The article argues that online higher education promotes an individualist fallacy by overlooking the importance of institutional culture and social learning. Learning is a social experience that depends on relationships between professors and students. In a traditional classroom setting, professors can easily adapt to students' needs and inspire them with energy. However, distance learning undercuts institutional learning by not fully engaging students in a social environment where they can interact directly with professors and fellow students. The author believes this social aspect is important for student development and should not be replaced by an individualistic online model of education.