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Timo - The Importance of Individualism
Timo - The Importance of Individualism
Timo - The Importance of Individualism
Timo Schmitz: Individualism between Moral and Virtues, Government and Religion (Part 1)
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given by a higher rank. Therefore, all kinds of authoritarian totaliarism are against
individualism and therefore unfree. Every human-being should design his life as he or she
wants. This includes the right to make a mistake and even to repeat the mistake if it does not
hurt others. As long as others are not hurt or restricted in free action, the individual should
have the right to act freely. This also means that everyone has the right to live in his own way,
even if its against the morality of a society. Everyone has the right to believe what he wants
and also has the right to believe it the way he wants. So despite the right to make a mistake,
an individual has the right to correct his mistake whenever he wants and he also has the right
that his corrected view is accepted. No one should be killed because of sexual orientation,
unlawful relations or questioning a state system or religion. Every kind of caste or class has to
be abolished. Since all human-being are equal, there has to be only classless societies,
because self-development can only be guaranteed when the possibility of acting beyond a
class, a caste or a sex-depending expectation is ensured. Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi
already mentioned over 2,000 years ago that the world does not need any governing and even
should not be governed. So we can assume that every kind of governing is an interference in
human nature. If people are told what is good and what is bad they cant govern themselves
anymore. Everybody has to define himself what is good and what is bad for him, but as we
can learn from every religion, there are some conventions such as the prohibition to kill
people or the duty to act without solidarity and human kindness. The boundaries of
Individualism therefore have to be as basic as possible and anything beyond basic ethics is
individualistic. Laws should only be made to protect people (such as children, and prevent
crimes as robbery or murder). Therefore we can say that as soon as basic rights, peoples
protection and solidarity (such as taxes and social welfare) is exceeded, individualism is
endangered. Individualism is most important for everyone in the world. No one is allowed to
force you to listen to values or virtues. Virtues are limiting individualism on claiming to
develop civilization and cooperation within a society. But as it harms no one how you dress
and what you eat, with whom you go out and which music you listen or which films you like
be free to be yourself.