Me or We? - Individualism vs. Collectivism

The price of the event is 1000 HUF. Recommended to pay here instead of through Paypal to avoid additional costs. Scroll to the bottom for more payment info!

Are you the author of your own life, or a thread in a larger fabric?
Western culture says "be yourself." Many Eastern traditions answer that yourself is made of the people around you. Both sound wise until they collide: your father breaks the law, a mandate overrides your choice, or a dream job means leaving your ageing parents behind.

Join us for a friendly, structured argument (not a lecture) where these two great ideas of how to live go head to head!

Voices we'll bring to the table:

John Stuart Mill: Over your own body and mind, you are sovereign.

Immanuel Kant: Grow up intellectually and dare to think for yourself.

Confucius: You become fully human through your relationships, and harmony does not mean sameness.

Fei Xiaotong: Chinese society is ripples around the self, Western society is bundles of sticks.

Yang Zhu: an ancient Chinese thinker who, by the words of Mencius, "wouldn't give up a single hair to save the world".
(So "East = collectivist" isn't necessarily true!)

Karl Marx: The human essence is the sum of our social relations.

Amartya Sen: "Asian values" isn't one thing, and no tradition is monolithic.

What to expect:
A short introduction of both directions.
A silent vote at the start and a revote at the end, to see who changed their mind
Debates about impossible dilemmas, such as:
Could you be "you" if you grew up with no community at all, or is your self made by others?
If you could erase every inherited obligation, would you be freer or just emptier?
Is your success your own achievement, or a debt to the people and society that made it possible?
Is harmony still harmony if it's kept by staying silent about injustice?
When does sacrificing for your family become exploitation of you?
Is any choice truly "self-regarding" in a connected world, or is Mill's line an illusion?
Should schools teach children obedience first or independent judgment first?
Is placing an ageing parent in a care home a betrayal or a loving, rational choice?
Which failure is worse: a lonely society where no one owes anyone anything, or a tight society where no one can leave?
Designing a society for your own children, which of the two values would you be most afraid to give up?

No philosophy background needed, only curiosity and an open mind.

The price of the event is 1000 HUF. Recommended to pay here instead of through Paypal to avoid additional costs. Include your Meetup name in the comment of the Revolut payment! As soon as the payment arrives, you'll be added to the event as participant!