Rugged American Individualism

Julia ioffe on why in the age of coronavirus.

Rugged american individualism. American individualism was universalist and idealist but acquired a harsher edge as it became infused with elements of social darwinism i e the survival of the fittest. Individualists promote the exercise of one s goals and desires and so value independence and self reliance and advocate that interests of the individual should achieve precedence over the state or a social group while opposing external interference upon one s. Rugged individualism derived from individualism is a term that indicates the ideal whereby an individual is totally self reliant and independent from outside usually state or government assistance while the term is often associated with the notion of laissez faire and associated adherents it was actually coined by american president herbert hoover who presided over the emerging great. Rugged individualism frontier culture in america was first presented as an important historical event at a meeting of the world congress of historians held in chicago in the summer of 1893.

Your rugged american individualism is making you dangerous. The principle of rugged individualism is one of the foundational myths of american culture. A young professor from the university wisconsin named frederick jackson turner read his social analysis entitled the significance of. The acceptance of these ideas would have meant the destruction of self government through centralization of government.

Individualism is the moral stance political philosophy ideology and social outlook that emphasizes the moral worth of the individual. Is trump flouting health guidelines to make some tough guy point. It was rugged american individualism that helped the country survive world war ii as manufacturers farmers and households moved to support the war effort and to accept sacrifices at home. We were challenged with a peace time choice between the american system of rugged individualism and a european philosophy of diametrically opposed doctrines doctrines of paternalism and state socialism.

What is rugged individualism.