What is our responsibility to others in society? There is wide variation of opinions. Christians are commanded to treat others the way they want to be treated. In contrast one libertarian capitalist answered, we have no obligation to others. I do not think Christians generally live up to the golden rule nor do I believe the individual feels no obligation to others.
People are theoretically equal in human rights and under the law. They are not equal in many other ways. Think about artistic talent, musical ability, athleticism, ability to learn, physical health, ability to manage money or appearance.
Each person that fails to reach their potential limits society’s progress and inflicts a cost on the community. Would we rather have people in prison, addicted to drugs or contributing through work and paying taxes?
Absolute equality is not a desirable or realistic goal. If we made everyone equal today, they would not be equal tomorrow. Everyone has different gifts, limitations and definitions of success.
What determines success (in the broad terms expressed above). We know it is some combination of genetics and environment. Sometimes this is framed as nature vs. nurture. The best estimates, based on university studies including studies of identical twins separated at birth and raised in different environments is that it is around 50% genetics and 50% environment.
No one gets to choose their genetics and that part of ourselves is not alterable. Therefore, we are born with certain abilities and limitations which are not very alterable.
The most important factor of the remaining 50%, environmental, is the family one is born into. Some parents are good role models and are able to help their children realize their potential. Some are not. Some parents have the means to send their kids to private schools, provide other opportunities and pay for college. Some do not. Some parents teach discipline, honesty, work ethic, and allow their child to maximize their abilities whether artistic, athletic, or academic. Others do not. People don’t choose their parents any more than they choose their genetics. Much of life is determined by luck. Those of us who are lucky should remember that.
Much of the rest of the environment a child experiences is determined by society. What is the quality of the public schools in the area (there is a lot of variation). Will the child have access to healthcare, quality food, a safe neighborhood, role models, or even safe drinking water (think Flint and lead poisoning).
Obviously there is both a societal responsibility and individual responsibility involved in each person reaching their potential. We can argue whether it is 50-50 or 70-30 but we all know both the individual and society must do their parts. Society cannot assume the individual’s responsibility. The individual cannot assume society’s responsibility.
Society’s responsibility is to level the playing field, equalize opportunity, and help people reach their potential to the extent possible. This serves the long term interest of society by making more productive and knowledgable citizens. It lowers costs to the public by having less people needing assistance, going to prison, becoming addicts or suffering from mental illness. It means more people participating knowledgeably in our democracy and contributing more to society.
People will say it costs too much. Inaction also has a cost. We are currently underinvesting in many of our children and poor neighborhoods. It costs more to keep someone in prison than to rehabilitate and educate them. It costs more to have children suffering brain damage and health problems from lead poisoning than to fix the water system. Locking kids in cages costs $775 per kid per day. More than providing the resources to help them become good citizens.
The goal is to build a functional society. For that to happen the individual must feel responsibility to society and society must feel responsibility to the individual.
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