What political ideology is most American?

"Self and Community"

Two words You fail, to more words Donald Trump... Sorry no more BUsh.

SGT Paul Zinder - Wow! I need your help here. "You fail" Who, me? How? Donald Trump? What does that relate to? "Sorry no more BUsh[sic]"? Totally lost on that one...

I think our definitions of individualism are slightly different. I'm not against individual rights, but when we get to the point where we are picking and choosing very specific rights that help a few individuals while hurting a majority that's the individualism I disagree with. I see communitarianism as individuals working together for the betterment of the whole, while I see individualism as individuals working towards what's best for them.

SGT Kristin Wiley - You should study the Pilgrims. Not the nonsense they teach in schools these days, but the real skivy. You would find out that they were communally-oriented when they first established their colony in Plymouth. They labored as a community and stored their products communally. And they failed. Many died. Those who survived suffered. The progressives who have usurped control of our educational institutions will have you believe otherwise. They will compound the lie by "teaching" you that the natives (Indians) saved the Pilgrims and the Pilgrims (those bastards) repaid this kindness by slaughtering them and stealing their land. The truth is that individualism saved them. As individuals they saved themselves. They planted and raised their own crops. They excelled at somethings while their neighbors excelled at others. They used barter (free market concepts) to trade surpluses and thrived even more. The greatest problem with communal ideologies is that they are based on centralized management (by committee or tyrant or any variation between). Mistakes made by communal managers and planners affect the community as a whole. As individuals, we make our own decisions and accept responsibility for their outcomes. A mistake affects only the individual making it. Indeed, that individual serves as a warning to others who might be tempted to try the same thing (unless of course they have other resources that might affect the outcome). Thus, I will respect your right to your opinion but will commit all that I have and that I am to prevent it from becoming the ideology of America

CPT Jack Durish I think you misunderstood my explanation. My issue is when individuals make the selfish individual-oriented choice over the choice that would benefit their neighbor and themselves. It could be that we are less likely to see the 2nd and 3rd order effects from these other choices, so we choose the option that provides instant gratification. It seems more and more common for individuals to make these choices that benefit themselves in the short-term, but hinder them and often times others in the long-term. That's the individualism I have trouble agreeing with.

SGT Kristin Wiley - You stated your position and I understood it perfectly. Your addendum simply amplifies the fact that you are for individualism so long as individuals make choices that you deem acceptable, not greed driven. Indeed, that is exactly the argument that all communalists make to defend their right to make decisions for the community. Sadly, what the architects of the nations founding documents failed to do was show us the flip side of the coin of liberty. Yes, we have the right to pursue happiness, but may end up taking wrong turns that lead to sadness. We have the right to enjoy the fruits of our labors. However, sometimes those fruits are sour, inedible. Just because I fail, the person who succeeds isn't greedy. -- Funny side note here: In may business career I came across many people who succeeded, at least as measured by material wealth. More often then not they attempted to repeat that success. Now you may think them greedy. Didn't they already have enough? No. More often than not they were merely attempting to prove (to themselves or others) that their success wasn't just mere chance. Contrary to Elizabeth Warren's infamous proclamation, they did build "that". And more often than not, they not only failed in their attempt to replicate success, but most lost their fortunes in the attempt. -- If you look closely enough you may find that what you call greed is merely ambition...