perhaps (stress on the perhaps; I'm not arguing, but rather musing) individualism has a different meaning in this case. perhaps the author is not critiquing what we would consider self-actualization, but rather individualism as a European might see American Individualism. European countries are more socialist, for one. maybe it's a critique of homo economicus, greedy, self-serving individualism, celebrity as stepping-on-necks-to-get-to-the-top individualistic quest, look-at-me.
