Today's society is seeing more people believe in their independence and right to self-expression than previous generations. People want to do things their own way without having to be subservient to the whims of others and this is an individualistic trait. People even teach this to their children more and more these days.
This is why there has been a rise in divorce rates and the number of people who stay alone as opposed to sharing with others and having to tolerate habits one does not like.
Place less emphasis on Family than Friends.
Another individualistic trait that is on the rise is the tendency to value friends more than family. The logic is that friends can be chosen which reflects independence as opposed to family that cannot be chosen and are tethered to the person which leads to co-dependency.
(Also known as the South African War) between the British and the Boers was the first modern ''total'' war. The Boars were Dutch farmers with European ancestry who gradually settled in Africa many years before other Europeans and were considered Africans.