True North

What a great notion. To a certain extent it's true. But then, like most of life there is the question of degree. Just what does it mean, anyway?

Those on the Left have seized upon this concept as the justification for their manifold wealth redistribution schemes. It is the cudgel that will be used to force compliance with whatever hair-brained plan is finally settled on for global warming. It is, in fact, the centerpiece of the Liberal Creed.

The founders of my country foresaw a nation of individuals, loosely joined by the concurrent needs of commerce and self-defense. The words Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness weren't campaign slogans, they were ideals on which to risk their "lives, property and sacred honor".

Now here we are in the 21st Century, with the encroaching Nanny State turning that concept into a relic. If this increasing interdependence is unavoidable, I damn sure want a say in the shape it takes.

Here's on major problem with "We're all in this together". Some people I just don't want to be "together" with. In fact, some people I want to keep at as friggin far a distance as possible. That's why I get a little testy when our liberal friends accuse me of being greedy, or selfish, or whatever sad little epithet they pull out of their cliche bag. When they use the phrase "We're all in this together", what they are really saying is "We are all exactly equal". The ambulance chasing John Edwards has said this verbatim. It's a lie.

In any relationship their must be symbiosis. Both sides must bring something of value to it. When this simple law is violated you no longer have a relationship, you have a parasite and a host. That's not always a bad thing. Children are a prime example of the parasite/host relationship. The host has (usually) volunteered to serve in that position. When a third organism imposes a parasitic relationship on two separate organisms all pretense of symbiosis is lost. When that third organism does this for it's own personal advantage you in fact have two parasites and only one host. The host is pretty much screwed.

So next time someone peddles the less than profound platitude that "We're all in this together", I'm going to say "Great! The trim on my house needs painting. I'll see you on Saturday morning. Bring a ladder and paint. Dark brown.

Cross-posted at AntiStrib. Comments so welcome, we'll leave a key under the mat for you.