what it means to be collective. icu.

the concept of a functioning collectivist society is one that continues to allude me two months into my stay. whether it's the sheer disparity that exists between these notions and the ones that prevail throughout the nation which i call home or my own reverence is unexplainable. long have my ambitions aimed for community growth and aid but these have been just that, my ambitions. the fact that in these ancient lands it's possible for such initiatives to be taken on by a group is something entirely new. in the context of my placement at freedom house, as i've mentioned, the dynamism that surrounds this outlook is for me awe-inspiring. while this touches upon the very micro level of the collectivist reality it is one of the most pertinent for me personally. yet with increasing consciousness i have become more and more aware of the actuality of it all in a much wider perspective. contingent upon many cultural values the collective way of thinking stems from the nuclear family and branches out into the entire nation in a web of connections. this system of cohesive groupings provides a structure community wise and varying attributes in the population that are not present in the united states. from my perspective this is a reality i wish could perforate the individualist armor that is so present else where in the world. the ideas behind personal achievement and gain are not ones that i discredit in any way as our existence relies upon this innate drive but that should be integrated into the larger picture.  it is so easy to be entrapped in your goals and needs that the realities that should be forefront are pushed aside to make way. life as i perceive it is a sphere filled with these discrepancies and a balance of the two could change the world. while the  aim to change the world is simply the context i choose to relate these principles, i'm hoping to take some collectivist enterprise along with the other things that southeast asia is teaching me and return it to a society that if open minded enough could thrive on its the ingenuity.