Sometime there are hard decisions
Life isn't fair
.... Anyone who tells you that it is.... is a liar
Unless you live a very sheltered life I'm going to bet that you could give me stories of things in life that are just unfair. How beautiful people get better treatment just because they won the genetic lottery. How some people get wonderful parents that make their lives easy while others get abusive parents who start then off with a horrible handicap. Some people are born into a wealthy country with access to the best of everything and others are born into abject poverty where there is no chance at a better future.
But here is the question. Should people try to even the scales? Or should be just turn a cold shoulder to the lost causes or even just wipe them out to get rid of the drain they have on society.
But those harsh sounding words are the norm in the world at large. If you are in a herd of Cariboo (think big deer) which ones get picked off by predators? The weak, the sick, the young and the old. Only the strong survive and the Cariboo become stronger because of it.
How about when it comes to mating? For many species there is competition for mates. The small and weak get no mates while the strong and virile get all the mates. That is perfectly normal in the animal kingdom. However if you were to suggest that only the strongest humans should be able to mate and the weak should not able to find anyone.....well, that's not exactly socially acceptable.
But should people take a more pragmatic approach? Would humans as a species be better off if we culled the herd? If we got rid of the medically infirm or disabled? If we got rid of the mentally ill, addicts and homeless? If we culled sociopaths, psychopaths and those we deemed "dangerous" to society at large? While we are at it get rid of the aged when they are too old to be useful any more.
If you were in power would you want to make those changes?
Look at the bright side
Without the drain by the elderly, the needy, the sick and others there would be so much more for those who are able bodied. Get rid of the dimwitted or overly aggressive and customer service jobs would be so much easier! Walk down the street without panhandlers, pickpockets, homeless and such. Sounds pretty nice doesn't it
Get rid of the chronically sick and the infirm elderly and just imagine how much faster to the hospital your visit would be. So much easier to get in to see the Doctor.
Sounds awesome...
..... until you realize you are living in a cruel and heartless society.
Caring for the needs of others is defining in a polite society
I love my mother. Even though she is getting older and her health conditions are piling up I want to see her hang on as long as she is able to enjoy the life in whatever way she still can.
I love my sister. Even though she was born with a disease which causes her considerable pain and left her disabled I am glad that she is still around and able to enjoy her life albeit somewhat more limited than if she didn't have the disability.
I believe that everyone deserves a chance. Indeed just a few days ago I saw a person painting pictures in the SM Mall with his feet as his hands didn't work. If never given a chance we would have lost out on that wonderful talent!
But some pragmatism and common sense.
At some point society simply can't support every needy case and continue to thrive. I think of a body with cancer. If the cancer is allowed to grow the body will sicken and die. The cancer must be removed for the person to survive.
In the same way there are times when society simply doesn't have the resources to look after everyone. In those cases those who can't provide for themselves...well... they don't make it.
In the Philippines I see that fairly frequently. Community cares for those in the community. However there is only so much money to go around. Only so many hospital beds. Only so much equipment. Only so many Doctors and only so much medicine. Sometimes the very sick as just made comfortable and left to die. Or they don't even bother going to the hospital knowing that they do not have the funds and society won't pick up the tab.
If I held the power?
I like to think that if I held the power I'd want to be pragmatic.
I'd want to give every person a chance to succeed and thrive. I wouldn't want to count anyone out before they get their shot! I'd hate to throw genetic diversity away just for the sake of keeping things "safe", "clean" and "tidy".
However, there would come a point where I'd have to say "enough is enough" and leave people to fend for themselves or be remove from being a parasite on society at large. It isn't nice to do or even think about but sometimes bad things have to be done for the good of the whole.
Just my thought,
Feel free to disagree or leave a comment below.
I really do enjoy comments (although getting flamed would suck)
Thanks for reading.