On balance, Collectivism is preferable to Individualism

Indeed, we shall do this.I will be using rationality as the main criterion for evaluating which philosophy is preferable, so the resolution can basically be re-stated as "belief in collectivism is more rational than belief in individualism". My case revolves around 3 independently functioning reasons for why this resolution is true. Collectivism increases the chances of individual successThe logic underlying this is simple. A society, by definition, is a group of individuals. So when we refer to "valuing the interests of society", we are really just saying that we are valuing the interests of the largest possible number of individuals within that society-- we are valuing the interests of the majority. And since an individual is statistically more likely to part of the majority than the minority, collectivism ensures that any given individual is more likely to have their interests protected than not. Thus, theoretically, collectivism increases the probability of individual prosperity. However, this is not only demonstrable in theory; we can see empirical examples of this holding true in practice as well. Just take a look at nature; we can observe numerous different types of animals which voluntarily choose to live in large groups-- wolves, elephants, lions, chimpanzees, bison, sheep, antelopes, ants, bees, ducks, small fish, and many more fall into this category. There is a reason why such a behavior has become so widely adapted: living in such 'societies', where the group as a whole is valued over each individual animal, has proven to be an evolutionary advantage to the individual animals themselves, as it ensures them a greater chance of their survival and thus given them more time to pass on their genes. The completely impartial, purely utility-centered mechanism of natural selection clearly indicates that the collectivist lifestyle is beneficial to individuals.Rationality mandates that if we are attempting to choose between two ideas, and if one of the ideas encompasses the goals of the other idea, then we must favor that one all-encompassing idea. In this case, that is collectivism, with its maximization of the probability of individual success. My next argument further supports this by contending that individualism in practice is detrimental to collective success (and therefore detrimental individual success as well, since the collective is composed of individuals).Individualism has negative social repercussions in practiceWhenever we observe individualism being implemented in society, we always see with it an accompanying increase in destructive societal tendencies. The first time we can see this happening in human history is right at its dawn, with the Neolithic Revolution. Prior to it, human societies were entirely egalitarian, with the social bonds between family members holding together large clans in which every individual was cared for and provided with an equal distribution of resources; conflict between clans was also minimal by virtue of social bonds between clans developed through inter-marriage and trade [1]. But with the advent of the Neolithic Revolution and its associated innovations, this collectivist way of life was greatly diminished, and individualistic social phenomena such as private property ownership and social stratification became the centerpieces of human societies [2]. From that point onwards, human history has been notably more violent, with wars, slavery, tension between classes, and crime becoming commonplace. This trend has continued throughout history, with events motivated by the pursuit of individual interests always resulting in a society which is worse off than before. This is most notably visible in the French Revolution, with the bourgeoisie and their desire for greater personal liberties at the grave expense of social stability. Even today in Western countries, we witness that trend manifest itself in the contrast between urban centers (the hubs of modern ideals such as individuality) and rural areas (where collectivist communities as described previously still exist to some extent). Signs of social decay are far more prevalent in urban centers than rural areas, with rates of violent crime and poverty levels being 3 to 4 times higher in cities than on the countryside [3]. Individualism simply does not work out in practice, as it attempts to simultaneously promote everyone's conflicting self-interests at once, which inevitably leads to tension, violence, and the degeneration of the social fabric that bonds people together. Thus, collectivism should be preferred by default. Individualism lacks a valid ethical justificationFrom the definitions of Individualism and Collectivism for this debate, we can assume that morality exists to preserve human interests, which are usually centered around the avoidance of suffering and the obtaining of happiness. Both Collectivism and Individualism aim to accomplish this common goal of ethics, only differing in whose interests are valued more and in what manner. Individualism posits that everyone should value their own interests above everyone else's, while Collectivism posits that everyone should value everyone's interests equally (thus leading us to the conclusion that preserving the maximum possible number of people's interests the ethical choice). The problem with individualism is in its lack of warrants. I will go ahead and demonstrate why the most common justification of it, that of psychological egoism, is invalid. Even if it is true that human beings are innately selfish and thus subjectively value their own interests over those of others, that doesn't necessarily mean that they *should* do that. To use psychological egoism as a justification for individualism is to commit an example of is/ought fallacy-- a form of non-sequitur in which one falsely assumes that because something *is* done a certain way, it *ought* to be done that way. The default mindset of human beings does not necessarily serve as a valid criteria for morality.Another problem with this justification of Individualism is that it has its basis completely in the subjective nature of human experience. If we evaluate it from a more distant perspective, we see that no one human being is objectively superior to another, and so it is only reasonable that we value all of their interests equally, which essentially leads us to the conclusion of collectivism's soundness. Thus, collectivism more objectively accounts for human interests than individualism, and it just has a much stronger ethical basis than individualism in general, effectively rendering it to be the more rational philosophy.Three independently functioning reasons to prefer collectivism over individualism have been presented. The resolution is affirmed!And with that, I eagerly await Con's constructive case :D[1] http://www.cavemenworld.com...[2] http://www.d.umn.edu...[3] http://law.jrank.org...