From: Platt Holden (pholden@sc.rr.com)
Date: Tue Aug 09 2005 - 14:29:56 BST
PH:
> > Doing nothing costs nothing in time, energy or money but has the
> > potential for a beneficial outcome. Much harm can be done by well
> > intentioned do- gooders.
H:
> As well as much good! What I always find incredible about the denigration
> of do- gooders by certain parties is that, according to the MoQ, to do good
> is of the highest moral order. The MoQ ia all about good and doing good but
> somehow this is seen by some as wrong. There's a lot of twisted logic going
> on around here.
Definition of do-gooder from Merriam-Webster: "an earnest often naive
humanitarian or reformer."
From Pirsig: "God, I don't want to have any more enthusiasm for big
programs full of social planning for big masses of people that leave
individual Quality out."
Example of road to hell paved by do-gooders: In 25 years since Johnson
declared war on poverty, taxpayers have been bilked $3 trillion. Between
1965 and 1974, unmarried females on welfare rose from 4.3 to 10.8
million. In 1960 illegitimacy among blacks was 23 percent, but 1999 is had
climbed to 70 percent.
I'im sure your familiar with law of unintended consequences. An excellent
description of the law can be found at:
http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/UnintendedConsequences.html
The twisted logic comes into play in believing you know what's best for
other people and forcing them to conform to your ideology. The Inquisition
was based on doing good by saving souls from eternal damnation.
Best,
Platt
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