Why is that so many people place the individual as primary to important action?

It should be apparent that there is always a two part consideration. The Individual and the rest of the world. I鈥檝e racked my brain and researched many events, nowhere do I see the actions of the individual amounting to anything that did not involve the persuasion of a several others. Not once did I find a so called 鈥渕over and shaker鈥?that did not require the persuaded efforts of several other individuals. For every 鈥渕over and shaker鈥? I could find an individual who opposed but failed to persuade the mass of people. From this, I conclude that an individual cannot amount to anything unless he persuades others to aid him.

dawnUSA - before any influenced action can take place, there has to be people to influence. Thoreau would be a nobody if he hadn't influenced other people. That is why he he not so well thought of today as he once was.

Well, wouldn't the person be primary to the action if he started it? Like say Jim Jones began his cult, so was the primary, untimately leading others to follow. But he was primary, or 'first'. Immediately I started running through my head people who worked 'alone' to prove a point and closest I came to was actually Henry David Thoreau. He had great thoughts on so many things, and really no 'followers' or 'movement' to come after his life-long 'studies' wouldn't you say? But I see your point; great question.

The illusion is that there are such things as 'individuals' and these 'individuals' are searching for their own 'individual' pleasure. The reality is that there is only one whole and the movement within it is reflected as 'action' by 'individuals' forcing the imagined 'subject/object' separation. Everything is in relation to everything and the movement or action of the 'individual' inevitably impacts every other. The delusion of separation is the sickness.

Sounds like a plausible conclusion. I don't have anything to add.

no matter how you cut it every action is a self motivated action. if it wasn't you'd have to call it an act of god.

it doesn鈥檛 take much to change the world for better or worse. small group of highly organized people will do nicely. if your cause is a good one you shouldn't have to look too hard to find like minded people.