In many societies, there is a growing emphasis on individualism, with people prioritizing their personal goals and desires over collective interests. Is this a positive or negative development?

It has been seen that nowadays, people have been prioritizing their dreams and wishes over the benefits of society and the community. I believe this attitude is detrimental to society and ultimately harms individuals.

Humans are social animals, for the majority can not live unaided. An individual is the reflection of a society, and society is the reflection of its participants. Collaboration and helping others are two aspects that enrich societies and individuals. People help others and sometimes sacrifice for others in their families and communities, leading to overall growth. Human beings do not just attain progress as a result, they achieve something far more precious, which is fulfillment and pridefulness.

However, if everyone looks after only themselves, they may not just deprive themselves of growth opportunities but a sense of fulfillment that could be achieved by being of value to others and their communities, especially the ones that may be dependent on us or connected to us through familial or societal bonds. No doubt, everyone looking after only their benefits can lead to the collapse of society. Another vice is if the powerful or the rich do not support the weaker ones, the rich may get richer, and the poor may get poorer, leading to the kind of imbalance in a society only giving toxic results.

To sum up, I would like to reiterate that when shared resources are limited, selfishly taking shared resources hurts everyone in the long run, including the selfish person. Also, over-dedication to personal pursuits can lead to one becoming hollow.