Fair: The One word that defines our generation, culture and world

Fairness. It drives the world (all but Islam) in this age. It is the reason why American politics is so rancorous – why some accuse others of being mean, heartless, cruel, evil. What is fair? There are three views (four with Islam) and they are as follows.

One side cares. The concern is for the poor, hungry, homeless, and in every way what history is calling the disadvantaged. To be sure, fairness is most often spoken of in the negative: that to apply ordinary justice to such people would not be fair. The disadvantaged need extra help, special breaks, a hand up. They need compassion, not punishment. They need access to education and real opportunities which have otherwise been denied them.

When those who think this way look at those who appear advantaged (successful), they feel it is only right (justice) that the advantaged people share. Share, like we are taught when we are infants. These caring believers see the sin inherent in the human species, but only one side.

It is greed and selfishness that oppresses others. Therefore, it is the right of the collective (government) to force the advantaged to share – to give up their advantages in order to create a more level playing field – in order to make things “equal.” And the focus is certainly on the results.

The other side… cares. But the concern here is for the people who struggle to make a good life, who try, who fight the good fight and seek to do what is right for themselves, their families and their neighbors (if not their nation). These good people make the effort in life and it is only fair that they should be rewarded and be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. In recent years, this view of fairness is also beginning to be expressed in the negative. For the collective (government) to take that fruit and give it to others through excessive taxes and punitive rules and regulations is not fair.

When those who think this way look at those who appear disadvantaged, they point to people in similar circumstances who have become successful, or they point at themselves and say no one helped me. I worked hard and made something of myself. These people invest their lives in a job or a business and believe it is totally fair that they receive a fair return on their investment and the government should not “steal” it. These caring believers also see the sin inherent in the human species, but only one side.

It is well documented that these people are the first in line and give the most to those who are truly disabled, sick or in need; but when they look at the so-called disadvantaged, they also see the lazy people who have learned how to game the system and take advantage of the taxpayer. Helping an unwed mother is one thing, but by the third, fourth or fifth generation, it is no longer a mistake, it is a lifestyle with no end in sight.

For these hard working people, the government is not the answer, it is the problem – making a hard life all but impossible. In America (it is believed), regardless of race, creed, color, religion, gender, socio-economic level or any other qualifier, there is opportunity. One can still strive for the “American Dream.” The playing field here is essentially level at the start. It already is “equal,” but the focus here is on the starting gate, and what a person does with their life is left up to them.

On the third hand… I won’t comment significantly on Islam. That is a world unto itself. Let me just say it has historically been the case where a few clerics, scholars and strongmen (never strongwomen) have had the advantages of this world and most of the people have not. As such, caring or fairness has not much entered into the equation. It is “The Will of Allah,” and any social, political or economic discourse is subservient to the religion.

Finally, there is the older Judeo-Christian view of fairness, and while it will have to wait until the next post, let me just say it recognizes the sin inherent in the human species, both sides.


-Michael
The Fiction Side: The Storyteller http://mgkizzia.wordpress.com/
The Non-Fiction Side: Word & Spirit http://michaelkizzia.wordpress.com/

The New Dark Ages: The Beggars; the Permanent Underclass

These days we consider ourselves more civilized than the middle ages.

Hark! Hark! The dogs do bark,
The beggars are coming to town.
Some in rags,
And some in tags,
And one in a velvet gown!

Then again there’s Monty Python

“How can you tell he’s the King?”
“He doesn’t have any shit on his shoes…”

###

Welcome to the New Dark Ages

And you thought homelessness was a recent phenomenon…

In the first dark ages there were refugees – whole migrations of refugees, and disabled from one war or another. There were criminals, and people thrown from their land because the church wanted it or some noble lord wanted a new hunting preserve. There were people in debt who could not pay who ended up in debtor’s prisons, as indentured servants (virtual slaves) or in the poor house. People were regularly reduced to begging as well as the normal lazy vagabonds who for whatever reason were content to beg for their bread and depend on the poor box in the local parish. What do you think made up Robin Hood’s band of merry men? It was not the rich and famous.

Today, we are a much more compassionate society, or so we think. We have public housing, welfare, food stamps. No one needs to beg, though some still do. And this is compassionate, but is it wise? You see, back then there was a real incentive (granted a negative incentive) to work hard, stay in good graces with the church and the lord of the manor, deal honestly (against criminality) with your neighbors, live frugally, save what you could against the rainy day, and be charitable with the understanding that you might end up there, but for the grace of God,

Today, the incentive is turning on its head. We are already seeing some results (and riots) in certain parts of the globe, like Europe where this “entitlement” thinking has taken a firm hold. Yes, I know it is very politically incorrect to think this through, but here is the truth of it: entitlement = government promises = taxpayer money = STEALING from your neighbor…

I am not saying we were better off in the first dark ages when people got thrown out into the street. I am saying we have to find a different way of being compassionate to the poor and needy because the way we are doing it is not working.

The bureaucratic class needs a permanent underclass to be their power base, but that class cannot be allowed to get too big. Someone has to pay for it and to be blunt, there just are not that many rich people.

Our current system kills the incentive to work hard. Young people are asking why they should work their butts off when they can do almost as well not working at all. It kills the incentive to stay in good graces with the owners and bureaucrats. Cheating on taxes, for example, is becoming a way of life to where you are considered a fool if you don’t cheat. And the same goes for neighbors. Thought for neighbors and charity in general are entirely out the window. Our current system of entitlement thinking inspires us to ask, “What’s in it for me?” There is no incentive at all to live frugally or save. Even massive debt is no sweat given the big bailouts we have all seen.

We have to find a better way, because otherwise that word “unsustainable” will rear its ugly head and then the bureaucratic class will have to impose a litmus test for “help.” When that happens, the millions who don’t pass that test better find work mighty quick. If they don’t, we will soon enough be right back in nursery rhyme land: Hark, hark! The dogs do bark. The beggars are coming to town…


-Michael The Fiction Side:
The Storyteller http://mgkizzia.wordpress.com/
The Non-Fiction Side: Word & Spirit http://michaelkizzia.wordpress.com/