Darkdale
World Leader Pretend
The prevalent cultural and political controversy primarily revolves around the contest between collectivism and individualism. We are all familiar with phrases like the common good and the good of society. These ambiguous phrases serve the idea that our primary interest and the primary goal of our governments should be to foster, if not demand, the common good, or the greatest good for the greatest number. Individualism counters this line of thinking with the idea that each individual is sovereign and responsible only for their own good and that society must be free in order to allow each individual as much liberty as possible so as to have as much opportunity for ones own good as the individual is capable of achieving. Individualism rests upon four extremely important concepts: personal liberty, mutual benefit, justice and freedom from force.
The problem with collectivism is that it is antagonistic to personal liberty and it creates all kinds of problems of relativity. The common good is nearly impossible to measure and it becomes the kind of objective where the ends justify the means. We should prevent people from owning guns because guns kill people and it would be for everyones good if they werent around. Personal liberty is harmed. We should place heavy progressive taxes on the rich so that we can provide free health care to the poor; personal liberty is harmed and justice is subverted. How is it just to force one group of people to pay for the lives of another group of people? To take their wealth by force? It isnt just. It isnt free.
However, the values that lead to collectivism are naturally occurring social values, derived from the necessity of cooperation and our inherent yearning for personal relationships. We are naturally sympathetic animals. We have the ability to love and to desire to see others do well. These values exist, not for the purpose of politics or social engineering, but rather to build strong relationships with those whom we are interdependent, and I am talking of course about our friends, families and neighbors. The common good is more easily measured within the context of families, friends and small communities. Also, our individuality is more easily expressed, encouraged and cultivated within these tribal boundaries.
If we want the right to be sovereign individuals, we must live in a society predicated upon personal liberty, mutual benefit, justice and freedom from force. But if we want to thrive as a nation, we must build a foundation of strong families and communities. Families and communities are areas within which the individual can make a profound difference and wherein they are deeply invested in the consequences of their investment. In national governments this is not the case. Folk in California vote on issues facing folk in Kentucky. Folk in New England are writing laws for folk in the South. Our elected officials look at national polls, instead of simply representing the desire of their constituents. The common good, in all its relativism and ambiguity from community to community is being enforced at the expense of personally liberty and justice. The government uses force to demand the bureaucracies idea of the good. Men do not cooperate out of a desire for mutual benefit but from the most evil of all ideologies, From each according to their ability, to each according to their need. Need defines the good. Need justifies force. Need justifies the dissolution of liberty and the tightening of the federal fist. Is it worth it?
I am not saying that the good of others is unimportant. I am merely encouraging everyone to direct their efforts to their own families, friends and communities. Take care of your backyard and the rest will take care of itself. Do good to others, but protect the freedom and sovereignty of the individual. Love people, but cooperate through mutual benefit. Once you are willing to strip the liberties of the few for the good of the many, you have become a tyrant and a subversive force on society. Keep your ideals at home. Your communities need you. Think locally. Act locally.
The problem with collectivism is that it is antagonistic to personal liberty and it creates all kinds of problems of relativity. The common good is nearly impossible to measure and it becomes the kind of objective where the ends justify the means. We should prevent people from owning guns because guns kill people and it would be for everyones good if they werent around. Personal liberty is harmed. We should place heavy progressive taxes on the rich so that we can provide free health care to the poor; personal liberty is harmed and justice is subverted. How is it just to force one group of people to pay for the lives of another group of people? To take their wealth by force? It isnt just. It isnt free.
However, the values that lead to collectivism are naturally occurring social values, derived from the necessity of cooperation and our inherent yearning for personal relationships. We are naturally sympathetic animals. We have the ability to love and to desire to see others do well. These values exist, not for the purpose of politics or social engineering, but rather to build strong relationships with those whom we are interdependent, and I am talking of course about our friends, families and neighbors. The common good is more easily measured within the context of families, friends and small communities. Also, our individuality is more easily expressed, encouraged and cultivated within these tribal boundaries.
If we want the right to be sovereign individuals, we must live in a society predicated upon personal liberty, mutual benefit, justice and freedom from force. But if we want to thrive as a nation, we must build a foundation of strong families and communities. Families and communities are areas within which the individual can make a profound difference and wherein they are deeply invested in the consequences of their investment. In national governments this is not the case. Folk in California vote on issues facing folk in Kentucky. Folk in New England are writing laws for folk in the South. Our elected officials look at national polls, instead of simply representing the desire of their constituents. The common good, in all its relativism and ambiguity from community to community is being enforced at the expense of personally liberty and justice. The government uses force to demand the bureaucracies idea of the good. Men do not cooperate out of a desire for mutual benefit but from the most evil of all ideologies, From each according to their ability, to each according to their need. Need defines the good. Need justifies force. Need justifies the dissolution of liberty and the tightening of the federal fist. Is it worth it?
I am not saying that the good of others is unimportant. I am merely encouraging everyone to direct their efforts to their own families, friends and communities. Take care of your backyard and the rest will take care of itself. Do good to others, but protect the freedom and sovereignty of the individual. Love people, but cooperate through mutual benefit. Once you are willing to strip the liberties of the few for the good of the many, you have become a tyrant and a subversive force on society. Keep your ideals at home. Your communities need you. Think locally. Act locally.