PrintNovember 4, 2009
Revenge of the Do-Gooder
Words are the weapons in the war of ideas. Maybe an old expression deserves new attention.
The definition of a do-gooder varies depending on the source, but the key elements are a great desire to cure humanity's ills and imperfections with solutions that invariably focus on controlling only other people's property and productivity. Not to be confused with real volunteers and philanthropists -- who use their own skills and wealth to directly help a favored cause -- the do-gooder uses only his brain to decide precisely what everyone else should do with their abilities and wealth. And because the do-gooder is so confident that his plans are good for humanity, he strives to impose his will with a stick, be it regulatory, monetary, or via public brow-beating.
In the seventies, the do-gooder was largely dismissed, presumably because most of society had a good dose of common sense and placed value on individual liberty. But the do-gooder did not respond to this dismissal by reforming himself to become a true humanitarian who actually does good things. Instead, he hardened his views, Alinsky-style, and bunkered down to scheme for ultimate success.
The strategies of the do-gooder are predictable -- take citizens' wealth, the fruit of their own labor, and forcibly direct it toward some cause. It is a tale as old as time -- and it has always failed. The do-gooder is blind to the incredible prosperity of the US and even the world that resulted from the unique liberty-based foundation of these United States. Rather, he strives to break down that foundation and replace it with the age-old ideals of the ruling elite: central planning, high-minded thinking, and imposition of the elites' will upon productive society.
Current examples abound. Cap and trade is simply a tax upon all economic activity, public and private. The health care schemes bandied about by the elite all include government agencies to decide what health care will be "covered" (provided to the common man), what private insurance companies may and may not cover, and what they can charge. They even have an individual mandate for citizens to buy insurance. What would the founders say if every person born was immediately subject to this tax -- merely for being a citizen!
In true form, the do-gooder does his "good" by controlling the actions of others with nary a glance in the mirror. It is incredulous to the man on the street that the leader of the committee responsible for the tax code and the person heading the department of Treasury are both known tax cheats. But the media and academic elite fail to hold them accountable, and the common man's outrage is summarily ignored. The leaders are allowed to carry on and have their way. The media elite give their approval by ignoring the topic or by moving on after a cursory story or two. The do-gooder can have his way.
Like the Nerds who got revenge in the movies of their time, the do-gooder has taken the stage and is now dancing, laughing, and imposing his way upon American society. Through decades of incremental takeover of public education and media, the do-gooder has established his values as politically correct. By example he has taught the public to look to academic and media elites for guidance. Now this influence has brought about a central government that tows the line, using their self-acclaimed intellect to decide how they, the great thinkers, can reform our country to their liking.
If only the passion of the do-gooder would be mobilized to actually, well, "do good." If only, for example, the mainstream environmental movement would spend their time and money on direct conservation efforts rather than in the pursuit of legislation and regulation that forces others to act as the environmentalist wishes. The results could be profoundly more effective. Unfortunately, the strategy of controlling others by force invariably alienates the perpetrators of such coercion and harms the greater cause. For the worthy cause, the carrot would be a better tool that the stick, it would seem.
Additionally troubling, the do-gooder is often used by politically savvy practitioners who recognize and seize the power that can be tapped from the media and educational elite. These power players ostensibly align with the do-gooder's causes in turn for his passionate support, but at the core it is about power for the politician. The do-gooder's causes are merely the path to power for the power-hungry. But the do-gooder either fails to see or fails to accept this notion. He does so at his peril, as the power that is freely ceded to the politicians may well be used against him in the future.
The do-gooder's wishes are now being imposed upon the citizens of these United States by the idealists, the media and academic elite, and the political opportunists. While many seem to think that somehow the current batch in Washington are pure of heart and will bring joy and harmony to all, some also understand -- as has been proven throughout history -- that the do-gooder's dream invariably leads down the road to tyranny.
It may seem like sweet revenge for the do-gooder, but it will bring a bitter pill if the course is not corrected.
