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Individualism: Eastern Religion, the Movie-Falling Down, and Rand.

  • Date Submitted: 12/05/2010 07:08 PM
  • Flesch-Kincaid Score: 60.4 
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Individualism: Eastern Religion, Falling Down, and Rand.
The western culture seems to be leaning towards individualism more, having lived in three continents of the western world. This individualism culture is also creeping up in major cities of more traditional cultures in Africa. As an international student, and a mother of children all under age 6, I constantly find myself trying to find a common ground between my culture and the culture my children are growing up in. I search to merge the positive sides of each, to better prepare my children for the life ahead. Having been born in a “third world country” and having the most part of my growing up in that country and the U.K, gave me a great buffer for some of the culture shocks. My mother in-law has yet to understand why children do not acknowledge elders or why neighbors do not acknowledge each other often, here in the United States, being a seasoned traveler herself. Is the American society teaching selfishness? Parents always teach charity to their young children, but the society, blurs these lessons with age. Children’s TV teaches sharing, been kind and all other societal perceived positives. It (society) teaches children that life isn't always fair and people are not obliged to share. Technology on the other hand has not aided issues; the younger generation in particular seems to be more attached to their technological gadgets than to their fellow beings.
The movie "Falling Down" showcases the effect of individualism in the American society. The main character goes against the Hindu and Buddhist practices of renouncing or extinguishing oneself. The Hindu religion believes we can have whatever we want, but at a point we realize those things are not going to satisfy us. However what we ultimately desire is infinite existence and not the present self, this realization brings about Moksha (liberation from empirical self). In Hinduism, renunciation is renouncing oneself by coming to a knowledge of Brahman so...



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