[MD] Collectivism vs. Individualism

[Platt Holden]

Hi All,

David Brooks, the NYTimes columnist, has written another beauty. Entitled 
"Harmony and the Dream" the article provides insight into the ongoing 
debate here about the individual vs. the collective, intellect vs. society. 
Brooks confirms the feeling I got while watching the opening ceremonies of 
the olympics -- a feeling of horror as thousands of human beings were 
forced to become mindless robots. Brooks' last line is particularly 
compelling. Summing up collectivism he says, "It's certainly a useful 
ideology for aspiring autocrats."

The column appears in today"s NYTimes at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/opinion/12brooks.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx
=1218542584-Bc6z1ynB7ux5Y4jScbQvlQ

Platt