Mankind has the unique ability to see right and wrong, good and evil, and reason it out among themselves. We can write about issues and discuss our differences among ourselves to form conclusions on what is best for all of us. This is called diplomacy and is the bedrock of a civil society. Those who avoid using this gift are easily deceived and will live a reactive life rather than one of purpose. The more we live by reaction or appetite, the closer we are to animals. When people’s reasoning resembles animals they are considered vicious or barbaric.
We would like to see a world without vicious behavior and there have been different approaches to this. One step up from Barbarism would be servanthood. What this means is that a child has to serve his parents until responsible enough to make it on his own. They might stay reactive and remain immature if they aren’t raised right. The goal is for them to be skilled at getting along with others and to see that working well with others is advantageous to themselves. This includes marriage, work and sports. We want them independent in the sense that they aren’t reactive to what other people do but are patient and considerate while being persistent to get what they want out of life.
Laws and law enforcement are for lawbreakers and thus the immature. Those who don’t comprehend the principles of work for ownership and consideration for others only understand punishment. In the same way an out of control animal needs to be caged, we make laws to keep unreasonable people from hurting others. Don’t get me wrong, I love animals, but the less tame or serving they are, the more dangerous they are. This works with humans on a higher level. It is sad for an animal to be caged and equally sad for citizens to be caged by rules and laws. It is far better and a person has more freedom when they know how to think and plan in a way that is beneficial to themselves and to others.
Rational thought, civility and potential should be the bedrock of our education system. Everyone has potential. We should celebrate rational thought and discussion. And be thankful for living in a civil society. Civility shouldn’t need to be based in strong laws, but be based in the goodness of the people who have formed good habits. The questions when things are falling apart shouldn’t be about punishment. Bad behavior should always be punished. But as with our own child we should first look at where they became lost in their reasoning. The older one gets, the harder it is to change bad habits. Those who reinforce bad habits of thought should be ostracized because they take potential away from those they claim to understand. We should celebrate rational thought and despise those who stoke hysteria by manufacturing wrongdoing.
Good people have used the potential within themselves for centuries to overcome oppression. I myself have experienced it. Study the history of the Irish some time. Everyone has resources of the mind and can honestly accumulate materials to rise out of any circumstance. And while doing it they pull others up by helping them along and by example. The mind’s resources shouldn’t be squandered by using them for crusades and wars, ways to get out of work, excuses and vengeance. So many sharp minds going to waste.
The Rational Element 