Individualism Against Identitarianism
Which “I word” offers the real answer to America’s problems?
Is the real answer to America’s identity crisis individualism? Anti-DEI activist Chris Rufo believes so.
At an IM-1776 event last week, Rufo responded to the magazine’s discussion of American identity. He dismissed identitarianism in favor of individualism. He began his talk by sharing his admiration for Hungarian conservatives and how they think in centuries in contrast to visionless American politicians who jump from one fleeting political fad to another He highlighted how Hungarian nationalists have a rich identity rooted in their faith, history, and traditions. It appeared he may apply a similar identity framework for America. But that was a mistaken assumption. After asking the crowd if they think of race when they hear “identity,” (they said yes) he then proceeded to reject that connection.
He condemned an ethnic conception of American identity, claiming it’s antithetical to the nation’s founding principles and was never upheld in our history. He said individualism meets the true spirit of the Founding. He argued identitarianism would be disastrous because it would undermine the individual and turn America into a prison where you’re stuck with a preassigned gang. The real solution is to reclaim America’s true identity of individualism against the identitarianism of the Left and the Right.
I disagree with Rufo’s argument for individualism over identitarianism. Individualism is inherently idiosyncratic, meaning it can never amount to a unifying and inspirational national identity. Individualism is certainly part of the American experience, which is why nearly everyone in the country supports it. But individualism devoid of group identity leaves Americans as free-floating atoms in a continental economic zone. It leaves them with no heritage, no community, and no sense of who they are. It’s essentially the situation we have now. In fact, it’s unclear how America in 2024 could become more individualist.
Rufo undermined his argument with his celebration of Hungarian identity. The Magyars root themselves in their distinctive heritage and culture as a people, not by a commitment to abstract values. This reverence in the past makes their leaders think in centuries. They’re able to see beyond individual existence and comprehend their people’s long history. When everything is about the individual, politicians only think 15 minutes ahead—a fact Rufo bemoans. Radical individualism makes Americans a people without a past, and thus a nation of immigrants in the truest sense of the word: a group of disparate, disconnected people living in proximity within a mere geographic space.
As Hungary shows, an ethno-cultural identity doesn't mean the individual loses his distinct self and is forced into an ant colony (or prison gang). Americans throughout its history have expressed racial consciousness and an ethnocultural understanding of the nation. They didn’t forfeit their individuality to do so. They merely expressed what was the fundamental character of the country. Our naturalization laws reflected this widespread belief into the Cold War era. Thomas Jefferson and John C. Calhoun didn’t need to join a prison gang to express their identitarianism.
Preference for one’s own kind is found throughout all aspects of life. You don’t have to go to prison to see people break out into racial groups; you can just go to a school with a high amount of diversity. I took the ACT at a very diverse school in Nashville. When we were given a break, each group congregated in their own hallway. One hallway was for blacks, another for Kurds (Nashville has a large Kurdish population), and another hallway for Hispanics. The whites were stuck awkwardly in the middle. Many of us came from whiter schools where kids divided themselves by activities and hobbies, not by race. That type of individuality can only be found in a very white environment. When increased diversity makes whites a minority, your race matters more than the music you listen to.
Whites are uncomfortable with this natural preference and sorting instinct. They would rather not see race at all and categorize people by any other trait. It’s understandable why whites react this way. We’re taught to not see race—unless it’s a way to atone for our white privilege. The social taboo around white identity prevents many Americans from acknowledging the obvious, even when it is clear to them. But the obvious becomes all too apparent in a diverse environment. The type of individuality whites prefer can only thrive in an environment where whiteness is the norm. But America is rapidly heading to a future where whiteness will no longer be the norm.
Individualism taken to extremes is responsible for much of America’s problems. Transgenderism, atomization, the loneliness epidemic, the decline in family formation, and other maladies are rooted in hyper-individualism—not group identities. The longing for rooted group identities comes from America’s atomized state. Many people turn to the Right in search of a meaning and community that normie society doesn’t offer them. Individualism, which is already the American standard, doesn’t satisfy them. They want a real belief system. They want a real identity.
Identitarianism isn’t likely to be the next GOP platform. It’s still far too taboo. Rufo’s approach works when it comes to the nitty-gritty of politics. Appealing to individualism and upholding meritocracy can help dismantle DEI and affirmative action. Politicians and activists should be more concerned with winning elections and passing legislation. It’s perfectly fine to adopt a “colorblind” position when it comes to these matters.
But individualism fails to solve America’s inner crisis and doesn’t provide the unifying glue in a nation where whites are no longer the majority. The majority of every non-white racial group in America say their racial identity is central to who they are. Whites are the only group where a majority say it’s not important. This is a “privilege” they developed from living in a country that looked like them and told them they were not supposed to notice.
But this is a privilege that will be taken away in majority-minority America.
Individualism will not provide the rich identity that Hungarians have. Only a group identity firmly rooted in America’s heritage will offer that. Identitarianism strives to realize that.
Rufo, being the white guy who married an asian, boastfully declaring individualism like it's 1960... and always crying about how the "diversity" of the different European settlers from different European countries translates to the same immigrant globalist society of America today... So tone deaf, and a huge problem. Its always ironic, because in the same breath he would say- "We're all one race! The HUMAN race!" Uninformed Christians have also grappled onto "neither Jew nor Gentile" verses, thinking Jesus abolished race, and refusing to engage with biological differences. Keep it up Scott. Praying for a revival of American identity, heritage, history, and courage.
I genuinely had no idea that Nashville had a large Kurdish population. The more you know.