Dear Friends,
It seems to me that the only Societal Myth, that is not in fact a myth, is the US Societal Myth. A Societal Myth is an underlying foundational ethos or philosophy that is a primary motivator of the individual to transmit the society largely intact to the next generation, saving and protecting the few gems of wisdom the society has got. It is called myth in that it is mythical in scope, i.e. the Roman, death in battle is the most glorious or the Mongol’s invincibility myth, that once shattered led to the total collapse of the society. Of them all, it is only the US Societal Myth, that is mythical in scope but factual in function to philosophy. The original US Societal Myth was, of course, “Liberty of the individual is the best means to societal prosperity; limited government being the means to liberty of the Individual.”
As I said “was,” the new Societal Myth, that a faction of the Elite are trying to supplant the original with is, “only government can guarantee just distribution of wealth.” I hear it every time I listen to NPR. They keep up the drumbeat that government is the best corrective for every situation. The thrust of every piece is how the Democrats are correct and the Republicans are wrong. No doubt excellent journalism in the eyes of Politico or Media matters, the “unbiased” arbiters… Makes me wonder what NPR stands for National Progressive Radio maybe?
We can clearly understand that limited government leading to individual liberty has led to the greatest standard of living the World has ever seen. No society on the face of the planet, in the history of mankind, has ever had as a problem of the poor, obesity. It is unheard of in the annuls of time that the poor in a society must suffer the ill health effects of obesity. Yet in the US today obesity is a major problem facing the poor.
Some would argue that this is because of the modern welfare state. That the goods of society would not be so “fairly” distributed if not for the power of the welfare state to redistribute wealth. – But if not for the tremendous advances in the productive capacity of man, (due to the market system), the ability of so many to remain idle would be impossible without mass starvation. It is only in the fact that the modern market system has so raised the productive capacity of the individual that society is able to support a large and growing faction of the people under it’s care allowing them to remain indigent and obese.
Limited government giving rise to individual liberty create the conditions for the market system to function. By engaging capitalism or the market system, individuals see a very human need and fulfill it. By doing so they earn a living or get rich. As the large needs are met, the smaller needs become more pressing, and someone steps in to help us meet them as well. Prior to the invention of the automatic washing machine people didn’t change their cloths daily it was at least weekly. The invention of the washing machine didn’t actually lead to less work for the housewife of the time but to the better hygiene of the general populace.
The advantages to the people and to society when the societal Myth is that liberty is the best means to universal opulence can be seen everywhere. In the need for diversion the market system has provided us with every form of diversion possible given our level of technology. From remote controlled model dirigibles to Dungeons and Dragons online the options available to the individual are endless. Actual wealth is created thereby.
The options for enlightenment abount under limited government. The great works of the ancient World are freely available online, as are the works from the Enlightenment and Aquinas, through Bastiat to Hayak and Alinski. The individual, allowed his or her liberty, has at his or her disposal the ability to become a sage or a villain, it is only at his or her discretion. The market system makes available the means to satisfy every human need be it noble or foul. Therefore the US Societal Myth is in fact true in that it leads to universal opulence and actual liberty of the individual.
But if the Societal Myth of the US is changed then what can we logically expect? What has happened before when power has been amassed in government is the first place to look. Some examples are, the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, the National Socialist Workers Party election victory of 1932, Mugabe’s revolutionary victory or the Khmer rouge in Cambodia. History is unambiguous about the results of government, (politics), being the adjudicator of the just distribution of the goods of society. History is also unambiguous about the results of individual liberty from limited government…
So, why would anyone fall into the trap of government arbitrating the just distribution of the goods of society? Especially when the original Societal Myth has been so fruitful.
But moreover, wouldn’t it behoove countries and societies to change to the American Societal Myth, and reap the rewards for themselves?
