INDIVIDUAL
53Are You A Individual or a Follower?
What are the differences between an Individual and a Follower? Must the Individual not be a follower before individualizing? Is a Individual influenced to become the individual they are? If the Individual is raised by followers, is it possible to individualize?
One difference of a follower and individual is dependency. An Individual will depend on thyself, a follower will depend on others. A follower will ask another mind for answers, a Individual mind will seek it's individual answers.
Must one not follow before becoming a true leader? Yes, I do believe so. Without knowing the mentality of a follower, you could not have them follow. When I mention "true leader", I am referring to the leader which has walked the path of a follower.
I believe there can be leaders and "true leaders". A leader could have the "follower" mindset if the leader is not a "true leader". Example: In royalty, a family member can be born to "inherit" the throne as King. The king would be considered the "leader" without earning the title.
What happens when the leader is not a "true leader"? Chaos. Without being a "true leader", you would not understand those which you lead. In the King example, the King has inherited the throne, the King has not lived with the people to see how the people live. The King has not "followed" others to see as followers see.
With the King not being a "true leader", the King may never gain respect of the people. Unless the people are followers with limited freedoms.
If the King angered the followers, this could spur individualism. Individualism is any leaders worst possibility. A nation of individuals is a nation of freedom. With a nation of individuals, you would have mass debate, limited followers, doubt, distrust from the people. With a nation of followers, the followers operate as one. This is any nations goal. To operate as one.
Is it possible for a nation of individuals to operate as one? No, a nation of individuals will never sacrifice freedom to become followers. To become a follower, you must sacrifice individuality/freedom to follow the leaders word. Once again, the true "Individual" is independent. The individual does not like others making their individual decisions.
So, what is the result of a group of followers individualizing? I see it as two trains on the same track. The trains make a constant approach to collide head on. The only question is, will there be any survivors?
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Comments
Good article and insightful…I was never a “follower” and often told I was too independent. Thank goodness, I was since I ended up raising five children on my own and one of those young men I raised became a Marine!
Just have to say to Nancy, job well done!
You describe three types. Followers, mavericks and leaders, or sheep, gooats and shepherds.
To my mind a nation of followers can be driven and need a shepherd, but a nation of individuals (goats) need to be led, and that is genuine leadership, not fake leadership.
To my mind the true individual doesnot object to others making their own decisions as long as they are not affected.
I think your decription of a nation of individuals is an ideal and not attainable as individuals are a minority ( about 5% of the population)
Hello Ande, Thanks for reading/commenting.
Working from home full time is my priority. You are where I want to be at. That would make me kinda a follower huh. Well I want to work from home, just not as an editor. I would shoot myself in the head. Good work on making your goals. Thank You.
Hello Nancy, I appreciate you reading/ commenting as always.
"Thank goodness, I was since I ended up raising five children on my own and one of those young men I raised became a Marine!"
5 kids????? Are you sure you aren't the Marine? Excellent work. My mom raised me pretty much on her own. Poor mom. I appreciate your sanity. Thank You.
Hello Alex, Thank You for reading and commenting. Your perspective is always welcome and appreciated.
"but a nation of individuals (goats) need to be led, and that is genuine leadership, not fake leadership."
I believe a true individual will reject leadership in any sense that does not compromise individual freedom. I do not believe a true individual "needs" to be led.
"I think your decription of a nation of individuals is an ideal and not attainable as individuals are a minority ( about 5% of the population)"
I can agree that individuals could be around 5%. I believe a nation of individuals could rise as high as 50% - 80% if "follower" freedoms are violated. I believe when a drastic event occurs in which the majority/followers disagree with, this triggers followers to individualize. When there is mass individualization, control is lost.
I love this one. I too have a great problem being a follower. I don't know if one has to "be" a follower in order to be a leader, but I would say that one has to live "as" a follower to understand the followers. There is also of course the paradox in the military, the best followers become the leaders. I had many a drill sergeant tell me that I was going to make sergeant in 2 years. That would have been great, but I was either too short-sighted or too much of an independent, because I got out, (with an honorable discharge thank God), after 8 and a half months.
Hello Mark, Thanks for reading/commenting,
I don't know if one has to "be" a follower in order to be a leader.
I believe a "true leader" must have lived as a follower. We all have followed before, it's just that some never individualize. Some individualize faster than others, some later.
"but I was either too short-sighted or too much of an independent, because I got out"
Theres nothing wrong with that. I got out also. I gave 4 years of my freedom to be a follower. You cannot be an individual in the marines. I have no regrets. However, I didn't find individualism until I was out of the marines.
A thought provoking hub. How can you lead unless you have been led? The Problem is the majority of our leaders are still followers. They answer to some else higher up in the "food chain." If you want to make it to the top , in most cases, you must be willing to conform, to a certain degree, to the organization.
Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Self-Reliance" speakes directly to the Individual or the Follower and how society demands conformity.
"Society everywhere is in a conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members. ... The virtue in most request is conformity. Self reliance is its aversion."
The funny thing about Emerson, he also believed in the Utopian society. Members conformed to the commune's morals and values.
Hello William, Thank You for reading / commenting. You gave some excellent thoughts.
"The Problem is the majority of our leaders are still followers." Agreed 100%
"If you want to make it to the top , in most cases, you must be willing to conform, to a certain degree, to the organization."
Again, I agree 100%. Some call "willingness to conform" "kissing ass". This is one of the main reasons I strive to work for myself. I am not "postal" , yet I lose more and more sanity everyday.
"Society everywhere is in a conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members."
I agree. It is close to impossible to realize individuality in a follower society.
"The funny thing about Emerson, he also believed in the Utopian society. Members conformed to the commune's morals and values."
Emerson could not be a true "individual" if he believed in "group" morals and values. Would this not make him a follower? Did Emerson claim to be an individual?
Thank You
A very though provoking hub, makes you question your mentality, however I still feel that you can be an individual and rely on others for support and guidance, and to be a true 'great leader' I think you need to take advice as you cannot be knowledgable about everything.
I think the line between Individual and Follower is very blurred and a happy balance between the two is vital.
A really good post which i enjoyed.
Thanks
This hub gives me a lot to think about...personal accountability for using critical thinking mostly - but I still find the line between individuality and requiring input from others for guidance a slippery slope of sorts. I guess the point is to think, think, think, and be aware of this blurry line, huh?
Hello dipless, Thank You for reading.
"to be a true 'great leader' I think you need to take advice as you cannot be knowledgable about everything."
Agreed 100%. I think there is a fine line of drawing others perspective without being influenced. I believe the follower can be influenced, the individual will draw perspective to form true logic.
Hello Mythbuster, I appreciate you reading and commenting.
"I guess the point is to think, think, think, and be aware of this blurry line, huh?"
Excellent comment. I think this is exactly what has to happen. I believe there is true art from drawing perspective/learning from others without following. I believe part of learning from others is not passing judgement on that person. If judgement is passed on the person, judgement will be passed on what they say. I believe everything should be heard openly, then debated with individual logic to find true individuality.
Thank You Myth.
Ande Moore says:
7 months ago
Nice hub, good job. Why I work out of my home, I'm not a good follower and expect too much from others when I lead. When I coached I expected the kids to train as hard as I did when training for Nationals. As manager I always expected those to work as hard as I did, that's how I keep getting management jobs. Now as I writer was put into head writer position, which means I now have to edit all these people's work! Very frustrating at times...lol. Keep up the good work and have fun.