For too long in this society, we have celebrated unrestrained

Hearken to the words of Joe Biden: “For too long in this society, we have celebrated unrestrained individualism over common community.” These words are not mere political speech; they are a cry from the heart of an elder who has seen the perils of disunity. For what is a society but a weaving of many threads into one garment? And what is individualism when torn loose from the fabric, but a single thread fraying alone, unable to warm or shield? The ancients knew this truth well: that no person, no matter how great, can long endure apart from the strength of the whole.

In every age, the temptation arises for men to glorify themselves above their brethren. They proclaim, “I need no one, for I am sufficient unto myself.” Yet the wisdom of time proves otherwise. Alone, the warrior falls; alone, the farmer starves; alone, the scholar’s words die unheard. It is only in community that the warrior is defended, the farmer is fed, the scholar is remembered. To exalt individualism without balance is to build a house on shifting sand, where each stone refuses to bear the weight of another, until the walls collapse.

Consider the tale of ancient Sparta and Athens. The Spartans, though fierce and disciplined, saw their strength not in the glory of one but in the unity of all. A soldier was taught from youth that his shield was not for himself, but to protect the man beside him. It was this devotion to community that made them endure against countless foes. Contrast this with Athens in her later days, when ambition and greed fractured her citizens, and men sought personal power above the health of the city. The result was decline, for where individualism reigns unchecked, the community withers.

And look to the story of America’s own past. During the Great Depression, families faced hunger, despair, and loss. Yet it was the spirit of community—neighbors sharing bread, churches offering shelter, workers uniting for justice—that carried the nation through. Had each man pursued only his own survival, countless more would have perished. It was in these dark times that the truth shone most clearly: the strength of a people is not measured by the wealth of the few, but by the resilience of the whole.

The wisdom of Biden’s words lies in this reminder: our age has praised the hero who climbs alone to the mountaintop, but has forgotten the beauty of those who climb together, lifting each other along the way. To honor individualism is not wrong—it is the source of invention, of courage, of daring. But when it grows unrestrained, it becomes a devouring fire, burning the bridges that bind us. Only in balance with community does it shine without destroying.

The lesson for us, then, is plain. Do not glorify only the self. Ask not only, “What can I achieve?” but also, “What can we build together?” Let your talents serve not only your ambition but also your neighbor’s need. For when you weave your thread into the larger tapestry, you find yourself part of something enduring, something greater than the rise and fall of one life.

Therefore, O listener, let your actions be these: nurture your gifts, but root them in service. Share of your abundance, even when it seems small. Seek moments not only to rise, but to lift others with you. For in the end, when the storms of time have swept away the monuments of solitary pride, it is community that endures. And he who has strengthened his community has built a legacy that no fire can consume, and no forgetfulness can erase.