It means:
A participant of a society that makes up the most basic level and determines the fate of the group he belongs to, while imparting a significant effect on other groups, such that it determines the course of effectiveness of the society
To understand this, let’s take an example of an iron chain stretched at both ends (each rectangular ring is an individual). Any movement in a single ring imparts a progressive disturbance all the way along the length of the chain, with the nearest rings bearing the brunt.
Society, a stretched bunch of chains
A society is a bunch of such long, stretched iron chains, with different chains being the different groups of the society. This bunch must be tied firmly with external as well as internal attractive forces to form a resilient and strong structure.
The internal attractive forces are dependent on the internal purity of an individual (i.e. the sincerity of his intentions and the honesty of his conduct), while external attractive forces are those maintained by a set of fair rules and regulations.
The stronger these forces are, the calmer and more stable the society is.
The violent shaking of a single chain (i.e. a group based upon ethnicity, views, affiliation etc.) can cause disturbance all through the surroundings. More violent chains mean more instability, and the end result is the dismantling of the whole structure. In this whole process, the basic vibration-producing unit is a ring (individual).
An individual can be in the form of a father, a mother, a grandparent, a child, a solicitor, a fisherman, a labourer and so on.
A set of Rules will be mentioned that are crucial in determining the effectiveness of a society and that provide an insight into how an ideal society actually works.
Unfortunately, the current status of our society is far from ideal. We have deviated from the basic rules that have been at the core of human civilization for thousands of years. These are the universal facts that have endured the test of time.
We will discuss different aspects of the society with reference to an individual. The reason is to involve you actively, so that a wise comparison can easily be made.