Individualism: The Myth of Me

“I celebrate myself, and sing myself” wrote American poet Walt Whitman. “Song of myself” is one of his most famous, and most analysed. Like much of US history — and many American musicals — its emphasis on individualism is sometimes paradoxical with its attention to the collective.

Claims about the inherent worth of the individual are fundamental to American society, and celebrity culture reflects self-centric autonomy, even amidst the blatant contradictions that arise from demographic marginalisation. These themes are seen in many a stage show, from Cabin in the Sky to Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.