Someone For the "I" in "Society"
| Published 09/24/04

Graphic by: Doni Neel

Recently I've become more aware of a phenomenon which interests me; the difference between selfishness and self-preservation. The line between the two has been blurred so much that it's hard for many to see the difference. It seems that it's easier for people to label others as "selfish" rather than actually put themselves in their position.

For example, many times have I heard complaints against bands "selling out." If a band decides to change its style or sound, it has "sold out" in the eyes of its fans. I have seen people rave that a band is their favorite and then do a complete about-face the minute the band has released an album which sounds different from their previous one.

Last time I checked it wasn't your band, was it? Just because bands play for the public shouldn't mean that they can't play for themselves as well. God forbid doing something to benefit yourself! If they want to change the direction of the band then that is their choice. Music is, ideally, a form of self-expression and noting that people change, it seems fairly obvious that the type of music they make would change along with them. I don't see how that concept is so hard to accept.

People who express anti-war sentiments are also some of the first to be condemned by society. This idea of unity is so driven into our heads that the question of whether or not we actually want to do something is blurred. If I were to say that I would rather go to Canada than fight a war that I don't believe in, I would immediately be dismissed as "cowardly." If you value your life more than your honor then I don't see how it is cowardly at all. In fact, it is quite practical.

While it's good to look out for your fellow man, there's only so much that you can do for others without neglecting your own needs. In that age old scenario: if someone had a gun pointed at you and a friend and you were to choose would get shot, who would you choose? Both choices are valid. Both are personal. Why is one choice considered good and the other bad?

I do understand this mentality. Being self-preservative in a society situation is automatically going to cause you some grief. However, when it comes to the point where you cannot voice your opinion without being deemed selfish or cowardly, that is when it has become a problem.