Individuality Rough Draft

Over the course of history, conformity was a valuable asset to survival. Humans had an
obligation to conform at least to a certain degree in order to allow society to function properly.
However, as society has expanded, less and less focus has been placed on the importance of the
society over the individual. Society has evolved to the point where it is simply just not necessary
for everyone to follow these preconceived roles that were once given to people. This has allowed
for more room to express individuality and to follow the desires of each person. Some people
may desire a life of stability; getting a normal job, buying a home, staying in the same place and
that sort of thing. On the other hand, some people desire to place more focus on expressing
themselves as individuals. Despite the fact that it has gained more attention in more recent times,
it is hardly a new concept. The idea of individuality is found all throughout history in different
degrees. From Socrates know thyself, all throughout history, the idea of the pursuit of the
individual has been prevalent.

In the early 19th century, Ralph Waldo Emerson spearheaded a self-introspective

movement that came to be known as Transcendentalism. At its core, it places the individual over
all, and exemplifies the idea that man should reject a conformist personality; as that will only
weigh him back from fulfilling his true potentialthe idea of self actualization. In his most
famous essay, Self Reliance, Emerson states that There is a time in every man's education when
he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take

himself for better, for worse, as his portion; that though the wide universe is full of good, no
kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground
which is given to him to till. What Emerson is saying here is that no matter what a mans
potential may begreat or smallhe should strive to reach that potential. However, he cannot
reach that potential by conforming to society and learning traditionally; he must be his own man
and learn for himselfbecoming self-reliant.

On a completely different end of the spectrum, with ancient Chinese philosophy such as
Confucianism and Daoism, the general consensus has been that the ones duty and obligation
trump over the individual (Brandly). While this may hold some truth, its a far cry from being
absolute. Unlike more recent ideologies, it generally doesnt focus on the radical autonomy of
the individual, but it does still exist (Brandly). The autonomy prevalent to ancient Chinese
philosophy is that of an integrated individual. Rather than acting disjunctive to society, it focuses
on the autonomy within the walls of the individual. Compared to the more abstract, more
extreme ideas of individuality, it is much more restrictive. However, it does not restrict freewill
on decisions, commands and responsibilities (Brandly). At its core, the self is defined as a
persons being that distinguishes itself from others.

A more recent example of Individuality can be found in the middle of the 20th century. In
the 1950s, a great focus was placed on maturity. To feel mature, the individual must assume adult
roles and responsibilities, and feel oneself as a part of the community (Thomson). This is at its

core, exemplifies the main concepts of conformity. During the 1960s, a sort of youthful rebellion
shattered this concept of conformity. The Civil Rights Movement sparked a light of individuality
in society, and many people shined that light to its extremes (Ladd). People were tired of being
restricted by society, and this caused an individualistic rebellion. Moving ahead to the 1970s, the
Me generation arose, where society was no longer seen as a constraining power for selfabsorption and the the quest for self development (Thomson).

In the novel Into the Wild, Chris McCandless displays an extreme example of a desire for
individuality. He leaves behind everything in order to find meaning to his life and become his
own man. Many people see what he did as being selfish and running away from his problems,
when in reality he was just seeking a new meaning to his life. He was breaking away from the
norms of society, doing something that made him an individual. I find this very similar to
Emersons idea of self-reliance. Although Chris went to college and excelled, he realized that this
traditional learning just wasnt enough to him, and decided to go out and learn things for himself.
He sought independence from the constraining factor that is society in order to be his own man.

Over the course of history, the pursuit of individuality has been an important idea among
society. While the more radical individuality that Chris displayed is a relatively new concept, it
takes its roots from all throughout history. Individuality is what appeases our desire for freedom,
and what allows us to be our own people. But contrary to the thoughts of Emerson (and possibly
Chris); conformity is not an inherently bad thing. Some degree of conformity is what allows our

society to function, and is what even gives us the possibility of individuality. The coexistence of
individuals and and conformists is what allows our society to progress.