I must begin by saying that I am always a little leery of "isms"--anything that is an "ism (individualism, feminism, postmodernism, etc.) I walk cautiously around because I already have a pre-conceived notion that it is going to be what I view as an extreme perception or idea.
While I believe there are certainly benefits to a belief that encourage progress, “thinking outside the box, and development of reason, I also consider commonality to be beneficial. Trust and creativity have moved our world to reach places that were never thought possible; I’m hopeful and sure that will continue, but I also know that it is important for us to stand on the shoulders of the people and ideas that have brought us to this present day. Not that we have to unite ourselves to whom and what they were, but that we respect them and learn from them in order to know who we want to become.
Perhaps BALANCE is what we need. I believe the elevation of individuals, concepts, belief systems, etc. is unhealthy because it fragments us and denies us to be part of anything greater than ourselves (nation, city, church, etc.). I don't beleive people need to deny who they really are; they only add more richness to our world, but I do believe "who we are" shouldn't dictate interminable rights. There certainly are many stories that have been lived and will be lived, but let’s not live as if our story is the “right” one FOR ALL. It’s ours and perhaps those that come after us will stand on our shoulders in order to begin to reach the heights they wish to accomplish in their lifetime.
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