Institutions and Power
• Can individualism be caused or induced?
o Is it possible that there is a cause of this other than our innate tendency? Does it have an institutional cause?
o Capitalism? But it can be argued that capitalism is an OUTCOME of our naturalistic behavior… therefore not viable solution
o You would have to answer the capitalist idea from a historical perspective
o Institutions through their discourse (the way they authoritatively describe our society, the way they address us) addresses us constantly as individuals e.g. in schools- discussed as moral individuals
o We’ve been socialized to think of ourselves as individuals
o Is this because it’s really true or is it because there are powerful interests at play in encouraging us to think of ourselves in individualistic terms?
o Just because we all do behave individualistically, does it mean we are?
o Powerful forces induce us to think individualistically
o Even when we go to behave in......
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