Help! My socialist worldview is trembling. I've just discovered that evolutionary theory states that species benefit is secondary to individual benefit.
Species benefit is realized as the natural outcome of individual benefit. Every idea, invention, innovation, ennobling work of art and philosophy originated with some individual somewhere. Every thwarting of or destruction of these products and often individuals themselves originates with group or group leadership interests.
Each person is an element in the compounds/molecules called societies. Thinking and reasoning faculties are the most significant attributes our kind exhibits. Collaboration in advancement of anything of value cannot happen without individual contributors. Individuals, however, can advance new and valuable ideas without collaboration. It is said that 'the whole is always greater than the sum of it's parts'. Without the parts upon which the whole depends for existence, it is nothing.
@Faithless1 Benefit or advancement was what I was addressing. Survival is another aspect and reproduction/perpetuation obviously takes two to begin with.
As for group survival, sustaining an optimal population still depends on enthusiastic, collaborative participation of individuals and families. Like bodies human, bodies social must have homeostasis at THEIR hierarchic strata. If either inividualism or integrativism self-serve completely, stasis occurs.
Healthy, life affirming functions wane from economic imbalance. Systems degrade and death is hastened.
But, individual benefit contributes to overall species benefit. Survival's survival...and the genes of survivors go on, don't they?
Shhh! Not so loud, you'll attract Rand cultists!