Bruiser Wolf, Danny Brown I’m An Instrument (2021)
“An individual is a process that does not cease to become what it is.” With this statement, French philosopher Bernard Stiegler critiques what he sees as the mistaken belief that the individual exists in opposition to the group.
Stiegler consistently describes psychological individuation as a “collective process.” This process is tied to self-awareness, a trait shared not only by humans but also by certain animals, such as particular types of primates, elephants, killer whales and pigeons.
Forms of social organization emerge from these processes of psychological and collective individuation, and social organization has been central to humanity’s success and dominance over nature. From this perspective, individuality—or the drive for it—can be seen as a survival advantage.
Yet, we are not as unique as we might believe. Within the social groups we grow up and interact with, the differences among us are relatively minor. As natural imitators, we learn from those around us, and they, in turn, learn from us.
Nonetheless, the illusion of true individuality cannot be dismantled by scientific findings. As mentioned, this illusion serves as a strategy for survival. So, when Detroit rapper Bruiser Wolf raps, "Nobody sounds like this / I got my own sound / I'm an instrument," we all nod along—not just because of the catchy beat and his “unique” flow, but because the message deeply resonates with what each one of us, each in their own way of course, already knows is true.
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