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Sree, Individualism is a core value of liberalism.

Are you, as an individual, the best judge of your own interest?

How does this work in a society like the USA where individuals do not share the same interests?

Okay can’t argue with much of The Guy’s summary at 10:21.  But America is not that big.   You can segregate into compounds, but that’s about it.  We are a society that is interwoven.  I’ve managed to live a rather individualistic life, relatively speaking way out in the outback.   But I’m damned well dependent on those tankers coming around the gas stations, and those 18 wheelers filling up the grocery and hardware store.  When I go out into the world I still need to deal with all sorts of different people, what’s wrong with that?  We are a connected society, a healthy society requires increasing respect for others, not getting hung up in one’s own feeling of supremacy – man, that can only end one way.

Asking if the individual is the best judge of their own interest is a contrived question.  “People”  theoretically sure, of course.  But if that were really the case we won’t have people getting lost in drugs and dying by their own hand, or abusing their kids or anyone of a million other hideous and self-destructive things people are capable of doing to themselves and others.

Sree, how about looking at it from the other direction:

We need each other to keep ourselves honest.

Does that sound reasonable?

We’re an increasingly crowded society shouldn’t we be working on getting along?   Now days I listen to tidbits of Christian radio and FOX and jesus christ we are made to scum that needs to be wiped out.  We listen to trump and his cartoon alter-ego and that’s nothing but pro-wrestling and lord of flies mentality, you really think there’s a future in that?

Being an “individual” is in how you live and behave and think, part of that is in how you interact with others.  Individualism shouldn’t be a license to disregard the society we are embedded within.