The Madness Of Collectivism

Collectivism may not refer to a denial that broad social categories do not eliminate individuality, but it does refer to an ideology that, in the name of the collective group, sacrifices individuality at the altar of conformance with non-obligatory trends or traditions.  If individualism is logically correct, then it would not even matter if collectivism has any alleged benefits; collectivism would be irrational and therefore indefensible simply because it is false.

Now, individualism is true; not only is individuality of some form present in all people, but the emphasis on tradition and generalities in collectivism is objectively mistaken.  Moreover, any attempt to argue that collectivism is the best foundation for any value humans might have is also mistaken: if a human has value because they are human, it does not matter if they belong to any civilization or other group of people.  The only relevant factor is that they fall into the category of human.

Since a collectivist strives for group objectives and is at most minimally interested in people as individuals, he or she would be even more prone to practice utilitarianism or to tolerate (if not promote) stereotypes than the average person.  Since any society is built of individual people, such ideas are not only irrational, but they are also counterproductive to the genuine flourishing of a culture.  The members of a society are not free to enjoy the most authentic lives they can when they are shackled by utilitarian processes, social constructs, and arbitrary norms.

A genuine collectivist, in all likelihood, has at least one of two motives: the desire to perpetuate familiar social phenomena or the desire to maintain a stable society.  However, familiarity with a corrupt or gratuitous societal framework only means one is familiar with that which is immoral or unneeded.  It has no value on its own, and thus familiarity is only significant when the object of familiarity is the truth.  Similarly, stability can have no significance unless it is stability in the truth.

The madness of collectivism and its followers is the kind that stands behind arbitrary social hierarchies, societal norms, and family traditions despite the fact that these things have no legitimate authority.  At the heart of collectivism is the insistence that people should submit to cultural or familial norms for the sake of the majority's preferences, as if familiar social structures are more important than reason and morality, neither of which calls for any concern for collectivist goals.