We have entered the 21st century with an established global communications network, the Internet. This technology has elevated the concepts of international business, of cultural exchanges, and of personal communication to levels of massive contact.

A single voice can be heard around the world.

Individuality is expressed in websites and blogs, in forums and feedback, in self-published e-books and essays on writing sites. We email and instant message. We join in live chats and web conferences. We are connected.

We hear and we are heard. These great advancements in communication have been designed to allow us to exchange ideas and goods quickly, efficiently, and with minimal effort.

The individual need never been alone, need never be without contact, without means to acquire friendships, information, or goods.

The individual is heard. The concept of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts is evident in this global networking environment as distinct individuals of all races, creeds, and philosophies come together to create a virtual nation of exchange.

The connectivity of the day has affected the concept of individualism, and could quite possibly render it moot.

Individualism as a philosophical topic has been covered since the early 19th century, and long before under different guises. Individualism is rooted in the concepts of self-reliance and autonomy. It is the vision of the individual as being able to choose whether or not he or she contributes to the common good, that the common good does not take priority over individual need and choice.

In this modern age, individuality thrives, while individualism withers.

The concept of “I” as one who maintains a separate and self-centered existence may at first glance seem to describe a common characteristic among the populace. But individualism should not be confused with such actions as suing McDonalds for contributing to one’s obesity, or ingesting drug cocktails and careening wildly through the streets of Malibu.

Rather, individualism sees the person as the responsible agent, that one’s actions should not bring harm to another, that government is not meant to govern action, but rather defend the right to take action. Individualism requires one to maintain his or her autonomy without societal or governmental aid.

This level of responsibility, of self-reliance, could hardly be applied to those reliant on litigation and lawyers to protect their right to self-destruct.

The connectivity of this modern age has redefined autonomy and self-reliance. It has refined the concept of individuality to that of individual expression; the outsider artist, the unpublished poet, the entrepreneur have all found audience within the global network of the Internet. Autonomy and self-reliance are manifest in successful websites and profits from ebay auctions.

But all are dependent on the common usage of modern technologies. There are societal mores and dictates within the Internet communities, though they are often different than those in the physical world.

In this modern age, individualism needs new definition. Modern individualism must include the concept of contributing to commonality; yet, this very notion negates the original concept of individualism.

In this modern age, the power of technology lies not only in speed, in information, in exchange, but also in influence. What we read, what we see, who we interact with on the Internet affects our outlook of who we are as individuals and as a collective of societies. Individualism, in its current definition, is seen as dated and unrealistic.

The goals of this modern age are connectivity, globalization, and individuality as self-expression. As our definition of socialization changes, so must our concept of individualism, of “I”.