10.14.09
Divisiveness Defined In Our Nation
There are two kinds of people – those that need control of things, and those with faith. Control of things includes all things. The proclivity to control is not a preference, desire, or whim. It is a need, deep-seated and all-pervasive in their lives.
Faith is an encompassing belief that people in general, and institutions specifically, have innate behaviors that are both unalterable and fairly predictable. Faith accepts these behaviors and, unlike control, it designs the world to appeal to the best behaviors. Faithful people also understand that these designs are not ever perfect.
Faithful people believe the world is too large and complex to completely understand. Because they believe this, they rely on historical knowledge and proven policies. They also use that knowledge, along with their belief about people and institutions, to create policies that leverage advantageous behaviors. The faithful believe that policy should not interfere with individual will, but rather incent people’s achievement. Any policy that alters or wedges between the incentive and the individual is deemed harmful.
Controlling people believe the world can be changed by mandating behavior. They believe people’s behavior is not innate but malleable. Controllers want to control the future by ignoring the past. They believe people and institutions are multilateral and therefore the right policy will elicit the optimum response. Hidden in this belief is deep distrust of people and institutions.
It is easily seen when people of faith and controlling people get together to make government policy, they do not understand each other’s positions. Faithful people view controllers as meddlers and equivocators. Controlling people view the faithful as rigid thinkers and do-nothing Neanderthals. Neither view is correct.
Controllers say their policies will produce great benefit for all. They say they are leveling the playing field so everyone becomes happy. To do this they must reduce the benefit and reward which high-achievers enjoy. They believe high-achievers have too much and obviously must share their earned results. Controllers do this by mandate, and do not trust high-achievers to be charitable. This creates a disincentive to high-achievers and plunges them in to hopelessness. The recipients of mandated redistribution should then be secure and happy. They are not, nor will they ever be. Instead they are resentful and envious. They slink in to a world of victimhood and despair.
The faithful believe their policies will open possibility for nearly everyone. They do not manipulate outcomes, but rather clear roadblocks to people’s success. Faithful people do not take earned rewards from achievers, they encourage more achievement. The faithful know individuals achieve through the earned advancement of all people. Faithful people know, when allowed almost limitless opportunity, the incentive to be charitable is great. And because faithful people believe in innate behaviors, they trust people and institutions to behave according to time-proven principles.
The differences between controllers and the faithful is on full display today. The leaders of our nation, the controllers, are mandating behavior because they distrust us. These controlling leaders think we, the American people, are not innately fair, just, or charitable. They do not believe that successful people help other people by supplying jobs, providing capital for expansion, and championing charitable causes. And most insidious of all, these leaders are making policy that will ensure future controllers carry on their policies and keep the power to control.
The faithful people are not power mongers. They believe power is not for controlling, but for advancing other people’s lives. The faithful are not overtly activist, they believe in honest and fruitful interaction among people. But the faithful are becoming restless. The numbers of faithful are more than the controllers. Their faith in people and institutions has been shaken and they are pensive. When the faithful rise up, they will resist, then remove by vote, the controllers. I have faith they will succeed.
