Being Selfish – Collectivity to Individuality to Being One and Many Simultaneously

 Being Individual is a Natural Step in Earth’s Evolution:

The purpose of animal life was to preserve its species and make it available as a stable and secure platform for future evolution.

Man, too, is a laboratory for future evolution. But the purpose of man is twofold – i.e., to preserve humanity to provide a secure base for future evolution, and to support the evolution by expressing inherent multiplicity. Being individual is a natural step in the Earth’s evolution. Selfishness is only a faster means of achieving the same.

Being Individual is to Fulfil the Purpose of Nature:

The Purpose of Nature is to express ‘One to Many’ (एकोऽहं बहुस्याम्). This is the law that governs the world. ‘One’ can’t manifest itself in ‘Many’ without individuality. Therefore, being individual is the logical, natural and underlying urge of Nature.

Being Individual is to be Happy:

In all his movements, Man seeks happiness. But he can’t be happy unless there is harmony between what he is within and that which he is outside. To express what one is within is to be an individual, and a right step towards being happy.

Collectivity vs Individuality:

Systems, such as family, society and organisations, have their own egos. In general, they are more concerned about their own existence, structure, and dominance than individuals’ (their constituents’) happiness, and build themselves at the expense of the individuals. This apathy forces man to revolt and break away from the systems, create their own world, and nourish their individuality. The efforts towards individuality are termed selfishness. However, selfishness is an unrefined urge to explore and express oneself.

It is only in the process of becoming an individual that a man will realise his true being and the relevance of systems. Individuality and collectivity are both important. They support each other and should grow together. Any effort by one to dominate the other is going to invite pushback.

Moving from self-centred collectivity to self-centred individuality, humanity will attain harmony between them, because, at least in the present environment where we are largely interdependent, none can live without the other. This, then, shall lead to a stage in which systems and individuals will become equally important and mutually beneficial.

Man is an Individual and All, simultaneously:

Selfishness is one of the means by which human evolution is progressing from Collectivity to Individuality. However, superficial individuality, - an individuality devoid of universality, is not going to bring permanent happiness to man either, because man is essentially universal. He is a soul, which is nothing but a part and the Whole.

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते। पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते।

अर्थ: बाह्य जगत् पूर्ण है, आंतरिक जगत् भी पूर्ण है, पूर्ण से पूर्ण प्रकट होता है, पूर्ण में से पूर्ण लेने पर भी पूर्ण ही शेष रहता है।

He must move from collectivity to individuality to being ‘One’ and ‘Many’ simultaneously.

Human Evolution:

Man, however, when he appears selfish (individualistic) in his actions, he still lives by the collective mentality. This movement towards individuality should grow until it brings mental independence or mental individuality.

Evolution will not stop until man grows truly individual. It is then that he will realise true Unity.

It is then that the Earth and Man will achieve Unity that is simultaneously blissful Multiplicity.

Concluding Note:

Selfishness is not something to be condemned. It is a force working for the evolution of mankind. Man, who has been largely living in a group at the cost of his individuality, shall break apart to seek his individuality. It is only when he becomes truly Individual that he will become truly Universal.

‘One to Many’ (एकोऽहं बहुस्याम्) is the law of the Earth and the law of Evolution.

Selfishness is currently the force that is pushing for this movement. We may term it an evil force from the standpoint of a distant ideal of Harmony, but at the current level of humanity, it is doing its work perfectly fine.