Why do we need the society?

The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

Question: I am feeling that society is a curse. Why do we need the society?

Acharya Prashant (AP): Nothing is a curse; nothing is a curse. The only curse is to ‘not know’. The only curse is ignorance, and where does this ignorance lie? Who is ignorant- the society or the individual? Where does ignorance lie?

Society as a whole does not have its collective ignorance; the person is ignorant.

It is our stupidity that shows up as the stupidity of the society.

A group, a collection of ignorant individuals will make for an ignorant society. Do you see this? An ignorant individual — even if given the so-called best of circumstances and the most enlightening of societies — will still find that he is not at peace, he will still feel that he is being exploited. And he will say everything is a curse. Society cannot harm you at all if you are aware. And if you are unaware, then those around you even with the best of intentions, will be of very little help to you. You will end up getting harmed! They aren’t harming you, yet you will still get harmed.

Why do you find society to be the curse? How many of you find something problematic with society? How many of you sometimes feel like rebelling…