Catholicism and Our American Individualism

From today's Caelum et Terra Discussion Group come these words written by Ed Willock in a 1955 edition of the magazine Integrity:

American commentators and journalists dealing with the social message of the Pope, have headlines his condemnations of isms which we choose to regard as foreign, while at the same time they have ignored or reduced to fine print his judicious criticism of rugged individualism. Although our native brand of individualism has lost much of its ruggedness since 1929, it still continues to be normal operating procedure in the social area. It is still general policy for each citizen to seek assiduously after what he considers to be his own, while the general welfare is left pretty much to government agencies. ..We still teach our children to “excel” and to compete. We generally admire ambition and diligence when exercised in one’s own behalf, but the same zeal exercised in a group “cause” without immediate profit to the individual, is regarded with scorn.

The philosophy of individualism is far too simple, far too lacking in nuances of personal relations to cope with demands of community. The individualist’s repertoire of social maneuvers is pretty much limited to two strategic moves. The first and most cultivated maneuver is: “Mind your own business.” This solves almost any social crisis the individualist may come upon. The second (reserved for desperate situations) is called upon only when the individualist inadvertently and in disregard of his first tenet has become involved. It is usually expressed simply: “I quit!” The individualist, like Napoleon, always plans his retreat before he becomes engaged. He generally treasures his “rain-check,” gives lengthy consideration to the “resale value” of anything he contracts to buy....

If a confirmed individualist in an excess of enthusiasm plunges into a group activity, more than likely he will find himself unable to swim. To be truly a “social being” requires a magnanimity and a generosity of spirit that the individualist finds utterly foreign. The basic difficulty is that the individualist has been schooled in the shrewd tactic of forever defending and preserving his sovereignty. Community demands that this sovereignty be sacrificed. The group as a whole will only grow in effectiveness and prestige to the degree that each member sacrifices his own autonomy. Such a sacrifice is inconceivable for the individualist. That is why family life (the simplest community) gradually becomes anemic in a society of individualists.