Quote by G. K. Chesterton, February 25, 1
What we call personality (...) has become the most impersonal thing in the world. Its pale and featureless face appears like a ghost at every corner and in every crowd. ... Individualism kills individuality, precisely because individualism has to be an 'ism' quite as much as Communism or Calvinism. The economic and ethical school which calls itself individualist ended by threatening the world with the flattest and dullest spread of the commonplace. Men, instead of being themselves, set out to find a self to be: a sort of abstract economic self identified with self-interest. But while the self was that of a man, the self-interest was generally that of a class or a trade or even an empire. So far from really remaining a separate self, the man became part of a communal mass of selfishness.
Summary
The quote suggests that modern society's emphasis on individualism has paradoxically led to a loss of authentic individuality. Personality, once a unique and personal characteristic, has become impersonal and ghost-like. The pursuit of self-interest within an individualistic framework has resulted in a commodification of identity, where people try to conform to predefined societal roles. In this process, personal identity becomes secondary to class, trade, or national interests. As a result, instead of embracing and expressing their true selves, people have become part of a collective selfishness, eroding the very essence of individuality.
Topics
Selfishness
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