It should be obvious by now that the various social units of humanity, like most other organized structures in this universe, are simply increasingly larger and more complex replications of the unit preceding. Individual to Family, Family to Community, Community to County, County to State, State to Country, Country to World: All of these are structures that are fundamentally the same, just as the rings spreading out from a rock tossed into a pond are larger than the ones inside but otherwise little different.
Few individuals can be successful unto themselves. Even those who are eventually fail, since if they don’t permit their existence to spread beyond themselves then their existence ceases with their death, and might as well never have been. To have one’s genes, one’s thoughts, one’s very acts upon the physical World disappear with their final breath is a compelling definition of “pointlessness”.
Therefore, we must reach beyond ourselves, to grasp and shape a meaning for the existence we enjoy. We bond with others in webs of ever-increasing complexity to provide security and access to resources in order to shape and produce our contribution to the endless mosaic of life. The more we protect, nurture, guide and help others, the more we will receive those same benefits in return. Taking without giving back, withdrawing rather than stepping forth, we add nothing to the whole and concurrently diminish the self.
Helping needs to be an interactive and mutually beneficial process. Taking from one person and simply giving to another creates nothing; it only moves what already exists from one place to another. One individual consuming resource to produce something of value to another, and that other providing resource in exchange for that value increases the net value to all. An expanding web of increased value spreads out, growing endlessly larger and endlessly complex.
The best thing anyone – any person, any group, any government can do is to stay out of the way of producers. The more that is confiscated of a producers resources, the less future value will be able to be produced. When the value of what is produced becomes less than the value of what it takes to do the producing, production inevitably grinds to a halt. It is foolish to expend more effort that will be realized in return.
It has been said, “ten percent is good enough for God”, and there is a lot of truth in that sentiment. An increasing percentage of a decreasing pie results in smaller returns for the taxing authority. Government does require a revenue stream to enforce the security and freedom necessary for its citizens to flourish. Take too much though and that stream turns into a trickle. Those intended to benefit instead suffer, and the suffering tends to spread until all experience the hardship to some degree. Whenever a Family gets out of balance, when needed resources are withheld from some members the whole Family begins to feel the pain. Any government is simply an element of a larger Family, and it must execute its role in a manner that impacts the rest of the Family in the least negative manner possible. Take what is needed, but no more. Give assistance where required, but only when the other members of the Family have run out of options and the capacity to aid each other. That is how they grow stronger and more capable to face the future on their own. Let them teach each other to fish, rather than meeting the trawler at the dock and confiscating the catch to be distributed. Do that often enough and the captain will simply stop taking his ship out to sea.
To derive the greatest benefit from all the families one is a member of it is necessary to give those families the greatest benefit one has to offer. It is not possible to go it alone over the long haul.
Faith, and forward.
No comments:
Post a Comment