The first week of 2022, of “Januray,” as the artist wrote (image below), has passed, indeed!
In Australia, after the first week of January in the new year, in the Covid-19 numbers we have 381,269 active cases, 3,979 hospitalised, 275 in ICU, and 2,319 total deaths (as of 10:30 AEST, 8 Jan 22). “Why,” we must ask and there are many answers.
The philosopher provides answers closer to the general principle without going too far, overreaching the claim as most politicians do.
To that end, I thought of the general principle I would offer, as it came to me at this end of the first week.
“The Unnecessary Tension between Mass Exchange (Commercial Incentive as the objective value) and Personable Value (I-me-us-we-mine-ours).”
I suggest that the general principle above describes the general problem applicable in most social and political conditions which is causing a swirling downward trend to worse and worse outcomes.
On one hand, we have the challenge, since circa 1945, of the mass society. We need mass higher education if a population is not to trust the political fools on the pathway to destruction. Yes, education itself does not give us the solutions, but, if taken seriously, a population does not fall for nonsense.
On the other hand, we value ourselves and the ‘Others’ who are close to self in the values of what it is to be a person – described in different ways but, in experience, quite compatible: being human, an individual, a member of a society, a sentient being, and full of passion and knowledge.
What politics often does quite wrongly is to set both conditions against each other: the structural solution against the personable solution, and visa versa. And we believe the lie that we must choose one over the other.
No, there are many compatible solutions, which are, yes, imperfect solutions, but there are no perfect solutions. Those who say so, that we must expect perfection, are false.
Here is the principle for imperfect solutions, but are the only solutions:
“Bring together a flourishing Mass Exchange and Personable Value. Find arrangements where each has its place and is not eroded”
Commercialism must not be allowed to destroy any person, and Individualism must not be allowed to destroy any society.
Dreamstime M 237329551
Image: Photo 237329551 / Calendar 2022 January © Mohamed Osama | Dreamstime.com
Neville Buch
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Hi Neville – I acknowledge your ideal of finding arrangements for bringing together a flourishing Mass Exchange together with Personal Value, where each has its place.
Unfortunately, they do have the tendency to erode each other: Commercialism does tend to destroy people, and Individualism does tend to destroy society.