Page 224 - Quranic Wisdom - New.indd

Individualism versus Collectivism

anarchy, and social anarchy will be of no benefit to any member.
Individual members must adopt the formula of adjustment with
others, so that social unity may be maintained.

Individualism seems to be a beautiful idea, but it is wrong for
the simple reason that it will not work. Where the individual
finds that his interests are not at stake, he remains indifferent
to the welfare of other members of society, but the moment his
own interests are at stake, he will be forced to adopt the policy
of adjustment: social compulsions are so crucial that he cannot
afford to ignore them. Looking after his own interests therefore
reduces the self-centred individual to the level of hypocrisy.

Then individualism is not good even for the individual for, if
followed strictly, it is a great obstacle to personality development.
One who practices individualism and refrains from social
interaction is bound to pay a heavy price for this behaviour, and
that price is depriving himself of personality development.
Society is like a school where all its members are trained
both in terms of experience and in terms of knowledge. There
is no substitute for living in a society; no amount of study can
compensate for living aloof in a society.
Society is a natural training institution for every man and
woman, giving them all kinds of precious experiences free of
cost. So-called training camps cannot serve as a substitute for a
society which exposes its members to all kinds of eventualities
during the natural course of human interaction.
Individualism is based on the wrong notion that one can live
on one’s own. But this kind of thinking is not workable. Every
person is interconnected with society in numerous ways. He
cannot detach himself from society. Any attempt at detachment
from society is bound to have baneful effects and can even lead
to social suicide.

223