So let's be clear. The rights of the individual here, in this most personal of life impacting choices, of making a life come into being, has to be sacrosanct to a very great degree. How can it be otherwise, other than the most dire of existential threats to the species itself; and even then, one has to wonder, if you couldn't argue it a little further, morally, to think: if we can't get this most basic of individual choice ability right, and still not find balance? Maybe that's just not a rule system that was meant to survive at all.
That is my bias speaking of course because I was born centered on Mother Earth. And I love her deeply, but I was also born to know that there has to be counterbalance, always. And you can't give the individual such power without also allowing the individual great leeway in the choice of its use. And if the mistakes of the many (however "the many" were either directing themselves, or being directed) in making social choices have left the individual nothing but chaos within which to make conceiving decisions in, then, who is really to blame?
I say all of that as preamble because I also understand, quite clearly, that sometimes an individual's life does not, in a very special sense, belong to them any more. It belongs to the needs of the many. That is why I write to you now, in a 20 by 15 room (approximately), that I rent from my friend Kathleen. A room that contains all of my remaining worldly possessions. Because that is all my SSI income allows me to afford. And because to do anything else with all of the things that I could have made money with would have been ignoring that dictum. Which, of course, is why I was an idiot to take this whole thing on in the first place, but then, it seems there is also the significant possibility that this was already in motion, precisely because of the chaos that went into the conceiving decision that made me. Otherwise, how could all of the, seemingly impossible things, that have happened, exactly as they had to happen, in order to get me to be able to, possibly, describe it to you. Which is also why this has been at least as difficult for me as it may be now for you (with all of the both philosophical change proposed, as well as the social, and economic change proposed).
In any case, though, we are, ultimately, talking about conceiving decisions, but also the greater social, economic, and political environment, in which those decisions are made, or forced, upon both sides of the conceiving equation; and in this I'm not talking necessarily about either the "male, female side" of that equation, or the "needs of the many, opposed to the needs of the one", on the other, of that equation, but both at the same time.
Which leads me then to our Mr. Gates here and the wonder if he really understands another dictum: "Don't ask questions about things you don't really want to the hear the answers to." Because in this you really must question the larger frame of reference.
He thinks, in my opinion, that he's found an interesting relationship: If you help people keep being healthy (staying alive) you actually seem to have them make, overall, better "Overpopulation problem" decisions. Gosh Mr. Gates, I wonder why that could be. Perhaps that's its making for a good deal less chaos generally; that those involved can then can make better conceiving decisions, whether that's making less, or making more if they want to, because they can, and have the means, and they love each other, and... Wow, what if maybe they even had the expectation that they could then have children who would also have care, but also a stable growing environment, that their parents were deeply involved in providing; sometimes actually helping to teach with the other community's parents, to do the kind of learning that would both excite their children to learn more, but also let them see how they were needed, so that they too could help make the community go... And... And...
Ok. So that's why you can see how a crazy old dreamer can go off the deep end sometimes with his crazy visions of how things might be... You know... If only.
What I am trying to get at here, though, is that it is unlikely that Mr. Gates truly understands the full complexity of what it would mean to truly enable everyone to make not only good conceiving decisions, but good parenting decisions, as well as good decisions once you are an individual, out on your own, given whatever heritage, and/or social norms, and aspirations, to do what one ought to do that would serve good balance. Something that would give both sides what they need, as well as a little extra, once in a while, to make it all worthwhile. Something that makes sense. And something that feels right. And for that you do, truly, need to ask revolutionary questions now. Because if you aren't you are doing no better than our well intentioned philanthropist here, thinking that it's just the proper investment, in the proper service industry, or new technology, that will do the trick, for a very limited view, of a much much bigger problem.
GOOD QUESTION
Bill Gates Explains Why Saving Lives Doesn't Lead To Overpopulation
Contrary to what you might think, improving medicine and healthcare environments do not lead to overpopulation. In fact, it's the opposite.
See Also:
[Post Note: And here do we see exactly what our poor, well intended Philanthropist, misses altogether; that economics, and politics, and inequality of outcomes, have to be revolutionary questions now because it really does matter as to the individual's ability to make good choices. How could it be otherwise; especially to matters of what you seek to do with socialization in the first place; because if all you are looking for is just obedient minions to carry out your dictates than perhaps good choice makers isn't such a big deal. But if you want folks who can really be there to provide value added to getting anything actually done, as well as for providing for that extra bit that makes life the engaging wonder it should be, you do really need good choice makers. And since getting something done now actually involves saving the planet... Well, I think any of you can do that math. J.V.]
MONEY ON THE MIND
How Poverty Changes Your Mind-Set
No comments:
Post a Comment