The most recent discussion of existentialism in which I was engaged brought back to my memory some thoughts concerning individuality and self that I have not entertained recently. Specifically, I wonder about the nature of human individuality when we are obviously a social animal that relies on social constructs to maintain good health. This trail of thought occurred to me as I was reflecting on an earlier class discussion about Camus’ The Fall. There seemed to be a recurring theme through some of the story plots, of the individual being an entity defined by the observations of those around it. Jean-Baptiste helping the blind man and making it an obvious show, taking the dying man’s water because he is more important to those around him, and his execution where he is a reflection of shame upon on the onlookers. Although I know that this is a secondary meaning of the novel at best, I couldn't help but notice, and it made me ask the question again, what is it to be an individual? Although the romantic side of me likes to cling to the idea that I am an individual independent of my surroundings, regardless of situation and circumstance I would continue to be the same individual. However, the scientist in me is not so easily convinced. A major theme that I have learned in Sociology is the how significantly influenced individuals are by the society that they live in. In an almost completely subconscious series of events, individuals gradually change to fit the society in which they live, and many sociologists have theories of the self that define the self as only being a reflection of those around the person. This makes me wonder what would happen to an individual who lived his life in complete isolation. Would he become a feral animal? Would he live a healthy, although lonely, life? Or would he even survive without some type of social reaction?
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