FROM INDIVIDUALISM TO COLLECTIVISM AND BACK
This novel story of Chance’s personal journey commences in his 20s, when he suffers within the corporate morass of a job where competition is constrained by wokeism. Failing to conform, he quits the capitalist treadmill and goes back to university for a PhD to investigate risk-taking behaviour. He meets Megan, a champion athlete, who is researching motivation in employment-seekers.
Together they become absorbed in Heidegger’s phenomenology, which enables Megan to self-coach to success with elite performances. But the ‘Spectacle’, described by Debord (1967) takes control in many fields, including sport, with competition transformed into profit-making and to gain political control by the nanny state. Chance and Megan resist, opposing mandatory vaccination during the Covid pandemic and ending with non-violent civil disobedience. Their examples advertise individualism based on the thinking of some famous philosophers.
The novel Turkeys Not Bees is available on Amazon. Reviews are at martinknox.com
Posted on January 6, 2023, in Martin Knox, TURKEYS NOT BEES and tagged athletics, Collectivism, Competition, Covid, Heidegger, Individualism, Phenomenology, philosophy, Sport, The Spectacle, wokeism. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Comments.
It sounds like Chance and Megan are both interesting characters who are pursuing their passions and fighting against the constraints of societal norms and expectations. They seem to be using their interests in philosophy and sports, respectively, to guide their actions and make a positive impact in the world. It will be interesting to see how their journey plays out, especially as they encounter challenges such as the “Spectacle” and the Covid pandemic.
I agree with your interpretation of individuals controlled by social constraints. The bigger picture is opposition to individualism by governments and corporations who profit from collective participation which is diametrically opposed to their competitiveness.
It is certainly true that governments and corporations often have incentives to promote collective participation and discourage individualism, as it can benefit their bottom line. This can be seen in various ways, such as through policies that encourage conformity or the use of marketing techniques that appeal to group identity and loyalty