Download or read book The Myth of American Individualism written by Barry Alan Shain and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this context, individual liberty was the freedom to order one's life in accord with the demanding ethical standards found in Scripture and confirmed by reason. Anything less was license and was condemned. This was in keeping with Americans' widespread acceptance of original sin and the related assumption that a well-lived life was only possible in a tightly knit, intrusive community made up of families, congregations, and local government bodies.