How do communitarians view the idea of individuals existing apart from society?

Communitarians reject the notion that individuals can exist apart from society, arguing that such a concept is incoherent. They contend that individuals are not generic, autonomous entities but are instead "embedded" within specific social, cultural, and historical contexts.1

According to this perspective, individual identity is partly constituted or "constructed" by social relations and culture. Consequently, communitarians argue that it is impossible to formulate individual rights, interests, or a theory of justice in abstraction from these social moorings. They maintain that there are no individuals who exist outside of society, even in principle, and therefore criticize liberal theories—such as those relying on a hypothetical "veil of ignorance"—for presupposing an atomized individual that does not exist.1

Furthermore, communitarians argue that because personal preferences are significantly shaped by the larger culture rather than being purely autonomous, the community plays a vital role in defining the individual's place and meaning within the social whole.12