Is social reform like painting the deck on a sinking ship?

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I heard an interesting line on the radio today at lunch, and I thought I'd throw it out here to see how people interpret it, and whether they agree or disagree:

"Social reform is like painting the deck on a sinking ship."

The context was a sermon about the Second Coming, but feel free to put it in whatever context is meaningful for you.

What do you think?

 

[Sunstone]

Would "social reform" include obtaining adequate medical care for all who need it but cannot now afford it? If so, in what way is saving someone's life by giving them medical care they would not otherwise have a matter of just painting the deck on a sinking ship?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Would "social reform" include obtaining adequate medical care for all who need it but cannot now afford it?

I don't know. Do you think it does? You're free to use whatever interpretation you want, as long as you can support it.

If so, in what way is saving someone's life by giving them medical care they would not otherwise have a matter of just painting the deck on a sinking ship?

If the medical care doesn't do anything about some impending, overwhelming situation that would negate the good of the medical care, then I suppose it would be like painting the deck on a sinking ship.

The person I quoted was, IMO, thinking of the Second Coming as the impending, overwhelming situation, but I think the line is fairly open-ended. I just thought it would make a good discussion starter.

 

[yossarian22]

It depends on what type of social reform. Many times yes, it would be far more effective to simply blow up the ship and get a new one.

 

[gnomon]

I heard an interesting line on the radio today at lunch, and I thought I'd throw it out here to see how people interpret it, and whether they agree or disagree:

"Social reform is like painting the deck on a sinking ship."

The context was a sermon about the Second Coming, but feel free to put it in whatever context is meaningful for you.

What do you think?

It sounds like a why bother attitude. The individual giving the sermon doesn't believe that changing anything would make a difference because we are all already judged, and failed, so what point is there in bothering any more.

We should all just hit our knees and repent.

I completely disagree with the statement. But I'm an atheist so that's pretty obvious.

 

[Reverend Rick]

Would "social reform" include obtaining adequate medical care for all who need it but cannot now afford it? If so, in what way is saving someone's life by giving them medical care they would not otherwise have a matter of just painting the deck on a sinking ship?

When all these folks get health insurance, there will not be one more hospital bed, one more doctor or one more open space in the appointment books. What we will have is a virtual medical traffic jam. Before, the cars where going down the highway getting somewhere.

So I say yes, we are painting the deck on a sinking ship.

Another issue, health care is not going to cost less when more folks are seeking less available resources. It is simple supply and demand. The buck has to stop somewhere, WHO IS GOING TO PAY FOR THIS HEALTHCARE?

What a wonderful plan, grind health care to a stop and cause folks that do have heath care receive less available services and pay more for them.

Let's keep people alive longer so they can be a greater burden on society. Great plan!

 

[Mathematician]

I heard an interesting line on the radio today at lunch, and I thought I'd throw it out here to see how people interpret it, and whether they agree or disagree:

"Social reform is like painting the deck on a sinking ship."

The context was a sermon about the Second Coming, but feel free to put it in whatever context is meaningful for you.

What do you think?

I contemplate this question whenever I encounter people who view history as a web of ups and downs that never truly progresses. Why even hold an opinion if all actions create some negative response? Well, I guess there's the whole special barrier preexisting in human consciousness.

 

[Valjean]

Social reform has a long and respected history. Without it we would all be struggling brutes.

This Christian attitude that we should let society and the planet go to pot 'cause God has everything under control, and that He's coming down to rapture the World anyway in a few months really galls me.

Just look around you. There's no evidence of God's intervening to clean up man's screw-ups and depredations, and there have been movements preaching the imminent coming of God's kingdom all through history.

 

[Faminedynasty]

The metaphor works for me to some extent if the sinking ship is capitalism. Forgive my vulgarity but perhaps "polishing a turd" is a better image for it. The efforts of moderates and liberals within the capitalist system to combat poverty, raise the minimum wage a dime or two... The efforts of philanthropists and charities to combat poverty on the street... These are good deeds to be sure. But they do not and never will combat the fundamental problems of capitalism.
So, in a sense I almost feel like it would be best to just let things deteriorate to the terrible point that would be necessary to create the class consciousness and bitterness necessary to cause some meaningful change, as rapidly as possible. The thought has occured to me that reforms are superficial betterments which prevent the ones of substance. But I am a simple minded soul. And so I just generally dedicate myself to acts of good in whatever form they may arise.

 

[Jeremy Mason]

Social reform has a long and respected history. Without it we would all be struggling brutes.

This Christian attitude that we should let society and the planet go to pot 'cause God has everything under control, and that He's coming down to rapture the World anyway in a few months really galls me.

Just look around you. There's no evidence of God's intervening to clean up man's screw-ups and depredations, and there have been movements preaching the imminent coming of God's kingdom all through history.

1. Do you think that Jesus advocated that society go to pot?
2. Show me where the rapture is in the Bible and then we can talk about it.
3. If God intervened we wouldn't have freewill.
4. The Kingdom of God isn't coming, it's already here.

 

[Yerda]

Or, it could be plugging the holes and baling the water 'til you get the chance to rebuild.