An excessive or exclusive regard to one's personal interest; self-interest; selfishness.
The principle, policy, or practice of maintaining individuality, or independence of the individual, in action; the theory or practice of maintaining the independence of individual initiative, action, and interests, as in industrial organization or in government.
The doctrine of following a personal conviction even when it conflicts with what happens to be fashionable or poltically correct. An example of what individualism is not can be found in the following dialogue: Mother (to daughter): Oh look, you've lost an earring! Daughter: No it's quite deliberate, i only wear one earring, it's a way of expressing my individualism. M. (taking off earring): There, now i'm an individualist too! D: No Mummy, you've got it all wrong - it should be the _left_ ear
a belief in the importance of the individual and the virtue of self-reliance and personal independence
the doctrine that government should not interfere in commercial affairs
a social theory that stands for the freedom, rights, or independent action of any human being.
The doctrine or theory that all values, rights and duties originate and are grounded in the individual.
Theories which centre on the importance, rights or centrality of the individual as opposed to communitarianism which focuses on those of the group. Margaret Thatcher famously said "There is no such thing as society" to emphasis the importance of the individual in commerce. The United States embodies rights of the individual in its Constitution. In ethics the distinction between the two is important in discussions on the purpose of Justice. Individualism is also an issue in religious and cultural studies (compare American Individualism with the Japanese Group ethos, or the Christian search for individual salvation and the Islamic concept of the rights of the community).
A cultural orientation in which independence, autonomy, and self-reliance take priority over group allegiances.
This determines the degree to which an individual acts as part of a group or as an individual independent of the group.
A cultural pattern in which people are considered to be fundamentally independent and in which the emphasis is on the ways a person can stand out through achieving private goals. Individualists societies include the dominant cultures of the United States, western Europe, Canada, and Australia. See also collectivism.
another basic feature of the Italian renaissance stressing personality, uniqueness, genius, self-consciousness. (p. 421)
Dimension of culture that refers to the extent to which people in a country prefer to act as individuals instead of members of groups.
Individualism is a term used to describe a moral, political, or social outlook that stresses human independence and the importance of individual self-reliance and liberty. Individualists promote the unrestricted exercise of individual goals and desires. They oppose most external interference with an individual's choices - whether by society, the state, or any other group or institution.
