
I think it’s important to focus on both the individual and the collective, personally- especially as queer people. The rights we fought for are (generally) individual rights (the right to wear what we want, sleep with who we want, marry who we want, be out in society and still get work and housing, etc.) In very collectivist societies, queer people usually have less individual liberty because the cishet majority imposes its will on the queer majority more totally.
the queer community started with a strong collectivist nature and its what made them strong, fierce, and militant. It’s what got us what little rights and recognition we have today. Pride has become an annual holiday for self-indulging and partying instead of the collective act of resistance it started as.
I agree it turning into that is bad, but in strongly collectivist cultures you’re forced to spend time with bad people because they’re “part of the community”. And i’m not saying bigots, i’m saying people who are shitty. Take close knit bdsm communities of today: rapists often get away with it simply because they’ve been in the community for a long period of time. There’s downsides.
Because strongly collectivist cultures typically don’t exocommunicate people like that. It’s hard to get rid of someone when your only focus is keeping everything and everyone together no matter what. Seriously, talk to someone from a strongly collectivist culture. I agree we should lean collectivist but 100% collectivist is bad. It’s also hard for “outsiders” to assimilate. In our community this would mean people who are newly out.
And do you mean me? Because I’m neither white nor moderate, I’m a democratic socialist, and I’m not advocating assimilation - literally the opposite. As queer people we will always be the minority in society, and a society that oppresses minorities and denies them individual rights will always come after us as well. I was pointing out that “individualism” in society (the focus on individual rights and independent autonomy) isn’t a completely evil thing (though ofc it can be taken too far).
did i respond to you when making that statement or did i respond to a relevant comment made by op? also its interesting that you're a dem soc and yet you're essentially rehashing anti-collectivist propaganda that has been used time and time again to smear socialist movements. collectivism isn't targeting your individual rights and liberties. it does not work towards a detriment of queer individuals. collectivism aims for the benefit of the collective—emphasizing the importance of (1/2)
in individualist countries you start seeing something called the fundamental attribution error occurring. this is where people blame the individual for certain events over their circumstances. "oh late to work? that must be an issue with you" rather than traffic, or transportation issues, or other factors.
not to mention the quality of eldercare and disability resources slump in individualist countries comparatively to collectivist ones. we place less value on our elders and the disabled. as they are not productive in capitalisms eyes, they are not afforded an equitable quality of life. everyone is so focused on themselves that they don't stop to aid others.