Tuesday, September 17, 2019
An Exploration of Individualism as Described by Alexis de Tocqueville in Democracy in America Essay
The classic work Democracy In America by Alexis de Tocqueville has been the reason for scholarly pursuit as well as strife within that same community. Through a brief examination of this text, several of Tocquevilleââ¬â¢s arguments helped to define many of the constructs that made America what it was as well as those that have led to what it has become today. Of the many themes and ideas presented by Tocqueville, his thoughts on individualism struck the loudest chord with me. Tocqueville describes America as a society of joiners because of the fact that it is a country almost entirely composed of immigrants. This, in addition to the pursuit and promise of ââ¬Å"equality of conditionsâ⬠that Americas touted as an unofficial theme, brought citizens from many classes together in closer proximity and relation. Although this sounds like a good thing, Tocqueville argued that with this blending of social classes and increased opportunity people would isolate themselves, ââ¬Å"bond of human affections is extended and loosenedâ⬠(p. 483). As people gained wealth and left behind the daily struggle to survive many sought out education and as a result of this enlightenment developed the ââ¬Å"habit of always considering themselves in isolationâ⬠(p. 484). This individualism is likened to selfishness by Tocqueville but he is careful to point out that he does not believe that it is the same thing. He does this by describing selfishness as ââ¬Å"a passionate and exaggerated love of self that causes man to relate everything to himself alone,â⬠and individualism as ââ¬Å"a reflective and peaceable sentiment that disposes each citizen to . . . withdraw to one side with his family and friendsâ⬠(p. 482). The way in which individualism caused people to separate from society with only their friends and family caused a problem, in that, by doing so a public conscience can not be established. Individualism leads to a slowdown of democratic culture and the results in such ââ¬Å"fabric of time is torn at every moment and the trace of generations is effacedâ⬠(p. 483). If people are not careful equality of conditions can, over time, make ââ¬Å"each man forget his ancestors . . . and threatens finally to confine him wholly in the solitude of his own heartâ⬠(p. 484). Tocqueville goes on to say, ââ¬Å"all the passions that equality gives birth to or favors, there is one . . . that it sets in the hearts of all men at the same time: the love of well-beingâ⬠(p. 422). Unfortunately this kind of passion usually manifests itself as an uncontrollable desire to acquire wealth and material things. ââ¬Å"The taste for material enjoyments, must be considered the first source of this secret restiveness revealed in the actions of Americans and of the inconstancy of which they give daily examplesâ⬠(p. 512). Although this kind of materialistic pursuit of wealth may appear to be true freedom for some, Tocqueville argues that it is in fact the manifestation of the middle class Americanââ¬â¢s overwhelming fear of death. ââ¬Å"He who has confined his heart solely to the search for the goods of this world,â⬠Tocqueville observes, ââ¬Å"is always in a hurry. . . . In addition to the goods that he possesses, at each instant he imagines a thousan d others that death will prevent him from enjoying if he does not hastenâ⬠(p. 512). Equality of conditions awakens the inner feeling of hope and happiness in all people, but unchecked theses feelings can lead to an all consuming obsession with oneââ¬â¢s own mortality that ignites and hinders passion which leads to ââ¬Å"unceasing trepidationâ⬠compelling a person to ââ¬Å"change his designs and his place at every momentâ⬠(p. 512). Tocqueville then goes on to describe an America where the individualism described above leads to a desire for materialistic wealth that ââ¬Å"disposes men to believe that all is nothing but matterâ⬠(p. 519). He talks about how this can lead to an American society that emphasizes development of ââ¬Å"the goods of the bodyâ⬠(p. 521) and disregards the development of the mind and care of the soul. Tocqueville qualifies these statements by making the claim that there is no other country that is ââ¬Å"less occupied with philosophy than the United Statesâ⬠(p. 403). It is both profound and interesting that Tocqueville saw this happening in his time as it has certainly continued and grown since then. The epidemic of people, like the Kardashians, becoming celebrities for doing nothing perfectly illustrates what he describes as ââ¬Å"minds so disposed, every new method that leads to wealth by a shorter path . . . every discovery that facilitates pleasures and augments the m seems to be the most magnificent effort of human intelligenceâ⬠(p. 436). These observations lead to another important point of Tocquevilleââ¬â¢s, the lack of understanding and allowance for the ââ¬Å"profound, slow workâ⬠(p. 435) of ones own mind. During his travels Tocqueville found few people that would take the time to develop a true passion and desire for introspection and contemplation. It is because of this that America eventually gave birth to philosophy and the practice of pragmatism only serves to illustrate what Tocqueville described as Americaââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"unparalleled energy toward applicationâ⬠(p. 437). This ââ¬Å"unparalleled energyâ⬠is what led to the practice of planned obsolescence and why it is an ever increasing part of day to day life in America. With the rapid advancement of technology it is not unheard of for a computer or other device to be obsolete within weeks. Although the device was different, Tocqueville observed this phenomenon when speaking with a sailor, ââ¬Å"art of navigation makes such rapid pro gress daily that the most beautiful ship would soon become almost useless if its existence were prolonged beyond a few yearsâ⬠(p. 428). Rapid advancement, in addition to the populationââ¬â¢s desire for the ââ¬Å"latest and greatestâ⬠forced craftsman ââ¬Å"to make many imperfect things very rapidlyâ⬠(p. 441) just to satisfy demand. Even language in America changed and began to mirror this ââ¬Å"industrial tasteâ⬠(p. 435) With the ever increasing emphasis that was placed on progress and application it is not surprising that the purity of the arts were affected as well. Tocqueville described the way in which art and artists in America could not escape the desire to be relevant when he talked about how the work turned from depicting ââ¬Å"sentiments and ideasâ⬠to ââ¬Å"emotions and sensationsâ⬠(p. 442). The embodiment of this, according to Tocqueville, is best illustrated by Americaââ¬â¢s obsession with theatre, which he regarded as ââ¬Å"most natural to democratic peoplesâ⬠(p. 467). He goes on to say ââ¬Å"Most of those who attend the acting on the stage do not seek pleasures of the mind, but lively emotions of the heart. They do not expect to find a work of literature but a spectacleâ⬠(p. 467 / 468). This is the direct consequence to and result of the ââ¬Å"practical, contested, and monotonousâ⬠(p. 448) lives that were created due to the emphasis that was placed o n the materialistic growth we discussed earlier. Through television and film, this kind of spectacle, which Tocqueville criticized and ascribed to democratic societies, has reached a level of cultural relevance and depravity that he could have never predicted. Tocqueville believed that a strong and flourishing democratic society could cultivate, in the spirit of its people, a consciousness of the delicate balance between the finite amount of material goods this world has to offer and the overwhelming affect of an ââ¬Å"exalted and almost fierce spiritualismâ⬠(p. 510). Throughout the examination of Tocquevilleââ¬â¢s words it became clear that biggest threat to America is not foreign enemies or the government, the greatest threat to America are itââ¬â¢s citizens. Only through understanding and the abandonment of the selfish practice of individualism will America survive.
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