Goal
Today, I discuss why collectivism is evil and how you can oppose it.
Table of Contents
- What Is Collectivism?
- What Are The Qualities of Collectivism?
- Why Is Collectivism Evil?
- How Do You Oppose Collectivism?
- Reading List
- Actionables
What Is Collectivism?
In all collectivist societies, you have gulags, starvation, brutality, and predation.
“When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.” – Frédéric Bastiat
Collectivism is “the practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it.”
Politically, collectivism is expressed through nationalism, socialism, communism, and fascism. These political, philosophical, and economic ideologies place the wants of the many over the needs of the few. The results are always deadly.
Collectivism, as a personal philosophy, is deterministic and life-rejecting. By focusing on race, national creed, gender, culture class, and other arbitrary traits, collectivism encourages believers to obsess over what is uncontrollable. This obsession leads to resentment and entitlement as collectivists demand from others what collectivists refuse to earn themselves.
In short, collectivism answers the question: “How does one live a good life?” with the answer: “Through the actions and resources of others.”
What Are The Qualities of Collectivism?
In individualism, you own yourself – your money, your labor, your life, your future. In collectivism, others own you – the king, the mob, the party, the family.
“The truth is, one who seeks to achieve freedom by petitioning those in power to give it to him has already failed, regardless of the response. To beg for the blessing of ‘authority’ is to accept that the choice is the master’s alone to make, which means that the person is already, by definition, a slave.” – Larken Rose
- An elevation of what is not earned or maintained – Collectivists value what is arbitrary such as your race. Your racial identity determines what you can say, who you can date, where your social value is, and how much influence you can exercise. Of course, your race is neither earned nor maintained. However, to the collectivist, arbitrary identifiers like race, gender, and social class are more important than the actions you take, the skills you build, and the person you become.
- A rejection of universal principles and virtues – Universality and virtue value individuals for what they do instead of who they are. Economic, moral, and social values built on what is chosen undermines the importance of what is arbitrary. Collectivists value the arbitrary. Thus, they are against what is earned and chosen.
- An “enemy” – Individualists do not need an enemy. Conquering nature and self-improvement offer enough challenge. However, collectivists are too weak-willed to overcome themselves or too untalented to improve our objective reality. Therefore, they need another collective group, designated as an “enemy,” to hurt, attack, and sometimes kill.
- Entitlement and greed – Because they value the group over the individual, collectivists believe their membership to a collective entitles them to the resources of everyone else in that collective. To a collectivist, you are always your brothers’ keeper regardless of the virtues, values, and actions of your “brother.”
Why Is Collectivism Evil?
Collectivists believe they own everything of their brothers’, up to and including their brothers’ lives.
“Socialism is an alternative to capitalism as potassium cyanide is an alternative to water.” – Ludwig von Mises
Primarily, collectivism robs humanity of universality. Without universality, virtue, and personal effort, we are forced to rely on arbitrary methods for determining what is good and evil. This is terrifying because no matter what you do or don’t do, others will consider you evil, problematic, or dangerous based solely on what you have not chosen.
For example, the kulaks were killed because they worked harder than their neighbors. Furthermore, the kulaks’ children were killed, maimed, and raped because their parents were successful. “Death because of success” is not an objective principle. It is an arbitrary motive created by collectivists who are envious and desperate for an enemy.
Additionally, collectivists argue we are owned by each other. Your neighbor owns your resources, your clan determines your choices, and the state owns your life. In these “relationships,” you cannot say no without fear of shame, physical assault, or state-sponsored violence. Nothing you have is yours. Thus, your life’s value is derived from what you bring to the collective, not from how sustainable your life is or how rationally you satisfy your needs.
Lastly, collectivists do not support relationships with “outsiders,” whether you date outside of your race or trade freely with others. The rejection of voluntary associations chosen by individuals ensures collectivists maintain power over whatever collective they advocate for.
Not All Collectives Are Evil
Voluntary groups in which individuals are free to leave are not evil. Collectivists are evil because they do not believe in voluntary relationships or objective morals.
A church group or a business team is not collectivist. These are voluntary groups where the individuals are not legally, socially, and morally judged by things they cannot control. Instead, these individuals are valued for particular reasons based on what their chosen community deems as essential. For example, a business considers your labor important, not your skin color or adherence to tradition. If you don’t like the company, you are free to leave and work elsewhere.
How Do You Oppose Collectivism?
The end goal of all collectivists’ beliefs is violence against and control of innocent individuals.
“The age of the skyscraper is gone. This is the age of the housing project. Which is always a prelude to the age of the cave.” – Ayn Rand
Firstly, accept collectivism is an evil idealogy. Immutable characteristics are never more important than an individual’s character. If you believe otherwise, then I don’t know what to tell you.
Secondly, remove vice from your life while embracing virtue. The better you live, the happier are. Collectivists are collectivists because they are incapable of living a remarkable life on objective terms. Become your best self, and you will prevent your internal corruption.
Thirdly, violence-proof and cancel-proof your life. Collectivists love to attack others. Therefore, learn self-defense, practice generosity, and stockpile supplies. Remember, collectivism is irrational and always leads to societal decay. As an individual, you should prepare for potential social collapse caused by riots, fiat currency, and government shutdowns.
Lastly, oppose collectivism by countering their arguments. For example, blacks and “anti-racist” whites have called me an Uncle Tom, coon, and house nigger because I do not believe I own or am owned by people with the same skin tone as me. I argue against such racial categorization as I argue against socialism, nazism, communism, and other forms of collectivism. Thus, if you have the time and patience, stand against weak individuals who categorize you for what you do not choose and cannot control.
You can always stand against collectivism by becoming an individual.
Reading List
- True Believer – Although disheartening, Eric Hoffer’s book will help you understand why people flock to collectivism despite the failings and violence of systems and ideas such as racism, socialism, nationalism, and others. The more you understand, the more you can rationally respond to the disturbing actions of others.
Actionables
- Have you ever believed in some form of collectivism? Why? Do you still harbor positive feelings towards collectivism?
- When have you been judged socially, morally, or legally for things you could not control? Have you been prejudiced against because of your race, native language, or another arbitrary characteristic? How did you respond?
- What is the dullest collectivist position or argument your hear? Any and everything related to socialism always put me to sleep.
Please remember that it’s important to do the actionables. You’re not on this earth to simply read but to do. To become an individual, you must act more than you consume.
*Image credit to Unsplash.
