Although I am not positive as to what Bellah is saying with this statement, I think he is trying to say that you can't win either way, which is a bit ridiculous. I don't really understand/agree with what he means by "individually viable." Why wouldn't it work for the individual if you are being the individual that you want to be? Also, what would he suggest if neither modern individualism nor a return to tradition would work. Even though I'm slightly confused by this quote, I feel like I really don't agree with it at all, and I think that Bellah needs to be a bit more happier!
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Well I am a bit confused by the statement as well. But what I think Bellah is saying is that people become so individualistic that they separate themselves from everyone else around them. He believes that we all need to be part of a society and that if we draw ourselves away, we will not be able to enjoy life.
ReplyDeleteI think I agree with this in a way but then again I don't think that Americans are taking individualism to this extreme. We don't want to return to traditional times but we don't want to be too modern. I guess he wants us to find a good balance; individualism while maintaining your ties to your society.