Our Altruist DNA, and the Golden Rule:
In 5 million BC, your Great-to-the-umpteenth-grandfather wanted to be the Alpha of his chimp tribe. He wasn't very strong or big, but he was smart. So he became an altruist. He gave to others who were hungry. He gave reassuring pats and petting, to anyone in the tribe who was upset or alone. He followed the Golden Rule. In this way, he collected around himself, a group of not-Alphas, and taught them the ethic of scratching each other's back. He followed this ethic as a habit, not paying much attention to whether others reciprocated.
Then, one day, after years of this Altruistic behavior, he was ready to make his move. He and his friends stood up, together, and faced the tribe's Alpha. They brandished large branches in the air, and hurled rocks, and raised a racket of hoot-pants and challenge-calls. Shoulder to shoulder, they stood, and it was an impressive sight.
The Alpha was a Rugged Individualist, who read Nietzsche and Ayn Rand in his leaf-nest at night. He always looked out for #1. He never shared food with the weak, silent and UnFit. He thought it was a waste of effort to scratch other's backs. He had subjects and slaves, but few friends. He was feared, but not loved.
The Alpha bared his teeth, hesitated, and turned tail. The rest of his life was spent hovering around the edge of the tribe, thin and mangy, very much alone.
The above is a true story, and you can read all about it in Jane Goodall's books on chimp behavior.
Altruism is Fit. Altruism gets you what you want, and propagates your DNA (or your meme). Yes, that's what the Darwinists are saying, today. The Selfish Gene follows the Golden Rule. Game Theory says the Fittest Strategy is: Strict Reciprocity with Intermittent Forgiveness. "Do unto others..." implies:
1. the rule of law
2. equality before God and Man and Man's laws (to be clear, this is equality of opportunity, not equality of results).
3. pacifism (you don't want others killing you, right? So: Thou Shalt Not Kill. Try to make this a habit.)
The doctrine of Satyagraha works on the principle that you make the so-called enemy see and realize the injustice he is engaged in. -Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
Is it important to you personally, for your life and liberty, to be able to go where you please, and say what you want? Is this dear to you? Can you say (and mean it), "Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death"? If so, then it is in your personal self-interest, to make the Executive (any President, this one or the next wannabe Emperor) follow the Rule Of Law.
The Pope says he is submissive to God. But he also claims sole Authority to define what God is saying (Infallibility, inheritance of the Throne of Peter). The President claims he is submissive to the Constitution. But, he also claims the right to creatively re-interpret, do work-arounds, make exceptions, for anything in the Constitution that limits Executive Authority. Pope and President both yearn to be Despots.
You don't feel threatened by this. That's because you can't imagine the President-Emperor ever defining you as an "illegal combatant". But politicians have a nasty habit of re-defining words to mean whatever they'd like, and creatively expanding their Authority (for the Common Good and Public Safety, as they will tell you frequently in peace-time, and constantly in war-time). The Quaker Suffragists who President Wilson jailed, probably didn't think it could possibly happen to them. It did. And it can, again. To you. Yes, you.
"If once [the people] become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions." --Thomas Jefferson, 1787
"In a government bottomed on the will of all, the life and liberty of every individual citizen becomes interesting to all." --Thomas Jefferson, 1805
First they came for the illegal combatants......
Then they came for...... |
