One of the characteristics of the kibbutz was that it belonged to a nation-wide movement, it was open to the outside world and was involved in all aspects of society. In view of the changes taking place in the kibbutzim and in their surroundings the kibbutz may forfeit its characteristics as an assertive and centralized, or at least federative, organization. In consequence the kibbutz may cease to be a social movement seeking to attain goals of universal value and turn into an organized self-interested pressure group. The dilemma faced by the kibbutz is whether it will be a system of egotistic people seeing themselves as shrewd-calculating-yuppies, or members of a social movement seeking to attain goals of universal value, considered by others as "freiers"