Utopia and America
Greg Ordy, August 2004
[this was written a few months before the 2004 presidential election]
Every week I am amazed when I skim through the local paper and observe the
high level of hate and venom I see expressed in the letters to the editor. Much
of the hate is directed towards George Bush. The good news is that either in a
few months, or, four more years, he will be political history.
The other target of hate and venom is the rich. The usual complaint is that they
don't need what they already have, they certainly don't need any additional tax
cuts, and what they have was made off of the backs of the working folks, so they
don't deserve it to begin with.
Some small part of the letter will finally mention a worthy cause. But if you
read the letter carefully, the real message is that private abundance must be
eliminated. The motivation is not love of the poor, it is hate of the rich.
This belief system, which can be a religion to those who practice it, troubles
me greatly.
The supposed Utopia at the end of this thinking process is that by taking the
excess of the rich, and transferring it to the poor, or other worthy cause, we
will end up with a single middle class, where class envy and need are
eliminated. If you have too much, it will be redistributed, and if you need a
little, it will be provided. This process is aided by demonizing the rich,
making it more acceptable to take what they have.
Do not underestimate the power of this philosophy. It is the primary driving
force on this entire planet at this point in our history. Each country is
implementing it with differences related to their history and culture, but
make no mistake, this is where we are are all headed. The promise is too
irresistible to ignore.
Let's assume we get there. I would ask you to consider what the incentives will
be in that Utopia. Put very simply, if you work harder or produce more, any
excess, any abundance (the definition of rich), will be taken from you. At the
same time, if you work less, or produce less, it does not immediately matter,
since your needs will be met.
Ants and bees may be willing to work for the collective good of the colony or
hive, but not human beings. Like it or not, for our species the strongest
motivations are those that benefit the individual. A system with
incentives that are not compatible with the nature and character of man will
fail, no matter how noble the goals.
The secret of our countries success has been to allow the individual to
responsibly use their freedom to pursue happiness, including accumulating
abundance beyond all imaginable personal need. At the same time, we encouraged a
sense of community and compassion for all members of society. When there is
need, those with excess should step up to the challenge.
That arrangement of incentives got us here. We do not live in Utopia, just
America. The road we are on now will not lead to Utopia, and we are losing
America along the way.
Copyright (c) 2004, Greg Ordy
Last update:
Saturday, August 07, 2004 02:44 PM
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