The Impact of Individualism and Self-Indulgence on Society

How do scholars and advocates with a conflict perspective view the cultural changes associated with excessive individualism and self-indulgence?

What are some consequences of prioritizing individual success over community-focused norms?

Scholars and advocates with a conflict perspective point out the negative cultural change emphasized by excessive individualism and self-indulgence.

They emphasize how capitalistic institutions promote individual success over community-focused norms, leading to rapid cultural and moral decline.

From a conflict perspective, scholars point out the negative cultural change emphasized by excessive individualism and self-indulgence. These advocates emphasize how capitalistic institutions promote individual success over community-focused norms, leading to rapid cultural and moral decline. They further draw upon concepts like 'narcotizing dysfunction', noting these trends are often accentuated by media and technology overconsumption.

Scholars and advocates with a conflict perspective witness a displacement of more community-focused cultural norms in favor of individual achievement and material success. A significant part of this observation originates from the conflict between capitalistic, individual-based institutions and the effects on societal structures and behaviors. For instance, Os Guinness suggests the dominant ethos of counterculture, now witnessed in major cultural influences like Hollywood and social media, promotes excessive individualism and leads to the weakening of traditional values. This phenomenon, Guinness perceives, has resulted in rapid cultural and moral decline.

Another concern raised from this perspective is the issue of 'narcotizing dysfunction', a term coined by conflict perspective sociologists Lazerfeld and Merton. This refers to a state where individuals, overwhelmed by constant media exposure, remain passively aware of social issues instead of actively engaging to address them.

Overall, the conflict perspective emphasizes the creation and reproduction of societal inequalities and how they can accelerate cultural changes perceived as negative.