I can't see why would a democracy stifle the individual.
Don't forget, that what we have now is far from
the real thing. For that you need democratically controlled
information - that is, prefebly not controlled at all and easily
available and intelligable for everyone. Also you need to have the
confidence and responsibility to make decisions - that would come
with real education. There is a hiararchy of decisionmaking;
for some issues the individual decide alone, for some others only the
family or the neighbours needed, for others the workplace or the
users of the local swimmingpool.
Being critical can be seen as being constructive, forseeing possible
problems etc, if no status is in danger, why would anyone object?
I can see individuality flourish in a society, where money or status
cannot make you special or uniform. People will have a chance to
express themselves in far wider scale than now especially with the
shorter, mostly self-chosen working hours.
Eva
(bradmcc:)
> While I agree with your critique of so-called "free markets",
> which, as you say, provide little material freedom for
> most persons, I am not so optimistic about democracy. Democracy
> is certainly not incompatible with stultifying pressures
> on the individual to *conform*.
>
> It seems to me that we need to think about how individuality is
> itself a product of collectivism, and try to figure out how
> to make the collective endeavor as supportive of individual
> difference and initiative as possible. I do not believe this
> is an automatic consequence of democracy. How do we
> nourish individuals' critical judgment, e.g., and reward
> them for disagreeing with majority policy, for "whistle
> blowing", etc.? How do we provide "space" for inventors,
> artists, et al., while preventing individuals from "working
> the angles" for mere selfish aggrandizement?
>
> Of course, merely gaining as much publicity for such questions
> as possible will likely make some contribution to ameliorating
> conditions, but it is fra from enough.
>
> --
> Mankind is not the master of all the stuff that exists, but
> Everyman (woman, child) is a judge of the world.
>
> Brad McCormick, Ed.D. / [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> (914)238-0788 / 27 Poillon Rd, Chappaqua, NY 10514-3403 USA
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Visit my website ==> http://www.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/
>
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
