systems of thought versus Individuation

I realized today that one cannot truly individuate while a part of a church, religious organization, or a part of academia. That in order to fully be a free thinker one must be alone. In order to travel down new roads and to send back maps to the rest of mankind and other beings in the universe one must travel alone.

I came to this place because of understanding a Catholic family consisting of at least 50 people that are friends and realized that this same kind of "Family first and religion first" kind of thinking even though it maintains both religious ideas and families multigenerationally also prevents "original thoughts" and true individuation. So though the family and religious symmetry is beautiful to watch none of the people are allowed or allow themselves to actually deeply think about things beyond a certain point. If they did the whole system would collapse upon itself.

So, I guess each person needs to ask themselves very seriously "What is important in life?" If it is simply continuity then this kind of systemic thought that exists within all religions and academia might be useful. Or if one has an inner need to actually find truth wherever they find it, then that person likely will have to find truth alone. I guess it all depends upon a person's priorities and if one does not clearly know who they are or define carefully their priorities then they will be forever trapped (for good or ill and usually both) within whatever system they were raised in.