Ever spot an acquaintance “liking” something on Facebook and thinking – ‘Hey, maybe she and I can be friends?’ The impulse is pretty common – our shared tastes are one way we have of coming together. But most people also have an interest in setting themselves a bit apart. So how do we balance our need to be part of the herd with our desire for autonomy or individuality? Philosopher Stephen Asma tells us more about individualism, and how the unit and the whole can co-exist in identity.

Music Button:  The Claudia Quintet, “Keramag”, from the CD Royal Toast, (Cuneiform)