rugged individualist
Tough independent person
A rugged individualist is someone who values self-reliance and personal independence above collective support or government assistance.
The phrase often carries admiring overtones—evoking frontier resilience and bootstrap success—but can also be used critically to describe someone who dismisses the role of community or refuses help out of stubborn pride: He fancies himself a rugged individualist, but he inherited everything he has.
- American WestHistoric frontier territory
- wild westUnregulated, lawless environment
- frontier spiritDrive to tame wilderness
- independenceFreedom from external control
- survivalistsThose preparing for catastrophe
Daniel Boone · off the grid · resilience · self-reliance · go it alone · pull yourself up · pioneers · transcendentalism · determination · stoicism · homesteaders · live off the land · mountain man · courage · ingenuity · bootstrapping · autonomy · resourcefulness
- strong silent typesstoic, man of few words, lone wolf, loner, mysterious stranger
rugged individualistteam player
One who collaborates willingly
collectivist · conformist · joiner · company man · organization man
rugged individualistdependent
Requiring outside support
hothouse flower · mama's boy · weakling · softie · clinger
rugged individualistsocialist
Proponent of collective ownership
collectivist · communist · communalist · statist · Marxist
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