Oakeshott

Centuries ago, human beings lived in communal environments where the individual was rarely celebrated and big events that were enjoyed by all were the center of attention. In this time, the individual did not exist because there was no space for him, only for the circumstances and occupations that were dictated by previous generations. The relationship amongst individuals was based on the established hierarchy and social mobility was nearly non-existent. In Italy, individuality began to emerge and flourish as individuals became aware of their infinite possibilities. As people became excited about opportunity and self fulfillment, a new kind of person arose which is also considered a “modern” character. This new character is the individual manqué who unlike the individual, saw the decay of traditional social relations as a threat to their existence and well-being. Without any ambitions, the individual manqué was left without a guide to follow in a world that was in the middle of drastic change and exceptional dynamism. From the frustrations of being left alone and without direction, a militant individual manqué became the anti-individual. This anti-individual was completely unconcerned with the demands of individuality, instead opting for rejection of any self-advancement. The anti-individual is the individual’s envious cousin who takes it upon himself to be the opposite character as the individual as an identity. The anti-individual met with other people of his kind to realize that they are the most abundant class in modern European society. Together, these anti-individual's represent what would become the working class led by leaders who took it upon themselves to meddle in other people’s business, ones who could not think and opine for themselves. The anti-individual did not think, he felt. In this way the character was driven by urges and emotion rather than contemplation. These opposite characters came to represent certain social phenomenons in the modern world. The prime example of this is how private property became associated with the individual and labor and uniformity became associated with the anti-individual.