Clayton 1

Claudia Clayton
Meyer
English I
12 December 2016
Individuals vs. Society
Society is controlling and doesnt let individuals be unique. A society is people acting as
a group while individualism is people that are independent. Individualism means that you are a
separate person and are able to make your own choices, while in society individuals are just a
part of the society and are not as important as the group (Rowlands) In society you are forced to
do what the group wants to do, you cant be yourself. If you are an individual you can do what is
best for you. Individuals are better than society because they are able to satisfy themselves unlike
in society where they where they are able to satisfy themselves but at any cost to individuals.
Society is made of individuals so therefore it needs individuals to shape it. There cant be
a society without an individual. If an individual has an identity it creates and shapes a society
(Graham). If the person has an identity then they are an individual, in society you are part of a
group and not your own person. How can there be a society without any individuals to make
one? In society all individuals must have a place so that a society can be formed, but they rely
on the rights of an individual being rendered obsolete (Wolf). If the society relies on the
individual not having any rights then there is no way for them to shape the society. Society relies
on individuals but individuals can rely on themselves.
Individuals can be harmed by society. Society can harm individuals by making decisions
only to benefit themselves. In many ways society has affected people negatively. During the
Civil Rights Movement African Americans were mistreated because of what society thought.

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Society was telling the people that African Americans were not equal and should be treated
differently because their skin color made them different. Many people were hurt because of what
society thought during this time. This example proves that society does not always choose the
right decisions. In Romeo and Juliet two families had a feud with each other. This feud caused
some trouble when individuals of the fighting families fell in love with each other. At the end of
the story they both ended up killing themselves because they couldnt be with each other. The
society in this story pressured the two of them to their deaths The fearful passage of their deathmarked love (Shakespeare). These examples are just a few of the many examples to show that
society has done harm to people. If society has harmed so many people would an individual want
to be a part of it?
Society can be a good thing because it is made of more than one individual. Despite the
evidence against individuals, many people believe society creates a better place but they fail to
see society can make harmful decisions too. Those who believe society is better think knowing
the most important thing is the group is good. Society can make decisions that are best for the
society, this can be better for some people. Society can also be a great help. Individuals may have
come up with great inventions but not without the help of others (Rowlands). Although aspects
of this argument are enticing, it ultimately fails to be a stronger argument because individuals
create a society. Society can have some upsides to it but overall the individual can contribute
more.
Society will focus on the group as a whole when making decisions instead of focusing on
the individuals therefore the individual is better. Individuals are independent people who dont
need to rely on people to make decisions. Individuals make a difference and impact us in great
way. Individuals are the ones who have changed the world and made it what it is today.

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Works Cited:
Graham, Stedman. "Your Identity Matters." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 21
Oct. 2013. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.
Rowlands, Joseph. "Individualism Vs. Collectivism." Objectivism101. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec.
2016.
Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. London: Printed for J. and R. Tonson, 1766. Print.
Wolf. "Collectivism Is Bad Because...?" Yahoo! Answers. Yahoo!, 2014. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.