Pluralism vs. Monism

Pluralism maintains that the universe comprises various distinct entities that exist independently. In contrast, monism posits that seemingly disparate elements are interconnected fragments of a unified whole. While pluralism emphasizes the diversity of the world, monism emphasizes its unity. The former reflects the micro or analytical thinking of the West, whereas the latter represents the macro or holistic thinking of the East.

Pluralism is used by capitalists to justify and defend individuality, independence, freedom, and autonomy of the individual, advocating for self-interest, personal liberty, rights, private ownership, competition, and a free-market economy. Conversely, monism views individuals as interdependent members of an integrated human society, emphasizing collective interests, coexistence, equality, fraternity, cooperation, responsibility, and the overall well-being of society. These two philosophies have given rise to different economic and political systems. The question of which philosophy better serves humanity's best interests and can lead mankind toward a brighter future remains unanswered.

Aristotle stated, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." Before modern times, monism was the prevailing philosophy throughout human history. Early humans recognized the importance of unity and cooperation for the survival and success of the species. However, this shifted with the advent of modern science and technology, which empowered individuals and fostered self-sufficiency, giving rise to individualism and pluralism (see Tango and Individualism). These ideologies promote personal liberty, choice, diversity, LGBTQIAPK rights, same-sex marriage, etc., championing multiculturalism that embraces iconoclastic values, relativism that denies the distinction between true and false, right and wrong, good and evil, and beautiful and ugly, anti-intellectualism that resists science and reason, affirmative action that protects heterodoxies, marginal cultures, minority groups, and alternative lifestyles, reverse discrimination against mainstream culture, tradition, and conventional wisdom, the success and dominance of a shrinking minority and the struggle and failure of a growing majority due to competition, the consequent plutocracy, and the aggrandizing inequality, division, polarization, dissension, and disunity in society.

After all, individualism and pluralism stand for the law of the jungle and have no respect for equality and morality. This poses a threat not only to societies that embrace such ideologies but also to the world at large, as evidenced by the growing moral decay, societal fragmentation, and widespread lawlessness in the US, the lack of moral integrity among its political elites, and the destructive impact of their self-serving, hegemonic, bullying, belligerent, and coercive foreign policies on the world (see The Lessons of Tango).

What pluralism and individualism fail to acknowledge is that people are inherently interrelated and interdependent, whether they realize it or not, and that the survival and success of the species depends on human cooperation (see Tango and Gender Interdependence). A human society must be built on philosophies that unite rather than divide people, along with some kind of moral code, institutions, governance, and order. Turning people into individualistic rivals only fosters conflict, animosity and chaos, as evidenced by the unrest resulted from US-led efforts to "liberate" people, and the ensuing humanitarian disasters and refugee crises, which are further aggravated by the open-border policies and multiculturalism at home. The situation will only worsen if we continue to propagate radical liberalism, assert absolute personal freedom, prioritize individuals over society, oppose any order that we consider authoritarian, call democracy the tyranny of the majority, label one gender the oppressor of the other gender, radicalize education, media and law, and fragment society into more and more conflicting factions (see Darwinism and Confucianism).

While liberalism once played a positive role in liberating human creativity and potential, contributing to the success of capitalism in the West, its excessive focus on individualism is proven self-destructive. As a reader insightfully commented, "Freedom and human rights movements led people to put a lot of emphasis on individuality and as a result, the inflated self-image lessens our ability to view the world as a connected whole. This inflated self-image is also probably the root cause to many modern psychological ailments and problems: loneliness, depression, and mental disorder. If we can zoom out and see ourselves as a tiny one, rather than the one, in this big universe, a fact that has not changed a bit since the big bang, we may again find the beauty in the ancient natural law and adopt the right perspective towards the self and the rest of the world " (see A Wise Voice). The outcome is a re-concentration of resources, wealth, and political power in the hands of a few, only this time that is done not in the name of slavery, monarchy and aristocracy, but free competition.

Observing the success of capitalism in the West, the East, while adhering to its holistic philosophy and Confucian values, began to encourage people's initiative and creativity, which has also brought positive changes to the East in recent decades. While the East strives to integrate the strengths of the West, the West remains stagnant, refusing to learn from the East. It believes that, based on its past success, its way is the only right way. Instead of addressing its deep-seated ideological and structural flaws, it becomes increasingly neoliberal. The West spends vast resources on media propogandas, NGOs, military, cognitive, trade, technological and financial warfares to defend its system and impose its ideologies on others. This is not surprising given that capitalism has a vested interest in these ideologies, without which plutocracy loses legitimacy (see Democracy vs. Plutocracy).

However, this time the balance of power has changed. The pluralist West may have had an advantage over the monistic East, and it may continue to have an advantage over a Westernized East, but it cannot compete with the monistic East that has incorporated the strengths of the West. Individuality and sociality are two facets of human nature that must be balanced for the well-being of mankind and society as a whole. Neither authoritarianism, which suppresses individual freedom, nor individualism, which denies humanity's shared destiny, coexistence, and interdependence, can foster a cohesive human society. A healthy society thrives on fraternity, solidarity, cooperation, and the willingness of individuals to prioritize collective interests over personal ones and work together as a team. This is how families function (see Tango and Family Values). This is how tango is danced. This is how China is growing strong. And this is how America can regain its strength.

Despite the influence of individualism and pluralism, tango offers a new perspective for us to see ourselves as interconnected and interdependent members of the human family. Tango teaches us to cherish, love, accommodate, and cooperate with each other, and has demonstrated that is the only way to a better world (see Philosophies that Separate Two Worlds).