Defy the crowd and defend the individual against the all-embracing power of the state.
This provocative essay contrasts the life-affirming impulse of the Individualist with the creeping pull of mass rule. It surveys thinkers from Palante to Spencer and Emerson, arguing that true freedom comes from self-reliance and a skepticism of grand schemes for “the common good.” Expect blunt analysis, vivid metaphors, and a fearless quarrel with modern ideologies.
- A bold argument about why the state often acts as a predator rather than a protector of liberty.
- Profiles and comparisons of influential individualists across history and thought.
- Accessible discussions of complex ideas, including terms like Moloch, automatism, and character vs. mass personality.
- Thoughtful prompts to question conformity, security promises, and the price of freedom.
Ideal for readers of philosophical histories, political essays, and polemics that defend the primacy of the individual in a crowded world.