Looking through the list for Individualism, I saw that for a lot of the French students, egoism came to mind. So I wanted to know if maybe individualism has a different connotation in France then it does in the U.S.? It is self-centered to think of one's self as an individual?

Tracee's observation definitely stood out to me, as well. I also noticed other words along the same lines, such as "moi," "seul," and "antisocial." It is true that the American side had some words with positive connotations, such as "creativity," "confidence," "pride." On the other hand, some of the American responses shared this idea of "egoisme," for example, "alone," "selfish," "uncooperative," "selfish."

I was actually really surprised at some of the American responses. Personally I do not view the ideal of "individualism" as something negative, quirky maybe, but not something to be avoided. The line of associations, "dangerous, uncooperative, selfish" really interested me because I link those more with being self-centered than with being individualistic. Also, I was wondering whether the person believed that those were true or whether they felt society viewed individualism in that light.

I was also a little surprised by the French responses to individualism as being a negative and egoitistical concept. The idea of individualism relating to sadness (tristesse, solitdue, suicide, destruction) especially stood out to me.

Nobody from the French group seems to see Individualism as freedom of expression, which seemed to be a popular ideal on the American side. At the same time, several Americans also responded with the word "alone." It really interests me how people see themselves relative to the society around them. Is it a common notion for both Americans and French to feel like they can only express individualism when they are alone? It makes me wonder if I have a different notion of individualism.

Jenna's reply is a good point- not all of the American responses are positive and it really is one of those words that can go both ways depending on your point of view- still, that long parade of "egoisme"s and "moi seul"s is still striking from the French list. Do you think this is a deep-rooted cultural difference or rather something they learn in school under the modern republic?

Like Roxanne, I noticed that the American responses noted expression whereas there did not seem to be any French responses the connoted action or creation. I thought it was most interesting that one American response was clothes. This shows that individualism can be "expressed" or created, perhaps in a quirky way. I imagine this idea is cross-cultural, but there was no mention of ways to express or cue individuality in the French responses.

It seems that, in the grand scheme of things, American responses associated individualism with "being one's own person (in a healthy way)" and the French with "being concerned with one's self (to a fault)."

I couldn't help but notice that the collection of French responses included a significant number of references to the West and western institutions unseen in the American responses, e.g., "occidental," "ouest," "société capitaliste." I don't want to make any sweeping statements, but it seems that perhaps the French responses were more historically and theoretically informed, naming individualism as a geographically situated norm among other norms in the world. It is interesting that the French side alone produced what may be seen as a bipolar opposite of individualism, namely, "esprit d'équipe." What differences in national histories, I wonder, might account for the observations above? In general, our two countries share many historical experiences. Why the marked positive/negative difference?

Les mots "occidental" "ouest" et "societe capitaliste" ne sont pas des références historiques. Comme pour nous l'individualisme signifie l'égoïsme, la recherche de la réussite et de la gloire seul et pour ses propres intérets, cela nous évoque aussi l'économie capitaliste où la concurrence est le maitre mots, ou chaque personne défend ses propres intérets et est prete à couler ses adversaires pour y arriver.
Et comme le capitalisme est le système économique de l'occident c'est pour cela que ces mots sont évoqués. Il y aurait pu y avoir aussi "pays developpés" ou même "USA" puisque c'est le plus grand pays capitaliste.
C'est une vision assez péjorative du capitalisme qui n'est pas la vraie image du capitalisme en France, mais c'est une idée très répandu que notre système économique encourage l'égoïsme et les inégalités.

Anais,

I find it interesting that you've mentioned the darker side of capitalism and competition while describing "individualism." You've also brought up the evils of questing for personal glory. Yet, while you were describing the word "elite" you spoke in glowing terms of those bright minds who seek and succeed in scientific discovery and entrepeneurship. I wonder if you could explain this apprarent contradiction.

Je pense que le mot "Individualisme" est connoté négativement en France en partie parce qu'on a un peu de mal a valoriser l'individualité en général. Le côté "je pense à moi" signifie forcément qu'on ne pense pas aux autres, et c'est assez mal vu.
Individualisme pourrait nous faire penser à "esprit d'initiative" "audace" "développement personnel" je pense que c'est culturel, on oppose forcément individualisme et esprit d'équipe dans la vie courante, mais en entreprise il me semble que l'individualisme sera valorisé, on nous apprend à la fois à être autonomes et savoir prendre des initiatives et à savoir travailler en équipe, finalement ça dépend du contexte.

