What are some guidelines that would help one achieve individuality - Essay Example

Guidelines to achieving individuality Institute Individuality is against blind to the traditions and expectations of the society. Societal customs are sometimes developed from a narrow array of experiences, and within this, what is adopted as customary may not be the most suitable interpretation of the experience (Ten, 1980). Moreover, the wisdom and knowledge contained in the teaching of one’s society may be suitable to needs of ordinary people. However, not everybody fits in this category; people are different from one another and faced with untypical circumstances.

In the same way, not all plants thrive under same climatic conditions and human beings cannot be expected to grow healthy within the same environment. Different people require different environment to develop and there is no single life pattern suitable for everyone (Ten, 1980). On individuality, John Stuart Mill recommends that people should not follow the custom just because it is the norm. Conforming would only compare human beings to apes and sheep, which rely on faculty of imitation (Mill, Anderson & Anderson, 2003).

Instead, Mill wants people to choose their course of life more reflectively basing their decisions on their own experiences. Attaining individuality is dependent of reflection and deliberation. This involves use of distinctive human faculties including judgment, perception, mental activity, discriminative feeling and moral preference (Mill, Anderson & Anderson, 2003). Since individual natures are not transparent, people experience living, deliberate and reflect on these experiences and derive lessons from them.

Following the lessons, an individual should then make right inferences regarding what is more suitable for them (Mill, Anderson & Anderson, 2003). In light of Mills’ advocacy for developing individuality, Vincent Ruggiero (2008) gives four steps that act as guidelines to assist in achieving individuality. The first step according to Ruggiero (2008) is treating an individual’s first reaction to another person, situation or issue with suspicion (Ruggiero, 2008). A person should not at first embrace that feeling or reaction without examining the reason as to why they reacted in such a manner.

People, issue or situations bring out feeling of joy, shock, disappointment or hurt. It is important that a person, before internalizing these feeling, understands why they occurred in the first place. The second step involves deciding why they reacted as they did during the encounter. At this stage, if possible an individual should determine what specific experiences from their past conditioned them to react the way they did (Ruggiero, 2008). Experiences in life have a lasting effect on an individual and they will ultimately influence how they conduct their lives.

Someone that had a drowning accident when they were young for example might initially freak when he or she encounters a pool. However, the individual would not realize that they had water phobia if they did not trace it to their childhood years. Tracing their way back to a particular experience helps them gain a better understanding of who they are. The third step involves thinking of other reactions an individual might have had towards the same person, issue or situation (Ruggiero, 2008).

Different circumstances bring out different reactions from an individual. Meeting a good friend leads one to reacting happily and excited. However, where the same friend hurts us; the next encounter would not bring out positive reaction. One is likely to experience feelings of hurt, disappointment or anger. The process of deliberation will make an individual consider past reaction that the person, issue or situation brought out in them. The last step involves asking oneself whether one of the past reactions would be more appropriate than the first reaction.

By deciding which reaction would be better, an individual decides the kind of person they want to be. If a person hurt them in the past, they may decide to be kind and warm towards them instead of angry. Instead of holding a grudge, the individual decides to be forgiving. This action shapes the kind of person they will be and hence their individuality. Developing individuality determines the kind of life one intends to lead. Individuality is important for happiness and should be desirable for every individual.

Those that choose to be conformists of individuality, recognize the social freedom that comes with it. ReferencesMill, J. S., Anderson, A., & Anderson, L. (2003). On liberty. Millis, MA: Agora. Ruggiero, V. R. (2008). Beyond feelings: A guide to critical thinking. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.Ten, C. L. (1980). Mill on liberty. Oxford: Clarendon Press.