String of Connections

It is a normal thought in society that every individual is bound to an unspoken contract to submit his personal will to the "general will". The individualists of course opposed such advocacy of undermining an individual to the majority because they tend to enter society to serve (and even demand for) their own interests without regards to the interest of society. Thus, sacrificing their self-interests for the benefit of society is simply out of the question. The various differences between individuality and society are never-ending; example, while the former is self-regarding, the latter is other-regarding. But one needs not to be an egoist to maintain his individuality, rather, one must become a good individual to contribute to society. Individuals must learn to think critically, correct and learn from their own mistakes in order to become a significant individual in society.

Individuals and Social Issues

On Unemployment

The impact of unemployment is apparent both in an individual who is out of work and in the society. In an individual's perspective, not having a job would hinder him from paying his financial obligations and even supporting his basic needs. This, in turn, will push him to do things that will affect other individuals in the society, such as committing crimes and even suicide. In a national level, unemployment will directly hurt a country's economic standing due to low income generation. It will also allow crimes to arise and thus destroy a community's peace and security.

On Alcoholism and Drug Addiction

Alcoholism and drug addiction can result in the deterioration of one's physical body; alcohol abuse in particular may result in poor nutrition, memory disorder, heart problems and other illnesses. Alcoholism may also lead to various personal and marital problems, which include unemployment, depression, broken families, wife abuse and even child abuse. These problems will gradually extend its grasps to the society by contributing to the fatality rate of accidents brought about by driving when drunk. Other social issues are also affected, such as crimes, suicides, violence and homelessness and poverty.

On Teen Pregnancy

Teenage pregnancy is not only harmful to a young girl's health but it also intensifies other problems in the society such as poverty, crimes, poor health and other social diseases. Major impacts have been evident to children born out of teenage pregnancy as they suffer in their situation without a biological father to take care of them. This is turn will allow them to grow up as detrimental to the society, with low regards for morality and social norms and standards.

On Poverty

This social issue has wide-ranging and distressing impacts to both the individuals and the society. These effects include health problems and malnutrition which leads to higher infant mortality rate and widespread of diseases. Poverty may also cause mental illnesses and drug dependence which will further result to crimes and violence

Conclusion

An individual's choices, his everyday decisions have direct impacts to the society where he lives in. One cannot say that he's free to do anything he wants because what he wants might harm other individuals in the society. Thus, one must learn to give importance to the society as well even if he wants to uphold his individualism by becoming a better individual adhering to the guiding principles of the norms and standards of the society as a whole.

References

1. Civilization and its Discontents - http://www.users.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/civil.html

2. Macroeconomics/Employment and Unemployment - http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/

3. Macroeconomics:Employment_and_Unemployment Alcoholism - http://www.faqs.org/health/Sick-V1/Alcoholism.html

4. The Effects of Alcoholism - http://www.eslbee.com/effects_of_alcoholism.htm

5. Teenage Pregnancy - http://teen.drsobhe.com/teenagepregnancy.html

6. Poverty - http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761577020_3/Poverty.html#s122