Collectivism vs. Individualism

in #psychology6 years ago

Collectivism and Individualism, can be Vertical or Horizontal


This post is about the distinction of Collectivism and Individualism in Vertical and Horizontal that is distinguishable in the relations with centralized or decentralized structures where they occur.
Individualism is the refusal to submit our values to an imposed collective standard, so the concept of individualism denies the existence of a centralized and normative society.
It is the ideological oppositions of these two ideologies that sweep across the spectrum of all current political currents based on centralization, the Nazis and the extreme right, social democracy, socialism and mass communism.

Mussolini was the first fascist, that in a excess of vertical individualism, made the marriage of politicians and enterprises today celebrated in the actual "Revolving-Door" under complicity of media and savage-capitalism with fake-globalization that reinforces the concentration of power of "the Machine" over people's will.
No wonder that lately, the most elected "eclectic" fascistic figures in politics are rich powerful entrepreneurs in business, as usual, supported by the ideology of individualist verticalism.

Establishing goals with the wrong ideas never led to the ascend of Humanity.

The exercise of Vertical Individualism in centralized structures is proven to be ineffective, looking at the chaotic state of the economy and the diminishing quality of life of the people. By the progressive centralization of the state and of large corporations.
Corruption is the main destructive social inequality generator of actual savage capitalism born in post-Berlin Wall Era, which revealed that vertical collectivist models were incompatible with a better Humanity
Ancient capitalist and collectivist-communist values joined hands and generated the actual power-centric "gang" capitalism.
Today, Western politicians do everything they hated in the politics of vertical collectivism, such as printing money at central banks, financing banks, or abusing their position in political or financial power.
The new decentralized and sharing economy will be guided by "Human Value" and "Friendly Earth" values, instead of self-centered "Money" values, and no regards for our "Mother Planet".

To the Vertical Collectivist, society relies on forced cohesion imposed by belief systems globally applied.
The Vertical Collectivism and the Vertical Individualism will never work integrated into centralized and hierarchic structures because leaders sooner or later will use the delegated power for self-interest and corruption of their supporting lobbies.
Horizontal Collectivism and Horizontal Individualism look like they are not opposites but synergetic goals to point to a decentralized society.
The United States and China are the actual extremes in Vertical Individualism and Vertical Collectivism, but they have a lot in common, such as totalitarianism and the despotic will to dominate the world.
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Opposition Extremes touch

The Extremes Right/Left and Vertical Individualists/Collectivists want to transform fear and alarmism in conformism, isolationism, and totalitarianism.
Nowadays the "extremes" of Vertical Individualists (Right Wings) and Vertical Collectivists (Left wings) seems to be opposites but they have in common the obsession of money or power and society normalization by force.
Vertical Collectivism (of power and property) is an enemy of Humanity as well as Vertical Individualism because they are based in a "centralized society".
In a centralized society, Vertical Individualism led to the actual corruption and power concentration and abuse of the politicians empowered with a stolen collective will.
"Panic tends to foster racism, authoritarianism, and more generally, consent and conformism- a point that is deeply consequential for U.S. society today" The Culture of Conformism, by Patrick Colm Hogan
In fascistic systems, "outsiders" are used as a kind of glue for the conformist crowd that uses their hate against a group at the cost of their dehumanization, objectification or annihilation.
People don't like other poor people, and rather than blame the people that make you all poor, you blame each other. - Johnny Rotten - Sex Pistols

Conformity and Conformist Behavior in Verticalism

Vertical-Individualism and Vertical Collectivism always drive to the imprisonment of people because it is always co-related to its exercise in centralized structures.
Conformity is a process in the form of a social influence that makes a person change his behavior and/or his attitudes by the effect of group pressure or authority.

"The will of total dictatorship is recognized in the reflection of a new order as the will to total mobilization, total adhesion" - Ernst Junger - a german philosopher who wrote this phrase in 1932 expressing the rise of Hitler's individualist and totalitarian verticalism.
Vertical Individualism, and Horizontal-Individualism are dependent on the dichotomy of centralized vs decentralized structures and distinguishable by the eco-system-environment where they happen.
The same happens with Vertical Collectivism, that is exercised in centralized structures and is the opposite to the Horizontal Collectivism generated in free decentralized communities.
Collectivism is the opposite of individualism in actual centralized society.
Wiki: Collectivism has been characterized as "horizontal collectivism", wherein equality is emphasized and people engage in sharing and cooperation, or "vertical collectivism", wherein the hierarchy is emphasized and people submit to specific authorities. Horizontal collectivism is based on the assumption that each individual is more or less equal, while vertical collectivism assumes that individuals are fundamentally different from each other. Social anarchist Alexander Berkman, who was a horizontal collectivist, argued that equality does not imply a lack of unique individuality, but an equal amount of freedom and equal opportunity to develop one's own skills and talents.
Horizontal collectivists tend to favor democratic decision-making, while vertical collectivists believe in a more strict chain of command. Horizontal collectivism stresses common goals, interdependence and sociability. Vertical collectivism stresses the integrity of the in-group (e.g. the family or the nation, for example), expects individuals to sacrifice themselves for the in-group if necessary, and promotes competition between different in-groups.
The normalization of Social Life created a contraction of socialization face-to-face life and is leading to individual isolation and solitude as a reflex of social immobilism.

