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I enjoyed your post. I saw it on DVTV last night. I had bed hair so I didn't leave a video comment. Ha.
I think there is a time to be collective and a time to be individual. When Gallaudet went through it's protests, the Deaf community came together as a collective. When the Twin Towers were crashed and many were killed, America came together as a collective. Throughout the Olympics, the world came together as a collective. These were important times when we set aside our differences and unite as one people. Often we have one cause.
Yet, there are times when it is important to walk alone. Stand our own ground. Speak up for our rights to choose. Decide on our own beliefs.
The key with individual thinking os to show respect for everyone else's individual choices. This is where we, as a Deaf community sometimes fall short. The lack of respect is often seen in impulsive responses and criticism. Opinions are fine. Everyone has them. But without respect for others, they become insults and harmful.
Great post, Brance!
~ LaRonda
Interesting question. Yes, Deaf culture is very collectivist -- when we sign, we share background information about the topic and ourselves, we help each other when someone doesn't understand the teacher, we share information about things we learned and how to do things, since many of us are unable to be exposed to those ideas and knowledge from Hearing people, so we help each other to learn those things. We tend to look to seek a consensus before engaging in action.
This collectivist value does conflict with greater Western culture values, especially that of American and British society, which is highly individualistic. However, collectivism does not preclude individualism.
While as a group, we are collective, as people we are individuals. When we vlog or comment, we are expressing our individual opinions and thoughts. But by posting on a common site (DeafRead or DVTV), we are engaging in collectivism by SHARING those thoughts and DISCUSSING them AMONG EACH OTHER.
Just remember, collectivism does not have to mean communism. Other cultures are collective too -- Hispanic culture also places a high value on family and community, and sharing of resources (intellectual and social).
For me with ASL community, I see
Collectivism = civil rights, equal status in respect, recognition, and as possible, power status from local to national level, standard signed language mode (ASL), bilingual/dual language ed model for most signers in this country, equal communication access, respect for individuals who enjoy wearing any type of assistive hearing devices
Individualism - religion/philosophy, lifestyle, hair style/dye color, and ...voting rights.
Trusting leaders 100% without voting rights is not collectivism, it is a breech of trust in individualism and empowerment, just a brainwashed communism. It is not a healthy collectivism at all so do not drop jaws at China's and DBC's feats lately.