I think in Karl Poppers "The Open Society And Its Enemies" I read a helpful description of indivualism and egoism. He basically says that individualism, egoism, collectivism and altruism form a 2x2 matrix. Egoism being the opposite of altruism, and individualism (caring about individuals rather than groups) being the opposite of collectivism, you get these combinations:
- individual egoism (probably what most people mix up as the same)
- individual altruism (altruism directed at specific people, specific problems, e.g. Jesus says "love thy neighbor", not "love the entire town" or "love thy people")
- collective egoism (this is what you would see very typically in form of racism, sexism, but also the elites in communist states)
- collective altruism (people forming systems to help each other, in various forms)
- individual egoism (probably what most people mix up as the same)
- individual altruism (altruism directed at specific people, specific problems, e.g. Jesus says "love thy neighbor", not "love the entire town" or "love thy people")
- collective egoism (this is what you would see very typically in form of racism, sexism, but also the elites in communist states)
- collective altruism (people forming systems to help each other, in various forms)