Individualism, collectivism, the IRS, and marriage

Published May 8, 2026 7:07am ET | Updated May 8, 2026 7:07am ET



Our age is an extremely individualistic one. This may sound wrong to the observer who sees collectivism on the rise, but collectivism and individualism are not opposites, as philosophers Alexis de Tocqueville and Hannah Arendt explained — they are two sides of the same coin.

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