Return to the Free Liberal Homepage

« Lost in Compound W | Main | The Feingold Option »

More On “Giving Back”

A year or so ago, TFL had an exchange on the notion of “giving back” (here, here, here and here). Fresh from seeing a preview of the commendable documentary Mine Your Own Business, I go a bit further than I did then.

In that documentary, we see some very poor people who are desperate to improve their material lives. Environmental extremists are blocking mining companies from setting up operations in these remote places. In a roomful of right wingers and libertarians, there was hostility to the environmental extremists. Understandable hostility, as the environmentalists were caught fabricating and lying to make their case by the liberal journalist/documentarian.

How does this relate to the subject of “giving back”? We live in a generally wonderful, affluent society. Here, property rights are at least somewhat recognized, and the justice system – though hardly perfect – supports property rights.

We take this for granted. But, in most of the world, and throughout most of human history, property rights and justice does not and did not rule. That’s extraordinary, for us Americans, especially. If most people in America did not believe – even vaguely – in property rights and justice, our lot could easily be like the people of Romania, Madagascar, and Chile, the people featured in Mine Your Own Business.

In a sense, if Google, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet want to “give back” in recognition that the community more or less recognizes their right to amass great wealth, the case is weak to quibble with the term “giving back.” It’s kind of healthy, actually, and is reality-based. It seems perfectly appropriate that some wish to celebrate our social order by contributing to the less fortunate.

-Robert Capozzi

Posted by Robert Capozzi on January 25, 2007 07:54 AM |

Free-for-all (frfr-ôl) -- n. A disorderly fight, argument, or competition in which everyone present participates.

from Dictionary.com



Advertisement
Free For All -- The Free Liberal Blog