Before I get to the point. I'd like to apologize for any formatting issues, this is my first time ever making a debate post so if anything (like pacing) strikes as a bit odd, that is why; I am asking you to be a little patient.

Now.

I believe much time is being wasted over meaninglessly debating whether men or women are more or less responsible for our many societal problems (relevant ones being: toxic hookup culture, porn addiction, casual abandonment, sexual exploitation, etc). When the real enemy has been staring at us in the face, *individualism*. The radical individualism of today preaches that the self is the ultimate authority on happiness and morality, frequently elevating personal gratification and 'success' above all else without any meaningful sense of responsibility toward others or the community. The people of today have been encouraged to pursue their own desires <sexual, monetary, and so on> so heavily that the importance of shared values, social obligations, and community well-being gets dismissed or outright ignored.

This mindset leads to (and has already led) to a society of isolated actors who seek immediate satisfaction, often through destructive behaviors (casual abandonment coming immediately to mind,) without considering the broader impact on relationships or the overall all cohesivity within broader society. Let us look at rise of [social atomization](https://www.pewresearch.org/2025/05/08/americans-trust-in-one-another/) to clearly illuminate this to us: [fewer social connections, less trust, and growing isolation are documented in many Western societies. For instance, studies have found that trust among Americans is at a 40-year low, with many reporting no regular interactions with neighbors.](https://www.uvu.edu/ccs/docs/putnam_bowling_alone.pdf)

It is this erosion of community and the bonds that previously fostered mutual care and accountability by the individualism of today that has created fertile ground for the toxic sexual culture we see today, not any inherent trait of men or women: what we face today has little or if anything to do with at all with men or women having inherent flaws or moral failings, it is the pervasive worldview of today that has privileged the self above society. Put differently, today's culture of individualism has desensitized people to the value of shared norms and obligations, making social roles and accountability appear restrictive or irrelevant. When the communal fabric that once ensured mutual care frays, addictive and exploitative behaviors flourish (e.g, toxic sexual practices, porn addiction, and casual abandonment, as I've already stated.) Thus, it is the radical individualist worldview, the one that privileges self over society and dismisses communal bonds,that fundamentally drives these social pathologies, not any intrinsic deficiency in men or women. ~~as I will keep reiterating until that is the only thing you remember from this post c:~~

It is therefore clear to me that, if we are to truly fix our broken society, we must drop this meaningless division based on whether or not one is a brother or sister, and we certainly *must* stop ["going our own way."](https://manhattan.institute/article/hyper-individualism-and-radical-diversity-are-leaving-americans-very-lonely) The fact is that must all collaborate together to restore community and shared responsibility [by promoting practices that rebuild trust, healthy practices fostering trust, mutual obligations, and long-term commitment instead of chasing fleeting pleasures through concrete actions embedded in everyday life and community structures.](https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/social-connections-and-loneliness-in-oecd-countries_6df2d6a0-en/full-report/social-infrastructure-and-digitalisation-as-drivers-of-dis-connection-implications-for-measurement-and-policy_dd12ad00.html#chapter-d1e18562-1e9ae52126) We must create environments where people hold each other accountable, value social roles, and resist the lure of instant gratification. Some solid hard policy that could be implemented such as promoting local self-sufficiency and social cohesion by empowering communities to make decisions about social norms rather than relying exclusively on broad constitutional or state mandates, cultivating habits of shared responsibility and social engagement among individuals through cultural shifts favoring common good alongside personal liberties via education that emphasizes civic responsibility, social ethics, and community engagement. Some other methods include decentralization of social services, zoning policies that encourage home ownership and stable neighborhoods, support for private charity through tax incentives, welfare reform that conditions benefits on work requirements, community service, or participation in family strengthening programs, fostering reciprocity and discouraging dependency, and more,

In conclusion, it is to my belief that only by embracing these [communitarian](https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/communitarianism/) values and pulling ourselves away from individualism can we fix truly the deep-rooted social and sexual dysfunctions, not by placing all the blame on the shoulders of men or women, [but by instead facing the self-centered culture that dominates us and divided us daily.](https://aaronlynn.com/productivity/social-skills/social-atomisation/)

Edit: Formatting is broken apparently. I'm currently working to fix the ​embed​ links not being embedded and the formatting be all screwed to hell, but it will take a second and I'm kinda exhausted after spending over an hour writing allat; I just fixed the borked links for now. Also bad grammar title sorry :c.