[lbo-talk] the gains from variety

Michael Dawson -PSU mdawson at pdx.edu
Thu Mar 11 14:00:40 PST 2004



> From: "Michael Dawson
>
> -clip- Choice is massively important. It's the
> essence of both democracy and humanity.
>
> ^^^^^
>
> CB: Could you spell this idea out more ? I think of the essence of
democracy
> as more like self-governance. I think of the essence of humanity as more
> like sociality/kinship.
>
> Are you sort of developing the idea of "variety as the spice of life "?

No, what I'm saying is that human consciousness would mean nothing if it didn't contain a degree of freedom. That degree of freedom is the power of choice. Nothing else in the known universe possesses this miraculous power. Nothing else in the known universe can understand and solve problems.

Humans can take care of each other and of other things. To the extent we learn to do this, life gets better and more enjoyable for individuals. We have much room for growth in this area. I believe it is the rational kernel inside the shells of all religions.

At the practical level, the ability to choose between competing offerings of goods and services and institutions is the best way possible of discovering new and improved ways of living. It's also the only known check against elite power formations. Capitalists, after all, rule by ensuring that commoners have no say in industrial investment, production, and employment decisions.

Yes, democracy is self-rule, but what does that mean, other than the ability to choose which collective arrangements you want to impose upon yourself?

I would point people back to Robert Heilbroner's observation that all human societies are ultimately composed of three things: 1) tradition, 2) command, and 3) free choices. Personally, I want a society that maximizes #3, minimizes #2, and ensures both tolerance and rational selection among elements of #1.

As to the idea, promoted by professional cranks like Miles, that this is all just ethnocentric prejudice -- well, I guess that's why Miles is living his alternative pre-modern lifestyle -- oops, he isn't, is he? All those who don't think modernity has bestowed many genuine gifts upon the race should be completely free to go live in some other way, of course. They will be mighty lonely.



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