[nabs-l] Individualism and Following a Leader

[Desiree Oudinot]

Hi,
My opinion is that a person who joins an organization must be
self-aware first. In this way, they don't end up compromising too much
of their identity and belief systems in order to "fit in" to the
organization's ideals. I believe this is especially prudent for young
people, who are figuring out who they are on all levels. People would
do well to sit down and honestly evaluate what they would like to get
out of being a part of the organization in question. If they are
psychologically unstable in any way, or lack a cohesive sense of self,
problems can easily develop, such as radical personality shifts, which
are unhealthy, in my opinion, not to mention alienating those who they
were close to, in favor of those who they have met within the group.
If it seems that what I have just written should go without saying,
then you know your standing in life, and how joining organizations
contributes positively to it. Even if one joins an organization at a
vulnerable time in their lives, and it helps them, that's a good
thing. What I will NEVER condone is a person who clearly is looking to
fill a void, and does so by bending over backwards in order to please
others. That is just as unhealthy, and ultimately destructive, as
drugs or alcohol as a means of escape.

On 6/22/14, Justin Salisbury via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Fellow Federationists:
>
> Let us have a discussion thread about the relationship between individualism
> and following a leader. It appears to me that our generation has been taught
> to focus heavily on individualism, especially in questioning the ideas
> presented to us by leaders and establishments. I appreciate this part of my
> upbringing, but sometimes I wonder if this modern way of thinking can lead
> us to maintain our distance from an outfit in which we might have otherwise
> more actively embraced.
>
> I have analyzed organizations for years as an outsider and, sometimes, as a
> member. For me, two primary organizations stand out as ones where I have
> come to trust the intentions of the leadership: Epsilon Chi Nu Fraternity
> (the first Native American fraternity) and the National Federation of the
> Blind. Epsilon Chi Nu was founded to help Native American men graduate from
> college, and it has added a general purpose of helping native men be the
> best we can be. We are based in love and trust, and we understand that we
> are stronger together than individually, especially as we try to create a
> more positive image of native men than the stereotypes perpetuate. I don't
> have to tell you what we do in the National Federation of the Blind, so I
> would now like to pose some questions:
>
> Does following a leader or identifying with an establishment/organization
> infringe upon one's ability to be an individual?
>
> Are we relinquishing any of our own identity if we identify with an
> organization?
>
> Is an organization a collection of individuals, and do they have individual
> voices?
>
> Is it an individual decision to follow a leader or identify with an
> organization?
>
> I look forward to reading all provided opinions.
>
> Yours,
>
> Justin Salisbury
> Board Member
> National Association of Blind Students
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nabs-l:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/turtlepower17%40gmail.com
>


-- 
Desiree