Ryan Walters

Ms. Meyer
English 1 Honors
27 May 2016
The Power of Individualism
Where would society be if we didnt have the people who make up society? Individuals are
the basic unit of life. Obviously, if we didnt have the people to make up society, then we
wouldnt have a society. However, if the people who made up society didnt have equal and just
rights, we might have a society, but it wouldnt be a very good one. Ultimately, this kind of
society will fail. Individual rights and the protection of these rights are more important than the
good of society.
Individuals are the ones who make up society, and freedom of these individuals allow society
to improve. If society cannot improve, it will ultimately fail. Albert Einstein has been quoted as
saying, All that is valuable in human society depends upon the opportunity for development
accorded (to) the individual. If all individuals do not have the opportunity or right to improve
society as they see fit, it will not improve and ultimately fail. This is exemplified in history by
many civilizations, particularly, Ancient Egypt. Very much like the North Korea of today, it put a
big emphasis on government first. In the process, however, it limited individual rights.
Eventually, Ancient Egypt failed and was taken over by smaller, thriving tribes, whom put more
of a focus on individual rights. When individual rights are compromised, society will eventually
fail.
When individual rights are overlooked for the good of society, individuals will join forces
and revolt. Revolutions typically are caused by people who feel that their rights have been

diminished, such as in Fahrenheit 451 when people revolt because their right to read has been
diminished. Often times, rights are diminished because the government is doing what they
believe to be best for society. This is best exemplified in history by the Russian Revolution in
1917. The Russian people were starving because most of the food in Russia was being shipped
out to Russians soldiers at war. Russians were fed up with being treated unfairly, particularly the
peasants, who had endured a lifetime of hardship. Herman Gorter, a Dutch poet, stated, The
revolution in Russia was terrible for the proletariat in the long years of its development, and it is
terrible now after the victory. But at the actual time of revolution it was easy, and this was due to
the peasants. The reason it was so easy for these peasants is because they were fed up with their
unequal individual rights, and they took out all their anger to overthrow the Russian
Government. Even though Russia was doing what they believed to be best for society,
individuals were still angry. Individual rights were being compromised, and it led to a revolution.
Many have been told all their life, history repeats itself. Dont make mistakes which have already
been made in the past.

Despite the evidence against society, many people believe that society is more important than
the good of the individual, but they fail to see the truth. In 2007 Hillary Clinton said, We must
stop thinking of the individual and start thinking about what is best for society. Those who
believe society is more important, like Hillary Clinton, think that the good of a group of people is
more important than the good of the individual. An example of this is Common Core, a
educational standard in the United States. Common Core aims to standardize students around the
country, rather than let local and state governments decide school curriculums, which is better for
the individuals in these communities. As a result, graduation rates are dropping. A recent
Huffington Post article says that only 78 percent of students are graduating high school with

diploma. This article places blame on a system like Common Core that is too focused on the
good of a group of students instead of on specific individuals. Not surprisingly, Hillary Clinton is
a staunch supporter of the failing Common Core and national school curriculums in general.
National standards for schools may be good for society, but in the end, they are bad for the
individual, particularly the individual unlike the majority. Although aspects of this argument, that
society is more important than individual rights, are enticing, it ultimately fails to be a stronger
argument because it comes at a price. Even though it may sound good, when individual rights are
sacrificed for the good of society, it will not turn out well.
I firmly believe that individual rights are more important than the well being of society. I
believe that an emphasis on individual rights will lead to thriving society. Next time youre at a
park watching people laughing and playing, think, Where would these people be without strong
rights? Would these people be as happy if their individual rights had been sacrificed for the good
of things they didnt care about? This is just a microscopic example of a much larger problem.
Think back on how you acted when you were a kid and didnt get your way. This is what groups
of people do when their rights are compromised.

Works Cited
"Albert Einstein Quotations." The Gold Scales. Web. 26 May 2016.
Graham, Stedman. "Your Identity Matters." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com. Web.
27 May 2016.
"Hillary Clinton, Socialist Still." National Review Online. Web. 26 May 2016.
"Introduction." Herman Gorter, Open Letter to Comrade Lenin, 1920. Web. 26 May 2016.

"The Russian Revolution of 1917." The Russian Revolution of 1917. Web. 26 May 2016.