I. The Basics ↑
8. Each individual human is unique.
Although all humans share certain genetic similarities, and although we operate in groups, each individual human is unique.
This starts with a unique appearance for each of us, such that we can recognize friends and family and colleagues as individuals when we encounter them.
But each of us is also a unique bundle of capabilities, experiences and preferences.
Note that Dunbar’s number represents a suggested cognitive limit to the number of people with whom one can maintain stable social relationships. Estimates of this number range from 100 – 250, with 150 being a commonly accepted value.
This number may perhaps provide an effective limit to the number of people we can each know as individuals.
Words from Others on this Topic
Individual identity provides a foundation for love, friendship, and cooperation, allowing people to track who is who across time and place and to faithfully repay kindness offered by others.
Nicholas Christakis, 2019, from the book Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society
Relevant Reference Models
- An element of The Social Suite
- An element of The Tribal Instincts