The Problem with Individualism (Power of Nightmares)

The opening scene from the documentary introduces us to Syiid Kotb and Leo Strauss.

Power of Nightmares on BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/3755686.stm

Power of Nightmares on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Nightmares

The films compare the rise of the American Neo-Conservative movement and the radical Islamist movement, making comparisons on their origins and noting strong similarities between the two. More controversially, it argues that the threat of radical Islamism as a massive, sinister organised force of destruction, specifically in the form of al-Qaeda, is in fact a myth perpetrated by politicians in many countries—and particularly American Neo-Conservatives—in an attempt to unite and inspire their people following the failure of earlier, more utopian ideologies.

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[RationalDischarge]

If anything, this video points out the problem with collectivism. Neoconservatism and radical Islamism are both collectivist ideologies which hold that governments can lie, kill, and send their own citizens into wars any time they want, as long as they can claim it's for the greater good. Each of us has an inherent right to not be hurt, defrauded, or stolen from, not because government grants such rights, but because we are sentient beings with feelings, thoughts, and lives of our own.

[Errol2k]

Misleading title. So lack of collective goal is a problem of individualism? Those "individualistic" people never hurt anyone, but what Qutub & Strauss constructed has led to millions of deaths.

[in2dionysus]

The problem is concept and is also an error! Driven out of control what is concept? Tyranny! Religious or otherwise falsifies thought! It leaves a person de-void of what can be an intelligent purpose of controlling ones behaivor through notions not yet though of; the amoral tendancy!

[Errol2k]

@WATITDOO16: Those are the consequences of an unsustainable socialistic setup which is nearing its end. The only reason that it has been avoided for so long is because it has been running on the shoulders of the few earning and hard working individuals who have been feeding the ever increasing and the demanding collective but something like that can only go on for so long....

[WATITDOO16]

@dubified89 but the individual just sits and thinks...and thinks...and thinks...what I'm getting at is the collective gets things done when they share a common goal.

[WATITDOO16]

@Errol2k Soooo the current economic calamity that threatens to tear apart Europe, has led to millions in unemployment and homeless isn't an individualistic problem?

[dubified89]

Individualistic people THINK FOR THEMSELVES and question this shit. Collectivists follow the herd

[DoodiePunk]

Extraordinary amazing clip :)

[Superlibertytv]

So we are bad because you looked at the last 50 years? I agree we have strayed from what our founders intended for our nation, but the last 50 years have been plagued by Corporitism/fascism and is lost because we no longer cherish individualism. We are a collectivist society and he is mislead thinking that this is what America is all about. True Individualism is what brought us out of the dark ages. This video is and title is totally out of ignorance of reality of what is going on today.

[SunBeamsan]

What the bludy hell does this have to do with civil liberties advocates "inidividualist", with [government] sponsered terror?

[CowboyBebop2012]

I'm sorry but how is it that people just don't get the essence of Collectivism and Individualism - is beyond me.

The classic mistake is thinking- the collective is the people and individuals are a small group of evil men - using the ppl.

And that's dead wrong when it comes to explaning what is the phil. of individualism and of collectivism.

As stated below the groups depicted in this doc. are classic collectivists. One uses d collective of d flag&cross for it's ill-deeds - the other Islam.