No single ideology can define a human being. Ideas like Feminism, Socialism, Communism, Atheism, Capitalism, Theism, although different in perspective, they are all equally abstract. We all adhere to many values of different ideologies but not a single one can define us thoroughly
Born to be Groupies
There is a rather absurd belief that, as individuals, we can relate and identify with generic grouping principles. We are expected, based on given labels, to agree about politics, religion, ethics, culture and everything else in between. It is understandable for one to hold such beliefs due to our nature as social animals. We all need to belong somewhere thus we instinctively tribalize ourselves into fractions. We have been doing this as a species for millennia.
Group mentality is detrimental to oneself. Whatever fraction one chooses to identify themselves with, the result is much the same. A crowd forms in order to oppose another crowd. At the end, individuality is sacrificed in order for one to become the momentary supporter of a vague idea—an idea that no one fully disagrees or agrees with.
Following the Leader
If one is looking for the pinnacle of the human fall, one has to look no further than those who lead groups. Leadership has been exemplified as something benevolent but it is the single most dangerous idea humanity carries out from our primitive past. Politics act as a feeding arena for leaders and ultimate open the gateway to violence. Groupies are the only entities that sustain politics. Leaders feed on groupies.
Pick any random person from your friend list and examine the conversations you have had with them in the past. You will find that they are bit anarchic, statist, feminist, religious, atheist, humanist depending on the context of the conversation. Group ideologies, aim superficially for the same benevolence thus they share common marketable characteristics. These very characteristics, or better, identifiers, can be perceived as both negative and positive depending on context. The negatives are usually shared from the groupies. The positives are almost always enjoyed by the leaders. In essence, the vast majority of humans, willingly cause harm to themselves without even realising it.
After so many eons on this planet humans are still polarized, often resembling mindless drones. Muppets, blindly following a general idea that benefits those who control them. This is how and why the average voter, blogger, ideological fan, chooses a leader—or worse, the idea one disagrees the least. This is how human relationships become toxic and why we oppose each other without really knowing the reason. When one is mad at someone, often, they turn to be against the idea the opposing person seems to be representing. “Lost in translation” doesn’t even begin to describe the tradegy of this situation.
Finding Oneself
The idea of selfishness is often misinterpeted as pathological egotism, when in fact is the healthy realisation that we are all unique beings. Critical Thinking, a very tough skill to master, is the core of individuality and the corel of our selfishness. It frees people from the effects of the crowd and the influence of leaders. No wonder selfishness and independence have been frowned through the ages whereas sacrifice or belonging to a group is considered virtuous. Leaders are almost always selfish. The only difference with the rest is that they are lying about it.
If humanity is to become civilized and not destroy itself, the notion of group mentality owes to be conquered. Humans need to become their own leaders, their own masters, their own unique -isms.