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naraburns  nihil supernum  1yr ago (text post)   4046 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for March 26, 2023

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I think we’ve found that the fetishization of individualism

Really?

Yes, individualism has problems. But without it, who get to decide what's good for everyone else? Are we really going to ignore all the times authoritarianism has lead to problems?

Take free speech for example. Yes, some people say bad things. But historically, when we gave people the power to control speech to result was much worse. Just focusing on the bad thing people say and calling anyone who defends free speech as a fetishist isn't a good argument.

Individualism is not the same thing as liberalism or free speech, although they are definitely conflated. Ideally in a well functioning liberal community, people are prosocial and help others out. They focus on more than just their individual wants/needs.

I’d argue individualism is focusing on yourself to the exclusion of others, and is bad. Indeed, with porn and so much sensory satisfaction available, I’m comfortable labeling it a fetish.

Just focusing on the bad thing people say and calling anyone who defends free speech as a fetishist isn't a good argument.

Maybe I missed something; was that an argument anyone has made?

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