INDIVIDUALISM

Arjanggi Setiawan Bayu Adi N Arif Rahman H VI / C

( 092120090 ) ( 092120096 ) ( 092120100 )

Definition
Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses "the moral worth of the individual". Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and so value independence and self-reliance while opposing external interference upon one's own interests by society or other institutions such as the government. Individualism makes the individual its focus and so starts "with the fundamental premise that the human individual is of primary importance in the struggle for liberation. Classical liberalism (including libertarianism), existentialism and anarchism (especially individualist anarchism) are examples of movements that take the human individual as a central unit of analysis. It has also been used as a term denoting "The quality of being an individual; individuality" related to possessing "An individual characteristic; a quirk." Individualism is thus also associated with artistic and bohemian interests and lifestyles where there is a tendency towards self creation and experimentation as opposed to tradition or popular mass opinions and behaviors as so also with humanist philosophical positions and ethics.

Synopsis
David Mamet's 1984 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Glengarry Glen Ross, follows the lives of four unethical Chicago real estate agents who are prepared to go to any lengths (legal or illegal) to unload undesirable real estate on unwilling prospective buyers. The play is partly based on Mamet's experiences working in a Chicago real estate office during the late 1960s. As the play opens, it becomes clear that one of the agents, Shelly Levene, is in a major slump and hasn't closed a sale in quite some time. Desperate for money, and fully aware that his job is on the line if he doesn't turn things around soon, Levene tries to convince the office manager, John Williamson, to give him some of the good leads, the "Glengarry leads", names of promising prospective buyers rather than the dregs he has been forced to work with. Williamson adamantly refuses until Levene stoops to bribery. Williamson agrees to sell Levene some of the prime leads, but wants cash in advance--something Levene doesn't have. Meanwhile, two other agents, Dave Moss and George Aaronow, are complaining about the pressure management is putting on them to close sales. Moss suggests that they should strike back by stealing all the Glengarry leads and selling them to a rival real estate agency. Aaronow wants no part of this plan, but Moss convinces him that he is already an accomplice, simply because he listened to the idea.

A fourth agent, Ricky Roma, is having a bit more success than his coworkers. He masterfully plays on the insecurities of a middle-aged man named James Lingk, persuading him that if he doesn't do something adventurous with his life, he will regret it on his deathbed. Inspired by Roma's confidence and virility, Lingk is ready to do just about anything by the time the salesman produces his real estate brochures. As the second act opens, we learn that someone has broken into the office and stolen just about everything, including the Glengarry leads. Williamson calls in a police detective who interrogates everyone. In the midst of this scene, Levene bursts into the office, deliriously happy because he has finally closed a sale on a large plot of land to a couple named Nyborg. In his delirium, he hardly notices that the office is in shambles. A very nervous James Lingk soon appears too, looking for Ricky Roma. His wife, apparently, has scolded him and demanded that he cancel the sales contract he signed earlier. Under Illinois law, he can cancel the contract anytime within 72 hours, but Roma tries to stall him. Finally, realizing he has been had, Lingk leaves to seek help from the state Attorney General's office.

Meanwhile, Williamson, based largely on their earlier conversation, decides that Levene, desperate to make a sale, must be the one who broke into the office and stole the leads. Confronted, Levene admits pathetically that he and Moss are the thieves. He again offers to bribe Williamson, to give him the money from the Nyborg sale. Williamson scoffs at this and informs Levene that the Nyborgs are just a crazy old couple who have no money and just enjoy talking to salesmen. He has been feeding Levene worthless leads like the Nyborgs for months simply because he doesn't like him. As Roma emerges from his turn in the interrogation room, Williamson exits to tell the detectives he has discovered the thieves. Roma, oblivious to this development but realizing that things are collapsing here, proposes to Levene that they should start their own partnership. Levene smiles sadly at this, fully aware that the detectives are about to arrest him.

Shelley is so distraught with the situation that he confronts office boss, Mr. Williamson (Kevin Spacey), about providing him with the better leads. He takes advantage of Shelley's vulnerable situation by offering to sell him the better leads at fifty dollars a piece as well as a cut of 20% of all his profits. Shelley is unable to afford this and is stuck attempting to sell his second-rate leads.

Lets Watch Movie

Analysis
Glengarry Glen Ross is a 1992 film adaptation of a play by David Mamet. The film depicts four salesmen pressed to sell the Glengarry Highlands and Glen Ross Farms real estate properties. It is assumed that Mitch and Murray, the unseen business owners, are unhappy with the sales performance of the office, as they send a motivational speaker, named Blake. Blake (played by Alec Baldwin) is sent to challenge the staff. Blake is merciless in his criticism of the salesmen. Blake holds a stack of cards containing contact information of people interested in the property. He waves the stack of potential leads and declares the group is not worthy to have them. With derision, Blake reiterates the salesmens ABCs of Always-Be-Closing. He announces the Glengarry leads will be awarded to the salesman who closes a sale. With disgust, he gives

Conclusion
Glengarry Glen Ross is filled with the spiraling obscenity and comic bluster of realestate salesmen caught off-guard; yet underneath that there is fear and desperation. Mamet says that he admires his characters' pragmatic individualism, but to me the piece comes across as a chillingly funny indictment of a world in which you are what you sell.