Thematic Collection 3: Individuality vs. a Society of Individualism

Our society has become one of individualism and the music industry is no exception to this. In class we talked about how in the past there have been entire group movements - people writing songs and singing about the same issues. The folk revival movement for example was a movement of not an individual, but a community. Where is that today? This doesn't mean that there are not any contemporary artists who have anything important to say, it means that everyone has their own message, their own agenda. Often times, this message seems to be about individuality. I have found that there are a huge amount of songs which are commenting on conformity. There are endless songs which contain the noble message of "don't conform. Be true to yourself. You can do anything!" Don't get me wrong, this is a great thing to teach people and all, but why does it all have to be about extreme individuality? Why can't a response to conformity be diverse unity. What is missing in our society is the idea that unity and diversity can exist simultaneously - this is true community. So why does our society and its institutions have to endorse either stereotypes which put you in the category of conformity, or individualism? Here are just a few songs which stress the common rhetoric of individuality which, once again I do not think is bad in its own right: