lifestyle

COVID-19 upends Americans' sense of individualism

11 Comments
By Kristin Girten

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How can one presume to have a property in their own person if the boundaries of this property are so readily breached by a deadly virus?

What a ridiculous postulation. You might as well ask, “How can one presume to own a property when someone can readily attempt to break into it, or natural disasters can ravage it?” Of course things outside ourselves can impact or influence us beyond our own control, but those things are rather fewer than the things we can choose to allow to influence us.

To say that we should abandon our sense of self-ownership just because we can impact each other is preposterous. Of course each person should have the courtesy to exercise caution and safety for themselves and their community; but that courtesy should be born of their own pride, self-respect, and respect for others in their community.

The notion of throwing out the concept of self-ownership flirts dangerously with throwing out accountability of one’s own actions.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

The notion of throwing out the concept of self-ownership flirts dangerously with throwing out accountability of one’s own actions.

Yes, this is the author's erroneous intention.

I swear, people still cling to the nature vs. nurture debate as if either side is correct. Laugable.

Human beings have free will and make decisions. Are there external loci of control? Yes. But to pretend as if everything we do is either purely of our own will or purely because of external loci is ridiculous and insulting.

The former always blame people for everything they do wrong while ignoring environmental factors ("He should just work harder.", the latter are willing to blame everything to environment ("It's the fault of the gubmit, or racism, or capitalism!")

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Americans were, are and will be always individualistic, albeit often over excessive.

They would never want to change..

0 ( +4 / -4 )

So it only took a global pandemic to blunt the American prioritizing their sense of self-reliance. I don't see the effects lasting more than a year or two.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Not sure what the point of this piece is and how it applies to only Americans. You can make the same assumptions about anyone from any country.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Strange article.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The article!! Well yarn!!!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I think most of America views the pandemic as a short term economic issue. No one wants to give up their culture in the face of war, terror or pandemics. The medium short term is about economic problems, but by the mid-term elections everything will be back to normal.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

by the mid-term elections everything will be back to normal.

Pure and utter hatred and contempt for half the people of their own country. With people being shot up in mass shootings every few days.

Yay normal.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

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