“Why fit in when you were born to stand out” -Dr. Suess.  This quote is stating why be like everyone else when you are your own person.  Individualism is the idea that the individual’s life belongs to him and that he has an inalienable right to live it as he sees fit, to act on his own judgment, to keep and use the product of his effort, and to pursue the values of his choosing (Frederick Douglass).  Individualism is better for society as a whole because people in the Individualism culture have more freedom of expression, and have an easier time finding their personal happiness. 

One reason is the freedom of expression.  In individualist cultures children are encouraged to form and express opinions.  Individualists often express themselves through cars, clothes, and cosmetics etc. (Leake).  Individualism respects individual rights and allows people to truly be themselves.  In an individualistic society, they do not require people to give up their true personalities in order to fit in (Advantages and Disadvantages of Individualism and Collectivism).  For example, an individualistic society might be more likely to allow a person to be openly gay/bisexual where a collectivist society might force them to deny their sexuality so as not to make the rest of the group uncomfortable.

Other than the freedom of expression individualists have an easier time finding their personal happiness.  People are free to find their own sense of peace and happiness in ways that are personal.  Premotes autonomy (the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision) and the individual's right to personal feelings, preferences, and ideas.  People are urged to think for themselves and make the right decisions (Ray).  Many Western studies have shown that people who live in more individualistic societies may report to be happier, the values and scales that are used in these measures are often based on the self and the accomplishments of one’s own life goals, as opposed to the value of happiness that non-individualistic people may have, where happiness is seen as meeting the social norms, contributing to the welfare of the collective and succeeding as an individual within that group (Happiness in Collectivistic and Individualistic Societies).

Some may say that collectiveness is better for society because more people are working together and someone is less likely to be left behind.  That is not true because then you become dependable, when you are an adult you need the independence skill (Ray).  Also if people in the group don’t do what they are supposed to something could go wrong, everyone is relying on them. There is more government control, so people in a collective environment are less likely to choose what they wear or their job (Collectivism Positives and Negatives).

Individualism is better for society as a whole because people in the Individualism culture have more freedom of expression, and have an easier time finding their personal happiness. In individualist cultures children are encouraged to form and express opinions (Leake).   People in individualist communities are free to find their own sense of peace and happiness in ways that are personal (Ray).  So, are you going to fit in or are you going to stand out?