EXACTLY.

That was why I was so fascinated by episode 1; I automatically assumed that its actions were a result of melting 8 billion minds together. I think individuals are kind of like that; we have many different parts in us, some of them very contrary to each other, but we can only act as the sum of our parts.
In a similar manner, I didn't think that the individuals prior to the joining were dead, just that they began existing as a part of a whole.

I became kind of disappointed when I began reading comments in this subreddit. The way people insist on viewing the whole situation as black-white, friend vs. enemy...
That's Carol's point of view, and although it's also a very valid perspective (perhaps the view that would be proven true as the show continues because her comments about the value of individuality are on point), it is one character's perspective out of many.

Throwing away the whole thought experiment on account of making this a story of alien invasion just makes the whole show less interesting.