“Society does not have goals. People have goals.”
By: Pramod Purushothaman
Tags: Individualism, Entrepreneurship, American Dream, Democracy, Milton Friedman

When I listened to Milton Friedman in a youtube video, these words from him caught my attention “Society does not have goals. People have goals.”. I do not remember quotes rather than few famous ones owing probably that I have very less listening and memory skills. However the former is some thing which I have recently started paying a lot of attention. In part, the quote is very moving in recent times. Individual freedoms are being curtailed in new social order where they want you to behave in a certain way. In effect, the societies have now become so polarized with social and digital media that it is becoming impossible to express one’s views without being misquoted or misrepresented.

However a virtuous pursuit of one’s dream should be every man’s right. It is impossible to understand that the trade off with order and discipline leads people to not be able to create that innovative solution. I was thinking this quite deep now. If we are really an evolved animal because of society why should an individual be given importance. An human being is a product of various fellow beings from parents, teachers , builders, soldiers all contributing to his sustenance. Then how can an individual be given prime importance.

Now the argument for an individual is not based on his supporting individuals, but the argument for an individual is based on life. If you deem that the philosophy of life is only one for everyone, why should i contribute to chase some one’s dream. If the mass is completely intoxicated by being in comfort zone and not chasing their dreams does it make sense that they stop another individual pursuing their dreams.

If we are born free and everywhere we are in chains what is the use of being alive. I think when we start the pursuit of life there is kind of smartness that is required to make a transaction oriented life but that is just not the one that is fulfilling. Life would be considered lived if we are able to be content with the pursuit that we have. If individuals have not taken up a cause what would world be like?

Rockfeller once said — “ I don’t want a nation of thinkers, I want a nation of workers”. Now the most educated jobs being in Corporate sector, there is a lot of curtailment on individuality. Since it is a path for providing means for family, some are in the game just to lead a life that accepts the reality and do not have an intellectual rigor. However that does not mean that you cannot express who you are in organization that demands a lot of team play.

If we imagine an hypothetical scenario that everyone tries to pursue their own goals would it help in survival of human race. The scenario becoming hypothetical itself is a proof that in reality it is very difficult for everyone to have the same will power to take up the journey. It is perilous, stressful and takes a lot of courage. However that pursuit can be enough for moving mountains, building new paths and change the way we think. So an argument that individuals have goal is to remind the governments that there is no central planning or direction required. Hence regulating a society to achieve a utopian reality will cause wrongful alignments.

Hence the case for making society better should not be the key that governments should be doing. It is ability to produce an ecosystem that motivates a person’s willingness to improve the conditions around him and giving him that liberty is what our government should be. It means governance is about the administration compared to forming regulations that kill the spirit of individual and award the big corporations the means to kill the small guy.

Keeping that spirit and individualism would mark the greatest experiment in the world, American democracy alive compared to the new age political correctness and social experiments.