If someone called you an individualist, would you be flattered or insulted?

如果有人稱你為個人主義者，你會覺得受寵若驚還是被冒犯？

An individualist might be a rugged John Wayne, a pioneer like Amy Johnson, a creative innovator like Kate Bush, or an entrepreneur like Richard Branson.

個人主義者可以是粗獷的演員 John Wayne，拓荒者 Amy Johnson，極具創意的改革者 Kate Bush，或企業家 Richard Branson。

People we admire for refusing to follow the crowd, for being true to themselves.

我們所景仰的人們拒絕跟隨群眾，選擇忠於真我。

But individualism is also often said to be the source of Western civilization's degeneracy, accused of leading to selfishness, shallow consumerism, the breakdown of society.

但個人主義也常被說是西方文明墮落的根源——被指控了導致自私自利、膚淺的消費習慣和社會的崩壞。

Individualism is a double-edged sword.

個人主義是把雙面刃。

Many believe its Western roots go right back to early Christianity.

很多人相信其在西方世界的根源可以回溯至早期的基督教信仰。

Jesus taught that salvation did not depend on what tribe you belong to, but on how you chose to live your life.

基督教誨信徒們，救贖不在於你選擇依歸哪個族系，而是取決於你選擇如何過自己的生活。

God had a one-to-one relationship with people, not to groups.

上帝與人維持著一對一的關係，而不是群體。

The 16th Century Protestant Reformation took this further, taking away the need for priests to act as intermediaries between God and ordinary people.

16 世紀時新教改革再將推進了這件事，廢除了普通百姓與上帝之間的媒介人牧師。

This sowed the seeds for the flowering of the modern individual in the 18th Century Enlightenment.

這埋下了現代個人主義的種子，並在 18 世紀啟蒙運動時開花結果。

The Prussian philosopher Kant summed up its key message in the Latin phrase "sapere aude"— dare to know, to think for yourself.

普魯士哲學家 Kant 用拉丁語 "Sapere Aude" 總結了其關鍵思想：「勇於求知，並為自己思考。」

Personal autonomy became the central value of Western society.

個人自治成為西方社會的中心價值。

We see this in the principles of one person, one vote; civil liberties; and equal rights for all.

我們可以在一人一票、公民自由與全員平權平等中可以體現岀其價值。

But this in many ways welcome development has gone hand in hand with the decline of community.

但這值得歡迎的發展也與社會的衰敗並存。

The growth of independence and autonomy leads to a decline in interdependence and solidarity.

獨立與自治的發展導致了相互依存與團結下降。

In other cultures these communal values have traditionally taken precedence.

在其他文化中，這種公共價值一直以來都非常被重視。

Across East Asia, who you are cannot be separated from the groups you belong to.

綜觀東亞，「你」的定位與你所屬的群體密不可分。

That does not mean you lose your identity in the crowd, you find your identity in it: as a parent, a child, a ruler, a teacher, an apprentice.

這不代表你在群體中失去自我，而是在群體中找到自我定位，例如成為一個父母、小孩、管理者、老師或學徒。

When we can all be different and yet all come together, we have harmony, the highest value in Confucian philosophy.

當我們可以各自不同又可以團結在一起，合諧共處，這就是孔子哲學的最高價值。

Across the world individualism is lamented when it turns us into atomized units, cut off from each other, showing little or no interest in our fellow citizens.

綜觀世界，個人主義將我們切割成原子單位般活著、斷開了與他們的連結還有對我們的同胞不甚感興趣，種種可說是相當令人惋惜。

But if you can be yourself, while also being part of society, contributing to it, your individualism will be praised and celebrated.

但如果你可以做自己，同時也可以參與這個社會並做出貢獻，你的個人主義就會被讚揚和慶祝。