Critical Theory of Individual

The application of Critical Theory to the concept of the individual—examining how the modern individual is constructed, how this construction serves power, and how it might be transformed. Critical Theory of Individual asks: Is the "individual" a natural category or a historical product? How has individualism served capitalism, colonialism, and patriarchy? What's lost when we see ourselves as isolated individuals rather than social beings? Drawing on Marx, Foucault, and feminist theory, it insists that the individual isn't a starting point—it's a product of history, society, and power. Understanding ourselves requires understanding how we've been made.

"Be an individual, think for yourself. Critical Theory of Individual asks: what's an individual? The modern individual—autonomous, self-interested, rational—is a product of capitalism, not nature. It serves a system that needs us to compete, to consume, to blame ourselves for systemic failures. Critical theory insists on asking: who benefits from this version of 'you'? And what would you be in a different society?"

Critical Theory of Individual by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal March 4, 2026