Individualism is the belief that all lives are mutually exclusive of one another and each life acts independently from the next (free will)... the belief that the only person you have control over is yourself and that one should not spend time worrying themselves over what other people do or what others may think. Clinging to another individual is the same as attaching your value as an independent character to them; they ultimately will end up defining your identity.
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True individuals act as if they come from an island of their own creation. Typically it's only the people who are seeking codependency that will become clingy when interacting with individuals; this is to assume that people who cling to others in absence of their own identity are people who are generally absent of esteem in their own ability. However, when individuals relate to one another their paths will naturally cross and that convergence is what forms a genuine relationship. This convergence is based on the law of attraction (birds of a feather will tend to flock together). Clinging to another individual whose character is divergent from your own is like hitchhiking a path beaten by a stranger, you are following a life in which you have no idea where it will lead you. Individuals on the other hand, are trailblazers who maintain self-ownership and agency over their own decisions; basing their decisions upon independent thought instead of succumbing to the manipulation of external influences that may negatively alter their perception in regard to satisfying their own true desires.
The Art of the Alchemist
Individuals are not static beings, which is to say that minds that possess the faculties for independent thought also possess the ability to change based upon the acquisition of knowledge/experience. This is the belief that individuals are characters of evolution and/or metamorphosis, and will not remain the same throughout their lives. Individualism means that people are not to be perceived as characters from a sitcom rerun you would see on television. Just because you may have known an individual at one point in their life does not mean that you will know precisely what to expect from that same individual later in their life. Individuals believe in personal development (socialism/collectivism/and group think be damned), so this means that individuals are capable of completely changing their character/identity. Some people resist change because they do not possess the courage to do what is necessary for a spiritual metamorphosis to take place and grow as an individual, usually due to the fear of what others will think (see “group think”). So those kinds of people will choose to protect feelings (the emotions of others) instead of harboring the truth (what they actually desire), which will never result in them ever becoming an individual of their own accord but most likely just a product of their encompassing environment.
A Living Fallacy
In this respect, an individual who resists change is actively clinging to untruths or disingenuous acts in their behavior in order to perpetuate lies that are appeasing for the feelings or expectations of others but damaging to their own spirit. It takes courage to change, because though it may be easy to change your clothes, your haircut, your image, and maybe even your attitude, what remains unchanged are the shadows. Some people become haunted by the shadows that have always followed them and the darkness of the shadows that remains unchanged over the years, harboring the untold truths behind their deceptive behavior; just so those people may avoid the discomfort that’s associated with personal change. The shadows may reflect shame, guilt, and persecution of character until the individual has the courage to face the darkness, accept it, and allow the truth to set them free… less they choose to remain a spiritual hostage that continues to live in the shadows of others.