INDIVIDUALISM Definition & Meaning

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individualism

[ in-duh-vij-oo-uh-liz-uhm ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

a social theory advocating the liberty, rights, or independent action of the individual.
the principle or habit of or belief in independent thought or action.
the pursuit of individual rather than common or collective interests; egoism.
individual character; individuality.
an individual peculiarity.
Philosophy.
1. the doctrine that only individual things are real.
2. the doctrine or belief that all actions are determined by, or at least take place for, the benefit of the individual, not of society as a whole.

individualism

/ ˌɪ�Ի�ɪˈ��ɪ��ʊəˌ��ɪ��ə�� /

the action or principle of asserting one's independence and individuality; egoism
an individual quirk or peculiarity
another word for laissez faire
philosophy the doctrine that only individual things exist and that therefore classes or properties have no reality Compare Platonism realism

individualism

A view that stresses the importance and worth of each person. In economics , it is the doctrine that individuals best serve the public interest by pursuing their own self-interest. For example, the businessman who expands his company to increase his profits also creates jobs for many people and thereby serves the public interest. ( See laissez-faire .)

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First recorded in 1825–35; individual + -ism

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Examples have not been reviewed.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, however, the concepts of individualism and self-sufficiency began to pervade U.S. culture and politics.

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When Trump spoke on Wednesday, he played up the old tropes of rugged individualism for America and said our allies “profited at our expense.”

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This experience of collective stress exists in conflict with an American society that worships individualism.

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“Not to the surreal or even unique individualism in your art, but to your humanism.”

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In his remarks, he condemned the structural nature of poverty, saying “this country has socialism for the rich, rugged individualism for the poor.”

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