Sui Generis

If You’re Not An Individualist, You’re A Racist

Individualism is a very confused concept, partly because the term itself is oxymoronic. An, “-ism,” implies being a member of something, like an ideology or religion, which is exactly what an individualist is not. Every individual human being is different, unique, and, “one of a kind.” Individualism is the recognition of that fact and a rejection of any kind of collective identification.

Roots Of Racism

In the previous article, linked above, the emphasis was on individual differences. One section in that article, “Nobody Is A Statistic,” explains that nothing can be determined about any individual by identifying them with any class or category of human beings, especially not by any race, ethnicity, sex, nationality, physiological characteristics, cultural history or economic status, which are all forms of what is meant my, “racism.”

Racism pertains only to identifying individuals by categories that are unchosen. One does not choose their race, their ethnicity, their sex, their stature, complexion, eye-color, or inherent psychological ability, their cultural history or economic background. Identifying any individual as any of these alone is not racism. It is only racism when any of those attributes are used to make judgments about an individual’s character, value as a human being, or integrity—to make any of those characteristics into an individual’s identity.

Positive And Negative Racism

When someone declares, “I’m an American,” implying that identification is some kind of virtue, that is racism. It is, “positive,” racism. When someone declares, “he’s Italian,” implying that is some kind of fault or defect, that is racism. It is, “negative,” racism.

One’s chosen identification with any class or category of human beings is positive racism. It declares, in effect, that one’s character and value as a human being is determined by their membership in a particular race, ethnicity, sex, cultural or economic background, implying that all those not members of their class are inferior.

Identity Chosen, Not Attributed

Racism does not pertain to classifications or associations one chooses. It is not racism to identify someone by the religion they choose to follow, a class they identify themselves with, an ideology they profess, or any association, party, or organization they choose to be a members of. Those are all things one has chosen.

It is not any individual’s genetic background, where they were born, what culture they were raised in or whether they came from the poorest or wealthiest of families that determines who or what any individual is, but whatever they have chosen to be. Every individual is whatever they have made of themselves, what they have chosen to learn, the abilities they have chosen to develop, and the work they have chosen to pursue and achieve.

To identify anyone, others or one’s self, on any basis other than what that individual has chosen to be, achieve, and make of themselves is a form of prejudicial racism.

Racism Is Ubiquitous

H.L. Mencken said, “So long as there are men in the world, 99 percent of them will be idiots ….” He could have added, “and 99 percent of them will be racists.” Most people are obliviously racist.

The Visual Capitalist site that aims to make information about, “markets, technology, energy and the global economy,” easier to understand through, “data-driven visuals.” One recent article is, “Visualizing the U.S. Population by Race.“Why this would be relevant to, “markets, technology, energy and the global economy,” is not explained, because, like everyone else, it is assumed race, in some way, determines what people are and do. It is not intended to be, but is racism, pure and simple.

Who, other than a racist, would care what the percentage of races or ethnicities are that are living in the United States, or what those percentages are by state?

According to the article, “Charting the U.S. population by race is crucial for a number of reasons. This information can be used to better understand existing income and wealth gaps, track public health outcomes, and to aid in policy decision-making at higher levels.”

Racists are so unaware of their racism they can glibly imply wealth is determined by race and government policy should be based on race without blushing.

Everything Except Individualism Is Racism

If you are not an individualist, if your own estimate of your value as a human being is in any way determined by some unchosen association, your race, ethnicity, nationality, hereditary characteristics, economic status, or your membership in any category or collection of individuals, from fraternities to ideologies, you are a racist. Anyone who states with, “pride,” I’m a Russian, Italian, Polish, Irish, American, European, Oriental, Caucasian, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Catholic, Christian, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Anarchist, Atheist, Marxist, Socialist, Mason, Odd Fellow, Patriot, Artist, Actor, Lawyer, Politician, Doctor, or any other category or classification, as though any of those things made one a better or more important person is a racist. The most depraved and useless of human beings all make such claims.

With the exception of some religions, political ideologies, and organizations one must, “join,” (which are all chosen) none of those categories makes one less, either. They are all non-essential, irrelevant, incidentals with no bearing on who or what any individual is.

Every individual is whoever and whatever they have made of themselves by their own chosen effort. One’s importance, significance, and value as a human being is determined solely by what that individual has chosen to do with their life, how they have chosen to develop it, what they have chosen to learn, what they aspire to, the work they have chosen to do, and what they have produced and achieved.

The free individual knows that where he was born or in what cultural condition he was raised or what associations he has with any others has no bearing at all on who and what he is and that his only value and importance is determined by what he chooses and does with his life. Every individual is born with different opportunities, natural abilities and disabilities which the raw material out which one must build their own life.

Only the free individual who understand that every individual is totally responsible for who and what he is, and determines their own value by their own choices and actions regards all human beings a individuals, without the possibility of any prejudice based on any genetic or cultural association or evaluation. Only a free individual holds all other human beings as worthy of their respect.

The Most Important Person In The World

Sui Generis means, “one of a kind.” It is what every individual human being is, a unique being of which there is not another in the world. It means, it is not possible to judge what any human being is, based on any aspect of their human nature, because, unlike all other organisms, human nature does determine what any individual human being is, only what is possible for that human being to choose to be.

Sui Generis means, you are a unique human being; there is no another individual in the world exactly like you and most others are very different from you.

Sui Generis means, you are the most important person in the world. It means. no matter what is good for any other human being, if it is not good for you, it is not good at all. That also means, no matter what is good for you is not necessarily good for anyone else, because everyone is unique.

Sui Generis means, you and only you can know what is best for you and how you must live your life to be a successful and happy human being. It means you must do all your own learning and thinking. You may learn from others, but you cannot borrow from others what is right or good, because no other individual is exactly like you. You must think for yourself.

Sui Generis means you are totally responsible for every aspect of your life, that it is your knowledge, thinking, choices, and actions that will determine your every success and failure.

Sui Generis means you recognize, appreciate, and respect the individuality of all human beings, treating all others as unique and worthy of your association. Of all human beings, you, the free individual are worthy of the association of other human beings in a society, because you are never a threat to anyone else’s individuality and benevolent in all your relationships with others.

—(01/16/2021)

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—Since 2004