Liberalism and the impact on human nature

[whell]

This article really resonates deeply with me. I post it here not to inflame, though I'm sure it may to some. I post it here because it highlights the central flaws of liberalism, against the backdrop of the London riots.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/ar...ed-youths.html

One of the (many) key "payoff" quotes in the article is this:

"Of course it is true that few have jobs, learn anything useful at school, live in decent homes, eat meals at regular hours or feel loyalty to anything beyond their local gang.

This is not, however, because they are victims of mistreatment or neglect.

It is because it is fantastically hard to help such people, young or old, without imposing a measure of compulsion which modern society finds unacceptable. These kids are what they are because nobody makes them be anything different or better."

The "compulsion" the author refers to is the requirement to gainfully participate in society. This compulsion has been replaced by the welfare state, in which government benefits have replaced the central motivation of a portion of the population to care for and fend for themselves.

Life is hard, dreadfully hard for some. Life is also unfair. But unfairness and the desire for something better are also powerful motivating forces. "Necessity is the mother of invention". If individuals of a society have their motivation of necessity replaced by motivation based reliance and dependency, destruction of the individual and ultimately society will result.

There's much hyperbole in the article, which is not unusual in the Brit press. However, the message is a salient one. Look at the devolution of our own culture. Any sampling of daily news articles provide evidence of the lack of humanity and the decreasing social penalties for misbehavior. We've also decided it is not amoral to spend today for our own security and happiness, and send the bill to our children.

When we live life without purpose, without a notion that we owe a debt to society of our own labor (as opposed to society owing a debt to us), we lose our sense of purpose, value and compassion. If someone's sustenance is simply given to them, and they don't labor for it, then what value does it have? What value do the fruits of other's labor have (could this be why the left finds it so easy to impugn the successful - rich - in our society, and foment class envy)? Ultimately, if someone doesn't mightily contribute to their own sustenance or prosperity, what becomes of their sense of self - worth.

This is how the so - called benevolence of liberalism, to me, fails to take into account human nature as a central force. Devalue the individual in favor of "society", which is the ultimate outcome of applied liberalism, and society starts to break down.

I'm not expecting this to change anyone's minds, but it might provide insight into the minds of those who claim to be conservative. Conservatives are often viewed as compassionate or dispassionate. However, conservatives find no compassion in the destruction of fabric of society that is exemplified by what is occurring in the name of liberalism both abroad and in this country.