this post was submitted on 31 Dec 2023
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the_dunk_tank
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It's the dunk tank.
This is where you come to post big-brained hot takes by chuds, libs, or even fellow leftists, and tear them to itty-bitty pieces with precision dunkstrikes.
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You see, no one can have nice things because I wasted money on treats.
I get nice things though (treats).
How do we shake out these individualist brainworms? I see variations of this argument ALL the time: "A few people in group X are bad/irresponsible/not-like-me so no one can have the nice thing"
I don't think it is possible most of the time, they're a lost cause. Individualism in the west is not just a personality trait but extremely tied to cultural behaviour and identity, rejecting individualism is often seen as attacking western/American values of freedom and autonomy.
Maybe it is possible in the rare cases this person happens to be a hypocrite and they happen to have benefitted from some form of government program or maybe they have some personal aspiration that could be fulfilled through some government plan but they don't realize it due to misinformation.
I think a simple example was the Bernie campaign for healthcare and meeting people that still believed their insurance costs would be higher or their service quality would be worst somehow. At the very least you have to make sure they don't have these false beliefs as part of the foundation.
But as I said imo American individualism is so tied to culture that nothing short of massive government re-education through a revolution would change anything. It is a lost cause really. The most you can hope for is these people are not the majority because eventualy they'll become hypocrites themselves, material conditions etc eventually everyone will desire something and if that can be provided by society then it can be the start.
I often tell people the protestant mindset of the American population will never be killed. Work will always make the "man" and if a "man" does not work "he" does not eat is a fundamental part of that.
It's absolutely the majority. It's everywhere and so encompassing that I really don't feel like I fit in here. And now I'm depressed 😞