Mill: Individuality vs. Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism seems to be a great and virtuous theory, but at the same time it is at odds with Mill's earlier ideas in "On Liberty" regarding individuality.

In "On Liberty", Mill wrote that the individual is important and what they want for themselves is important insofar as it does not harm other people or society. In class we discussed exactly what the harm principle entailed as well as how far the individual extends. We ultimately decided that individual experiences comprise what is in a society considered to be universal law based on a collection of individual experiences. However, in "Utilitarianism" Mill writes that the individuals pursuit of happiness is a good pursuit if it is in the interest of the "whole" (250), which directly contradicts the idea that individuals should be allowed to pursue their own happiness, even if it does not benefit others and as long as it does not harm others.

After reading the first section I would not have taken Mill to be someone to place some people's happiness over the happiness of others, in who he refers to as "noble" persons capable of "higher faculties" (242)...higher faculties being the source of sacrifice for the good of others; again, possibly contradicting with an individuals wants and needs.

So what are we to do? What exactly are we to consider? As far as society is concerned, we should want to pursue a happiness that is for the good of all mankind and not at the expense of it, but what if someone does not have that kind of stake and they do not have the capacity to completely participate as Mill alludes to when he refers to the uneducated and the barbarians of the world? Or those who are too poor to lift their heads to see past fulfilling their everyday needs and happiness in order to survive? What are we to do? What are we to choose? Utilitarianism or Individuality? I have a hard time believing that Utilitarianism is always for the benefit of the individual if it requires people who are "noble" (Mill 244) to make sacrifices that other people who do not, can benefit from.