F. A. Hayek explained why many people support politicians touting socialist plans. In The Road to Serfdom, he explained that people want to be “relieved of the necessity of solving [their] economic problems and…the bitter choices which this often involves.”
The latest New York City Siren Song, free stuff will be the savior of a runaway city beckons. So tempting, this harkens back to era of free mobile phones as well as promises the Romans and their predecessors made to keep their populations under control.
Many like to believe that we are different than our forbearers, that somehow we are smarter, more sophisticated–pick one or all of the rationales. Hate to bust any social media ballons, human nature is the same as it was eons ago.
Someone Take Charge of My Life and Help Me!
Much as children reach for their parents, guardians or other trusted adults, dependency requires subserviency. Not responsible in a meaningful manner for behaviors until reaching the age of “being treated like an adult,” children get away with a lot. “He is just a kid,” rings hollow after the age of 10 or so but that myth persists, often well into one’s 20s and even later. Seems unsustainable to me, but that’s just me.
Whose Your Daddy?
Daddy Warbucks is going to pay for this political largess. Really? Given that the so-call rich are the biggest donors to politicians, what if they just say NO! Political winds can turn on a dime and likely will here too as reality starts to bite.
We would all like to win the lottery and free gifts and discounts are great. However, “there is no free lunch” rings in my ears as does, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” None of us can be relieved of the necessity to take charge of our lives and not submit to Hayek’s serfdom emanating from the relinquishment of our right to make our own decisions.
Isn’t the right to make decisions right up there with the First Amendment? Don’t give it away for shiny object trinkets.