Essay: Review of ‘Individual Autonomy and Social Structure’ by Dorothy Lee

Throughout the article Individual Autonomy and Social Structure, the author Dorothy Lee addresses the key social problem; which is the conflict that is happening in the western world between the individual autonomy and the social structure. Dorothy Lee states the struggle that the western world faces in order for them to comply with one another. Individual autonomy is when a person is capable of making their own decisions without the social influence that seems to constantly surround humanity; however, according to Lee “in a heterogeneous society such as ours, and in an era of induced change and speeded tempo of living, it has been difficult to implement this tenet in the everyday detail of living.” (Course Kit, p. 25). Dorothy Lee gives us several cultural examples and she demonstrates resolution for each one of them. However, the paper will focus on addressing the cultural example of language within the Wintu Indians culture and show us the amount of respect their race hold for one another with no differentiation in age.
Every person has the capability to act upon free will, yet in compliance with society to achieve the greater good. The anthropologist Dorothy lee explores what becomes the essential part of society, which is human dignity and it significance, as well as the rights and obligations every person is entitled to. Lee looks at a number of practices within the Wintu culture; the general theme of language seems to play an important role in their society. In the Wintu culture, freedom is not given to a person, since every being is born free. According to Lee “These people do not ‘give’ freedom to their children because it is not theirs to give”. In the Wintu culture, people do not use the word “allowed” but ask “is it permissive for me to …?” (Course Kit, p.26) which draws our attention to the fact that they take into consideration the children’s feelings, when Lee states that, they eat only when they ask for food and sleep when they are sleepy “showing their deep-seated respect for individual worth,” (Course Kit, p.26).
The concept of individual autonomy in the Wintu Indian culture society has its upmost importance. People are free to do as they please and it is not only a figure of speech, as it is in our societies. The children are treated like any other adult; where they are asked to do something and not told. Lee explains how the Wintu society does not use aggression in their dialect whilst conversing with either adults or even their own children, or any language that indicates possession or over ruling. For example, Lee provides us with language the Wintu would use, such as “I went with the baby”, “The Chief stood with the people” or “I live with my sister” (Course Kit, p.27) these phrases illustrate the respect and peacefulness that the Wintu dialect holds. In the Wintu Language, a person is incapable of portraying possessiveness; since, words and phrases such as “My”, “I have”, “take” (etc.) do not exist in their dialect. In accordance to Dorothy Lee “Many of the verbs which express coercion in our language – such as to take a baby to (the shade) or to change the baby – are formed in such a way that they express as cooperative effort instead.”. This way of living helps an individual by always respecting others and it’s a constant reminder that they are free beings with no one telling them what to do.
In conclusion, the anthropologist Dorothy Lee concentrates on resolving the key social problem in the conflict between the individual autonomy and the social structure. She does so by providing the reader with interesting examples from different cultural societies around the world. Dorothy approaches each of their cultural societies by focusing on the practices related to the general theme of language, child rearing, leadership and work. In this paper, the theme of language within the Wintu cultural society was mostly discussed, due to Lee’s interesting approach. The basic resolution of the key social problem in the western societies are cultural practices related to language. Lee states that “Among the Wintu Indians of California, the principle of the inviolate integrity of the individual is basic to the very morphology of the language.” (Course Kit, p.27) Which portrays that the language is based on each person’s individual personality and integrity.