Genesis, Chapter 37

One of the most perplexing and challenging problems that arise from reading the Bible is that People of contradictory viewpoints find passages that they can quote to bolster they own point of view as God=sanctioned.

One of the signs of intellectual, metaphysical and theological greatness written into a holy book like the Bible is that it is moderate, or truthful in multi-dimensional ways. For example, in many passages the Bible urges championing social justice, and the priority of emphasis to be given to communitarian preferences first and foremost.

Then, the authors of the Bible  refer to Joseph the individuator as God's favorite? Again, what is true is moderate, not either communitarian or strictly individualist.

Peruse verses 3 & 4: Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age; and he made him a long tunic. When his brothers saw that their father loved him best of all his sons, they hated him so much that they would not even greet him.

One of the most charming features of the Bible is the love of truth about human nature, warts and all. Joseph is superior to, in goodness and likely in talent, than his older brothers. He is favored by Yahweh, and by his father.

They, the clique, cannot compete, so jealousy eats them, alive as they plot to kill him.

Note that the family can be groupists, as well as social or work arrangements. Note that, as assembled nonindividuators, his clique member, brothers could not compete with him, or escape being inferior to him.

The individual versus the group plays out as riveting drama in the Old Testament.

In actuality, they need not curdle their guts over his accomplishments. He is no curse to them, no threat to them. All they have to do is to copy what he has done. They should leave the group and individuate, and then they can compete with him or any other individuator in the world.

They need to quite being jealous and lazy, and ignore his superiority, and to go run their own lives and make their own superior, quite impressive accomplishments.