We make every case we can as to why conservative values are right. However, we often provide ambiguous answers as to why our values will make the world a better place.
I know we don't like to think that we have problems with ourselves. Of course, we'll admit we're not perfect. But when someone points out a specific flaw, we go into defensive mode, which often leads us to point out the flaw in our new enemy and ignore the gnawing weaknesses within ourselves.
This leads us to care about what doesn't matter, and often leaves our weaknesses to slowly destroy ourselves.
I suffer from this. Having flaws identified for me, hurts. Those of us who claim to have a conservative mindset have a shared flaw. We are good at providing a general platform to build off, but we do not do a good job at conveying specific solutions to our society's problems.
The economic claim we make that the Invisible Hand will give us a perfect economy is an example of this. Our claim that small government is better is another.
I believe the economy is best when left unregulated by government, but it is not best when left unregulated by the morals of individuals. The Invisible Hand does not work if we as a people are corrupt or if we allow for corruption. If we are prideful, our economy will become prideful and divisive.
Thus, it is not enough for us to fight for a free economy, we must ALSO fight for a moral mindset that will support a free economy (a mindset that encompasses moral actions). This being the same moral mindset that will support a free government. If not, we are leaving ourselves to revert back to some variation of a non-self-governing government, even one that hides under the name of Democratic.
Those who conservatives consider their antithesis (liberals), provide apparent solutions, albeit ones that haven’t been able to self-sustain themselves. The fact that they can't economically self-sustain themselves for a significant period of time, is why conservatives still have an argument people listen to. If liberals were able to self-sustain their policies the conservative voice in America would be but an ideal dream.
So we must provide solutions. Honest and effect solutions. Solutions to:
Healthcare
Unemployment
Poverty
Depression
Single Parenthood
Economic Division
Hate Crime
Broken Homes
Crime
Our solutions to these and other human needs must maintain the freedom of others AND make this country, and possibly world, a better place to live in.
Our solutions must be specific. Saying we can help people without the need of government help is not enough. We must put those words into action and we must get measurable results. While we still have our freedoms, we still have the ability to do good without the help of taxpayer money.
We must face our weaknesses with an honest attempt to use freedom to better the world around us. The beautiful thing about freedom is that with it there is no limit to the good that can be achieved.
3 comments:
I think sometimes we 'know' something is right because we can FEEL it's right, but can't explain it rationally or don't know exactly why it's right. And that makes us sound vague and ambiguous when we are trying to give answers about why our values will make the world a better place. The solution, of course, is to do our homework and figure out why those values are right, and, like you said, figure out a way to implement them. A specific way.
That's a very interesting point-- that at least liberals have specific solutions they are trying. Whether or not we agree with them, we should probably think of something better before we start criticizing.
Agreed.
Well said. As usual your writing is spot on. Here's to all people learning about and accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ, the answer to all the ills/evils of the world.
That is the biggest frustration for me in discussing politics with my friends. People will tell me that all the government-oriented solutions are wrong, but then won't tell me what they have in mind instead. Are states allowed to have welfare programs, for instance? If not states, counties? Cities? Where is it OK for a group of people coalesce to try and help the needy in an organized manner? OR do a lot of people really believe that the needy are needy because it's their own fault, all the time, and having any kind of program will make them needier and greedier? If that's the argument, I think there's hundreds of years of history to back up the argument that *something* needs to be done about the needy or else society itself grows sick and diseased.
Anyway, that's just one of your issues. But it's the one I care about the most, and the one that makes me diverge the most from the conservative mindset :)
Post a Comment