Posted by
Tom Rand on Sunday, September 16, 2007 10:46:52 AM
Often, we are told we should care more. We are made to feel bad because we don’t have enough compassion. Honesty and self-preservation are equated to hate and greed. “Giving back”, “helping those less fortunate” and “responsibility” are all talking points for those that insinuate that we don’t feel. That we are somehow mean-spirited.
For those that lament the greater good, I have two short anecdotes:
-- I own three TVs. It’s great to be able to watch the game in monster HD with Dopey Surround while the ole lady watches her soaps (eating bon bons, of course) and the two little demons sit mouth agape in front of their tube while Elmo sings about his love for trees. Wow, life is great!
Alas, poor ole Ivan down the street doesn’t own a TV at all and can’t watch the game. See, he spent his money on a moped to get back and forth to his job at the toll booth.
How can this be?! Is this fair? Shouldn’t Ivan, who obviously didn’t have the same opportunities as me, be able to enjoy the same great programming as my family? Of course he should! The only way to rectify this situation is to take one (at least one) of my TVs and give it to Ivan! Yeah! That will make things fair! Now Ivan and I can both enjoy mind-numbing programming (although, my wife and I will have a few quarrels). What a great day to be alive--
The above story is not an original thought, I’m sure. And certainly, it is an over-simplified way of looking at socialism. But a true representation none-the-less.
Regardless of what I have and what I do with it, so long as it doesn’t actually hurt anyone else, belongs to me and is none of your business. If Ivan wants to watch the game, maybe he should show up at my door with a smile, a firm handshake and a six-pack.
-- Dang! Running late again. Shouldn’t have hit the snooze four times this morning…And why is it that on days I’m late, there is always some grandma-blue-hair with her left turn signal “The Club”ed in the ‘on’ position directly in front of me?!? Aaahhhh!--
We’ve all been there. In traffic, stressed and time-challenged. It is a great time to demonstrate the reality of self-interest. At this moment, are you concerned with where the senior citizen is going? Do you even care if she gets there? No. Your main (only?) concern is getting to work on time or at least, less-late. Now, does this make you a monster? Does it make you greedy, selfish or hateful? No again. (Ok, ok, the “grandma-blue-hair” isn’t nice but...) Your self-interest is human. Your lack of caring for anyone you have not chosen to care about is normal. Worrying less about someone else does not equal doing them harm. More poignantly, it does not mean you are lacking or don’t have compassion.
Living in a civil society doesn’t mean I can’t wish you would get the hell out of the way. It just means I can’t run you off the road.