The Janus Face of Individualization. Young People’s Lives between Soft and Hard Individualization

In this article, we argue that contemporary individualization is characterized by a Janus-faced duality of ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ individualization. Further, we disclose how the opposing demands of these two faces give rise to a series of conflicts, particularly evident in young people’s lives. While “hard individualization” demands optimization, goal orientation, and performance, “soft individualization” simultaneously encourages personal development, self-realization, and self-expression. We argue that grasping the tension between these two forms of individualization is essential for understanding the challenges currently shaping young people’s lives. The article begins by outlining the intellectual-historical and societal background of the Janus-face, demonstrating how its conflicting conceptions of human nature and telos coexist within the education system. We then provide empirical examples of how soft and hard individualization manifest as conflicts in the everyday lives of Danish high school students. Finally, we identify three problematic implications of this duality: (a) paralyzing doubt, (b) chronic guilt, and (c) what we conceptualize as a ‘new alienation’.