collectivism 1 : a political or economic theory advocating collective control especially over production and distribution; also : a system marked by such control 2 : emphasis on collective rather than individual action or identity -- collectivist -vist adjective or noun ] This irrational, group-oriented collectivist paradigm is what fosters externally guided actions. When orders are received from those individuals commonly accepted as the "authorities" of "the group", and as long as the orders fit nominally within the collective values projected by "the group", it is perfectly "normal" from a collectivist's point of view to follow those orders -- even when they are orders to aggress against someone, whether someone inside or outside of the group. Additionally, those who are trapped in the collectivist trance (virtually all human beings presently, with only very few exceptions), are themselves vulnerable to group-sanctioned aggression, for their loyalty is to the group. By contrast, a rational individualist rejects, in principle, aggression from anyone by any means, and will seek to block aggression out of his life regardless of who "sanctions" it. An individual who has broken out of the collectivist paradigm does not automatically take orders from anyone. A rational individualist's loyalty is to himself, or herself. Such an individual does not toe the collectivist line or chant the collectivist mantra. He or she associates with others not by random interrelation within the confines of a group, but by carefully groomed, value-reciprocating one-on-one relationships with others, while keeping herself at the center of, and