2. Edgar, the primitive individualism bred in ancient Greek myths and epics, once pointed out: "Western culture is the synthesis of Judaism, Christianity, Greece and Rome." However, among these four cultures, Greek culture developed on the basis of Aegean culture is the cornerstone of modern western culture. Although Mesopotamian civilization and Egyptian civilization also had a substantial impact on western culture, ancient Greek civilization can make westerners feel a sense of belonging and source.
3. The value system of individualism in western society can be summarized as the following three basic propositions: (4) A. All values are people-centered, that is, all values are experienced by people (but not necessarily created by people); B, the individual is an end in itself, with the highest value, and social existence is only a means to achieve personal goals; C, all individuals are morally equal, and no one can be regarded as a means for others to seek benefits. The generalization of these three aspects can help us distinguish "individualism" from "egoism and egoism" accurately.
4. In terms of culture, individualism leads to the diversity of western culture and westerners' emphasis on self-awareness. Take the United States as an example. The United States is the largest immigrant country in the world, just like a melting pot, including people from different countries and regions, different religious beliefs and different languages and colors. American society has shown great tolerance for all different cultures, which is not unrelated to his tradition of emphasizing individual uniqueness and uniqueness in his individualistic value system. It can be seen from this that individualism does not mean being self-centered and self-enclosed, but represents a strong openness and inclusiveness. In daily life, individualism is to respect people's individuality and private space, and to admit that individuals have the right to be different from others and to choose their own way of life. Westerners don't like to accept unsolicited help, and they don't like others taking up their time or space without permission. In the west, classmates, colleagues, relatives, friends, even parents, brothers and sisters call them by their first names; In the face of other people's requests, you can directly refuse or accept; Western students often pay more attention to fun than requirements, and they often dare to choose their own lifestyle freely. All these show their attention and emphasis on themselves.