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Individual and society
In the same vein, we can always sense the 'individual. Society must also learn to respect, cherish and nurture his individuality. Only then can the individual nurture society.
There is an intimate relation between the individual and society. There are various contrary views regarding the relationship between the individual and society, but all thinkers agree that to create differences and divisions between the two is beneficial to neither.
However, society is prior to the individual. Whenever we think of an individual, we automatically assume that he must have an existence in a larger framework or group. Individuals come and go, but the society remains. Society has a longer existence than the individual. It is the society which imparts culture and civilization to the individual. A child's personality is formed and framed by his social structure. All that he learns, whether good or bad, is within the framework of the society to which he belongs. Only the capacity to learn is his own. The development of his ‘l' or ego which makes him an 'individual happens within his society.
Society has its own system by which it controls the individual. It has its own existence and form. Nevertheless, it is also true that in the absence of 'individuals', society cannot have an existence. Individuals influence the society. Although they seem to be two independent 'realms', neither can exist or develop without the other. Neither can an individual leave the society nor can the society exist without the individual.
Between the two it is easier to understand society as a whole rather than a person's 'individuality'. To understand an individual's personality, we need to consider his psychological frame. Psychological theories state that people are of two kinds - introverts and extroverts. An introvert is one who arrives at conclusions by dwelling on his own thoughts rather than seeking the views of others whereas an extrovert is one who interacts and mingles with family and society as a cheerful part of a larger group. He finds solutions within an interactive framework.
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