The Vertical Individualism or Collectivism in the current centralizing structures leads increasingly to the alley of conformism and isolationism, and to social stagnation.
Isolationism is dangerous because we know it literally kills people faster else and it's a threat to physical and psychological life.
Community Association and Sociability in social life manifest itself in people's health and in a more wealthy society.
Horizontal Collectivism is a possibility for the property of Spaceship Earth" as well as Individualism and free initiative can flourish small free communities or "free Cells" in "direct-democracy".

The best message for the newly emerging political horizontalism for the decentralized society and economy must be collectivist when we talk about the actual privatization of water, genes, and seeds to big Corporations, with no regard for local populations.
As the last example, Nestlé, Coca-Cola, and other conglomerates, through a pseudo-foundation to "save" the planet's water, conspired in Davos with South American politicians to buy all the local water resources, robbing and destroying the ecosystem of local communities condemned to the world verticalization by the multi-national enterprises.

So Horizontal Collectivists and Individualists can join forces to build a better society and planet, because everybody knows and feel the need for change because the world growth of population is limiting the number of environments with natural abundance and increasing territories with naturally scarce needs for survival.
The next revolution of the "Blocknet's" decentralized infrastructure as a successor to the Internet is an opportunity for the development of collectivism and individualism in communities with decentralized autonomous structures committed to the technological and social consensus.

Steemit - An Hybrid of Horizontal Collectivism and Individualism


Horizontalism seems to be fruitful in the emergence of anti-conformist behaviors generating creativity and foster innovation.
Horizontal Collectivism and Individualism are possible in the blockchain, and both make possible the existance of anti-conformists of two types, some that fight with their individualism and new ideas to get money or the most extraordinary ones that use their innovations to make a better world for the collective.
The blockchain and decentralization technologies are supporting a more participative and open society increasing Community association and Sociability in a crypto-economic non-geographical territory ecosystem.

Steem a is public blockchain and is a good example of horizontal collectivist shared property because anybody in the world can become a user, apps creator or developers of new interfaces to interact with the blockchain.
On the other hand, Steemit Inc and the steemit.com is a privately owned company that has a lot of Steem to develop the best actual way to interact with the public blockchain and is a good example of free individualist enterprising to create the best user experience and more participation.
So any anti-conformist person or group can come up and show a better competitive or cooperative model with more user value like Busy.org, zappl, and others.

The owners of Steem tokens are as well a pyramidic distribution of wealth based on attention and investment and reflects the normal society of power and money distribution.
But any voluntarist and anti-conformist can arrive with almost zero and climb the long stairs of work nd new ideas to become a whale or a witness.
Steemit is changing the paradigm of tradicional media creating the next generation of blockchained communities, with individuals or groups working as citizenship journalists that can give a more accurate view of real Reality.
People in decentralized structures live in autonomy, transparency, and awareness, a way to bring up the Truth and to make Utopias realizable into Reality.

Other related articles on Steemit:

Hierarchy, Social Rules, Influence, Conformity and Obedience
Is Authoritarianism the cradle of Conformism?
Is the Blockchain an escape from Authoritarianism and Conformism?

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Decentralized structures are the only possible way to Foster the collective Earth dream.

With the vertical collectivism and the consequent bribery and corruption we actually have the highest form of tyranny cloaking as a democracy.

Putting gloss on conscription and the attempt to sell it as an honor to take part in war for one's country which costs thousands of lives is only one of myriads manipulations of the people. This real dictatorship!

Your articulation is really high level! :)

Yes, decentralize all.!!!
The next political fight is between Horizontalists and Verticalists.
We have to think more in the difference in decentralized autonomous systems to make Power obsolete and fight the increasing dictatorship of actual society against the free flow of autonomy and freedom.
Thanks a lot for your added value to this posts, that most of the people don't like because it's too long and difficult to read.

I like it when I literally feel how each word is written with dedication, patience and passion! Thank you!

To listen to the audio version of this article click on the play image.

Brought to you by @tts. If you find it useful please consider upvote this reply.

interesting :)

That's what I call a great idea. Congratulations for the insight.
And thanks for choosing this post.
Keep on this super job.!!!!

Very interesting comparison in your post with blockchain and steemit.If you follow the Prince's individualism, you must rely on yourself.And on the principle of collectivism we should rejoice not only for their awards but the rewards of others.So I like steemit when I see the achievements of others, I try to succeed and help others.

nice reading!
Thank you again for cultivating new stuff on my mind

Resteemed

I support the individualism

Maybe there is some common goals in Horizontal Individualism and Horizontal collectivism in decentralized structures.
Thanks

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