The Conflict Of Individualism And Collectivism In Civilization

Collectivism versus individualism has been a fundamental conflict for decades. Civilization depending upon the energetic movement of great masses of people, and the expanding government makes the individual question if his/ her life belongs to him – or does it belong to the collective? First, this essay is going to analyse the quote and its implication before analysing and comparing the novels We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, The Dispossessed by Ursula Leguin and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. To achieve this, this paper analyses the collective versus the individual and how liberation from control serves to differentiates body and mind from the collective. Communities, societies and the state being groups of which an individual is merely a part, are becoming a unit of main sacrifice. This sacrifice consists of giving up goals and values for the greater good of the group. 

In today’s political system it is believed that happiness comes with the self-preservation and by living according to collectivism. Authorities have been controlling individuals for the sake of the community. By frequently being controlled and disciplined made people wanting to be recognised as distinct individuals with each their own mind and body. Collectivism consists of nothing more than distinct individuals who come together to interact. Resisting collectivism and pursuing the values of the own choosing distinguishes the individual from the masses and provides a resistance for future demands of collectivism. [...] the most difficult problem that exists today in the civilized world-the problem of the preservation of the independent, original, creative personality. -Gregory Zilboorg First, We by Zamyatin reveals a heavily regulated dictatorial regime where everything and everyone is regulated and controlled. People live in glass houses in order to facilitate surveillance for OneState. 

The constant control is explained as being necessary so as to make people better citizens. The novel criticises the tendencies of governments silencing dissidents and repressing them in order to promote stability over human freedom. Freedom is believed to bring frustration and uncertainty, therefore the only way to happiness is a complete subjugation to a higher power. I-330, one of the protagonists of the novel, realises that stability on OneState is being equal to stagnation and joins a group of rebels. She is the perfect embodiment of the anarchic tendencies in the human nature whereas D-503 is performing according to the collective and individual emerging is unknown to him. The novel We suggests that if individualism turns into collectivism, people are perfectly rational and soulless machines. For instance, D-503 imagines himself being a part of a “body with a million hands” (13) which implies that he does not possess his own body. Moreover, D-503 finds himself feeling strange emotions and when visiting the State doctor, he is diagnosed with having a soul and suggested that only surgery can help to prevent this epidemic (84-87). The mechanisation, resulting from precise collective schedules and controls, makes a utilitarian modal come into force where one individual’s life is only worth the fraction he or she represents to the collective. One individual’s desires can therefore never outweigh the collective interest. Collectivism generates imbalance considering that the importance is shifted to the collective rather than the individual. As a result, individuals are alienated from every human feature and experience. In other words, people have no emotions, desires and no rights before the interests of the population. 

The imagery in We refers to a society where all individuals are the same, wear the same and eat petroleum food (22). This imbalance causes people wanting change and the rebels resist the collective in order to provoke a revolution. The need for individuality raises and the rebels demand for the irrational “half” of the individual to stop being repressed. This book teaches the reader that individuals should not follow the masses and fully subordinate themselves to a stronger power hence, resist collectivism. Secondly, whereas knowledge is repressed in We, it is for the collective and from the collective in The Dispossessed. Knowledge is a mental grasp and the individual has the power to come up with ideas like Shevek does. Knowledge is a product of consciousness, observation and process of mental integration of the individual. The collective does not have one mind but consists of the individual minds of the people. 

Certainly, one person can teach his/ her knowledge to the collective and therefore some might suggest that knowledge is a result of interaction and dialogue in the community. However, the individual has a mind and produces an idea. By sharing this idea with the collective, the idea is developed individually. This is not the case on Anarres where people are all the same and being more or wanting to be more is seen as egoistic. Since egoism is a sin, when someone comes up with an idea, it is the idea of the collective. When Shevek was little he was scold for being egoistic when he said “[...] I sort of saw it. I think I see how the rock actually does —” (21). The singular form of the possessive pronoun is mostly avoided on Anarres, for instance, instead of saying “my mother” children learned very soon to say “the mother”. In other words, nothing belongs to the individual not even their ideas and opinions. Shevek being a skilled physicist was therefore never able to fully engage in his work and being recognised for it, as Anarres prioritises labour. Urras on the other side allowed Shevek to experience revelation and liberation, as his work is finally recognised as important. At first, Shevek assumes that freedom is given to him but soon he realises that his knowledge is used by others for the states own advancement and prestige. Eventually, the Odonian physicist is befallen with sadness because on Anarres he was working for his brothers and sisters and not for the state. As shown in this passage; “Take care in Abbenay. Keep free. Power inheres in a center.