Yesterday, I discussed how human fulfillment develops in regards to three universal needs - work, love, and God. A society can be diagnosed according to how well it hinders or fosters development in terms of these needs. It is important to realize that these ideas stem from a realist as opposed to relativist perspective. I believe in the reality of truth, the reality of right and wrong, and that reality can be used to evaluate society. Specifically, we can evaluate society as to how well it fosters development in the three areas.
A society that does not allow its entire people to work fails at a basic level. Even if the majority of individuals have their needs met, if segments of the population are prevented from fulfilling their need to work, then society fails. This does not imply a particular system of government, but it does imply that a laissez-faire system where humans are put at the mercy of unrestrained “market forces” is inherently unjust. In western culture this unrestrained system is largely no longer existent. Western societies recognize that people must be protected from (at least) the very worst of unrestrained capitalism. But protecting an individual from the worst parts of a system is merely a down payment toward a just situation. A just system must recognize the inherent dignity of all individuals and that they have a right to develop their work potential.
Work and economic justice is only one dimension on which a society must be judged. A society must also provide for community, for the social bond. For a person to fully develop they must have sound and healthy relationships and they must be a part of a community. If a society fully employs and develops the productive talents of its members, but fails to provide for their social development, then that society has failed. It is through our relationships that we can become fully human, and a society must foster that development.
Finally, society must provide opportunity for us to reach out to God. Inherent in every man is the hunger for God. A society that thwarts that desire and purposely stands in the way of it is a failed society. But a society should not only permit reaching out to God, it should nurture it, without compelling it. A society that does not help us achieve the purpose for which we have been created is flawed, and unless changed will not last.
Where does our society stand?
In the United States, and our materialist culture, we do reasonably well (though by no means perfectly) on providing opportunity for man to develop his need to work. There are unfortunate cases of the immigrant that is treated as sub-human or of the poor not having the resources to develop to their potential or of unjust employers. These problems should be continually improved upon starting with an understanding of the inherent dignity of each person regardless of status. As Christians in this society, we must continually advocate for these whom society would pass over. It is our responsibility to not pass by our brother in need.
Oour society is at serious risk of failure in terms of love, or social needs. There is increased isolation caused by the displacement of relationships by technology, a continual focus on the individual and material gain, and the breakdown of the family. Women (and men) are objectified. Sex has been separated from love and marriage. Hedonism rather than love is the base of too many relationships. We murder millions of our unborn children every year. About one third of pregnancies end in abortion and about one third are to unmarried mothers. The family is being systematically destroyed. With this so to falls the strength of the nation.
Our society is failing in terms of providing for the faith needs of its members. In America, if you want to go to heaven, fine - just don’t “burden” anyone else with your goals. If you want to go to hell, fine (and feel free to advertise). While so many remain nominally religions, faith is constantly pushed to the margins, exiled from public discourse. We have candidates tell us that they “condemn remarks that are, in any way, viewed as anti-anything.” and others tell us “I think that religion at it’s best comes with a big dose of doubt. I’m suspicious of too much certainty in the pursuit of understanding just because I think people are limited in their understanding.” In other words, we are not free to call anything truth, because to identify truth is to identify falsehood. God and prayer are eliminated from our schools and our values are eliminated from our laws. We find ourselves in a society that is functionally atheist. Because of our schizophrenic philosophy, we are dooming most of society to the basest common denominator. Those without the discipline to seek God on their own, will find the call to the easy road overpowering. At best, our society will not get in the way of those who have been blessed with strong family or strong character or more than ordinary virtue, but it rigs the system against the average person.
