Pluralism vs. Monism

Pluralism maintains that the universe comprises various distinct entities that exist independently. In contrast, monism posits that seemingly disparate elements are interrelated parts of a whole, unified by something fundamental and consistent. While pluralism emphasizes the diversity of the world, monism underscores its unity. The former reflects the micro or atomistic thinking of the West, whereas the latter embodies the macro or holistic thinking of the East.

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

Aristotle stated, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." Historically, monism was the predominant philosophy, as early humans understood that unity and cooperation were vital for the survival and success of the species. However, the rise of modern science and technology empowered individuals and encouraged self-sufficiency, leading to the emergence of individualism and pluralism. These ideologies celebrate individual liberty, diversity, and choice, championing multiculturalism that embraces iconoclastic values, LGBTQIAPK rights, and same-sex marriage, endorsing relativism that denies distinctions between true and false, right and wrong, good and evil, and beautiful and ugly, supporting anti-intellectualism that resists science and reason, and promoting affirmative action that protects marginalized groups and alternative lifestyles. This has led to reverse discrimination against mainstream culture, traditions, and conventional wisdom, and has exacerbated inequality, polarization, dissension, societal fragmentation, and disunity (see Tango and Individualism).

Individualism and pluralism, rooted in the "law of the jungle," lack respect for equality and morality, posing a threat to both societies that embrace these ideologies and 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, and coercive foreign policies on the world (see Darwinism and Confucianism).

What these ideologies fail to recognize is that humans are inherently interconnected and interdependent, and the survival and progress of the species require cooperation (see Tango and Gender Interdependence). A cohesive society must be built on philosophies that unite rather than divide, underpinned by moral codes, 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 Lessons from Tango).

While liberalism once played a positive role in unleashing human creativity and potential, contributing to capitalism's success in the West, its excessive emphasis on individualism has proven counterproductive. 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 result has been a re-concentration of resources, wealth, and political power in the hands of a few, only this time this is done not under slavery, monarchy or aristocracy, but under the guise of 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 seeks 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 the rest of the world, which is not surprising given that capitalism has a vested interest in these ideologies, without them plutocracy loses legitimacy (see Democracy vs. Plutocracy).

However, the balance of power has shifted. Initially, the pluralistic West may have certain advantages over the monistic East, but the monistic East, enriched by Western strengths, is catching up with and in many ways surpassing the pluralistic 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 create a cohesive society. Successful society thrives on fraternity, solidarity, cooperation, and the willingness of its people 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 individualism's pervasive influence, tango offers an alternative lens. It teaches us to see ourselves as interconnected and interdependent members of a global human family. Through its principles of love, cooperation, and accommodation, tango demonstrates that collaboration, rather than competition, paves the way to a better world (see Philosophies that Separate Two Worlds).