conformist: The conformist joins others in collective work within the group.

Individual Action
Individualist: The individualist does not want to do what others can do equally well.
STEP #9 (0.0)
Compare Group Initiative with Individual Initiative

Group Initiative
Conformist: The conformist contributes to world development by performing the task needed within the group initiative.

Individual Initiative
Individualist: The individualist contributes to world development by taking the initiative and performing a task that he alone can offer.
STEP #10 (0.0)
Compare Conformist Art with Individualist Art

Conformist Art
Conformist: The conformist follows the rules and norms in the creation of art.

Individualist Art
Individualist: The creative individualist follows his artistic impulse without being as concerned with the rules and norms.

STEP #11 (0.0)
Compare Conformist Expression with Individualist Expression

Conformist Expression
Conformist: The conformist follows his duty to creatively express the message of the organization.

Individualist Expression
Individualist: The individualist asserts the right to creatively express what is unique in him.

STEP #12 (0.0)
Compare Conformist Language with Individualist Language

Conformist Language
Conformist: The conformist uses language according to the demands of standard diction and grammar.

Individualist Language
Individualist: The individualist uses slang if that best expresses intended meaning.

Striving For Freedom (0.0)
Compare Dependent On Others with Independent Of Others

“No better expression for these phenomena can be found than this, they result from the individual’s striving towards freedom, developed to its highest pitch.” TPOF 0.0

Dependent On Others
The conformist is content to be dependent on others.

Independent Of Others

The individualist is independent of others and is not content if he is dependent in any way. He tolerates dependence only on the condition it coincides with a vital interest of his individuality.

Part 2 Of The Goal Of Knowledge Next

Part 1 was about individual life. Part 2 is about the pursuit of individual truth. Truth also, is sought in our age in the depths of human nature.

BOOK TEXT

0. THE GOAL OF KNOWLEDGE Part 1

0.0 Striving For Individuality
[1] I BELIEVE one of the fundamental characteristics of our age is that human interest centers in the culture of individuality. An energetic effort is being made to shake off every kind of authority. Nothing is accepted as valid, unless it springs from the roots of individuality. Everything that hinders the individual from fully developing his powers is thrust aside. The saying “Each one of us must choose his hero in whose footsteps he toils up to Mount Olympus” no longer holds true for us. We allow no ideals to be forced upon us. We are convinced that in each of us, if only we probe deep enough into the very heart of our being, there dwells something noble, something worthy of development. We no longer believe there is a norm of human life to which we must all strive to conform. We regard the perfection of the whole as depending on the unique perfection of each single individual. We do not want to do what anyone else can do equally well. No, our contribution to the development of the world, however trifling, must be something that, by reason of the uniqueness of our nature, we alone can offer. Never have artists been less concerned about rules and norms in art than today. Each one asserts the right to express, in the creations of his art, what is unique in him. Just as there are playwrights who write in slang rather than conform to the standard diction grammar demands.

[2] No better expression for these phenomena can be found than this, they result from the individual’s striving towards freedom, developed to its highest pitch. We do not want to be dependent in any respect, and where dependence must be, we tolerate it only on condition it coincides with a vital interest of our individuality.

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