The Triumph of the Individual

Tales of the Heart's Intimations : IV

John Naisbitt of ' Megatrends ' concluded in his research into social trends that, among other things the world is witnessing the decline of the institution and emerging triumph of the individual. He made that observation in 1982 and thirty years later today, it is as true now as it was then.

Perhaps it may even have grown. With the advent of the world wide web, the individual today is primarily, by object, a citizen of the world first before a citizen of his country. On average he/she may count 200 friends from around the world on Facebook, more than from his neighborhood.

This may mean the dispossession of state as an identity of the individual and by implication, the world may come to be viewed less by boundaries than by individual relation and values. The impact this creates may be to reduce the iconic image of nations and to substitute it with a human face.

The effect of these on the current generation is excruciatingly clear. Born into a family, before they've had a chance to develop their understanding of trends, these kids are facing a de-personalization of their expectations in what many are describing as a bizarre sense of absentee love and affection. Their young bodies pine for a natural attachment to their environment and this affirmation fails to develop.

This is certainly going to be catalytic in a wish fulfillment we seem to have cultivated for greater individualism. The trend seems set to continue.

In the face of such a change, our social concerns at this time, must surely prepare itself for an early adoption of such perspectives and to preserve ourselves as much as our children for a soft landing with regards to these changes. The triumph of the individual may well be on the cards but the work of preparing to achieve such a fulfillment may have just begun.

Reviews

[Sagar Waingankar]

Well if it's a change in thinking process, then it's working apparently with old social reforms! Connecting with others is a beautiful experience as always but surrounded by others may act to be protected or it may frustrate one! Yet we are identified as a part of a group globally, we are leading a practical! We are humans!

[Leigh]

Very interesting and thought provoking, there are many issues to discuss from this, one of which I think is that individual's persona is much different in the real world from the one online and over time there should be some way of attuning the two so they are in line with each other. Also that the decay of the state and the disconnection of being a part of a nation or particular society will have its own advantages and disadvantages yet to be realised.