Reply #1: That is a scary article

[sui generis]

It's like a cave man decrying the collapse of tribal ways.

Calling it "narcissistic" betrays the atavism. I'll bet you anything that person had to walk backwards through the snow uphill both ways barefoot over broken glass in his or her day, and the world is just moving too fast now.

Newsflash, "we" is a generalization either way you use it to a community-ist. Here's another newsflash - it's not all black and white, so to speak.

We can and should be intrinsically idiosyncratic and narcissistic and selfish (yes that's a randian concept but don't chip in unless you know something more about Rand than high school social studies) - because NOBODY but you is looking out for your personal interests, and if you don't then they as good as don't exist.

Take that IN HAND with you can be an individualist and part of a community that values social solidarity AT THE SAME TIME.

I'm offended this buffoon thinks that individualism is binary in society and that those people are selfish and narcissistic. As an exec I hear this shit from corporate shills all the time about what's good for the company doesn't require caring about what's good for individuals.

This is the COMMUNICATION age. The bridge is not to go gather back into our caves and tribes and chase out the strangers and anyone who doesn't conform. The bridge is to learn to communicate past our differences, to recognize our similarities and to honor our individual identities.