Ceci à nouveau s'explique par le passage en classe préparatoire. Quand tu es individualiste ç'est que tu ne partages pas ton savoir avec le reste de tes camarades et que t'essaye de mieux t'en sortir donc ç'est pourquoi ce terme est un peu péjoratif en français!

Given what I've come to know about les classes préparatoires (I salute you all), I find it rather incredible that French students don't emerge from such an experience as devoted individualists! Elsewhere it was noted that such classes create a markedly competitive environment and that professors, besides being more demanding, in general, display the individual grades students earn on exams.

When your future and those of your peers "se jouent sur quelques semaines d'examens," don't French students find it hard not to pursue success in following the precepts of "individualisme à la française"? Is the fact that les classes prépas represent an exception to the rule in the course of one's life the reason why individualisme, which I submit should find a good friend in the experiences of a prépa student, doesn't take root among French youth?

It just seems that a system that stresses individual academic achievement to such a degree would not produce a population of students among whom the foremost association with "individualisme" is "égoïsme."

En France, le mot individualisme signifie que l'on ne pense pas aux autres, qu'on pense avant tout à soi.
Notre culture est différente en ce sens que l'on croit en "l'état providence", issu d'un passé où la france n'était pas attachée "limpet-like" au capitalisme.
EnFrance, l'individualisme est très mal vu, on pense qu'un des roles de l'état est de favoriser l'entraide.
C'est pour cela que les études sont gratuites, que les soins à l'hopital sont gratuits, ect...

I, like many others, found the dichotomy of positive and negative associations, both within and between the Brown and French students' responses, very interesting. I looked up "individualism" in an English dictionary, and then "individualisme" in a French dictionary, to see if this could shed any light on these varied responses:

The Random House Unabridged Dictionary gave these top three definitions for "individualism":
1. a social theory advocating the liberty, rights, or independent action of the individual.
2. the principle or habit of or belief in independent thought or action.
3. the pursuit of individual rather than common or collective interests; egoism.
And Le Robert Micro gave this definition for "individualisme":
1. Théorie ou tendance qui considère l'individu comme la suprême valeur dans le domaine politique, économique, moral.
2. Indépendance, absence de conformisme.

Apparemment on n'est en effet pas partis du tout de la même définition. Mon dictionaire donne, entre autres, comme définition de l'individualisme : tendance à ne vivre que pour soi -> égoïsme.
C'est la définition qui nous vient la plus facilement à l'esprit.
Au lycée j'avais dû faire un exposé une fois dont le thème était "l'individualisme nuit-il à la société ?", on voit le côté négatif.

Effectivement. Individualisme a une connotation très personnelle. Et peu à peu, elle a pris une nuance négative, car nuisible au collectif. L'individualisme s'oppose à l'esprit d'équipe.

Toutefois, ce n'est pas toujours une mauvaise chose, puisqu'il faut savoir se construire, faire les choses par soi-même et s'affirmer. De là à ce que cela soit nuisible à la société, il n'y a qu'un pas.

It's really interesting how individualism is seen to oppose "l'esprit d'equipe" in France. I don't think that explains everything though: "Team Spirit" is very much emphasized in America from early on, as kids play community sports and they do group projects in school (in Asia it's taken for granted that the strength of American education is in promoting "cooperative spirit"). Why is individualism seen to oppose this concept in France, while in America they are seen as mutually achievable?

Pour nous l'individualisme c'est faire son chemin, son ascencion dans le monde du travail et dans la société, par ses propres moyens. Par conséquent cela signifie se débrouiller seul pour servir ses propres intérêts. Quelqu'un d'individualiste ne se soucie donc que très peu des interets des autres, puisque les sien passent avant. Il ne peux donc pas s'investir à faire avancer une équipe puisque seule sa gloire personnelle compte.
Apparement pour vous l'individualisme est plus un concept philosophique définissant l'homme comme un individu libre et indépendant. Cette définition n'ai plus contraire à l'esprit d'équipe.