Sunday, November 30, 2008

It's about life

I think a lot of what we argue about as politics we should instead talk about in terms of life. For instance, I was having a political discussion with my uncle about how our laws should be structured to maximize freedom for families by encouraging self sufficiency and decentralization. De-collectivizing and decentralizing production and control by creating sustainable self-governed communities of small businesses is the Catholic ideal of subsidiary.

He responded with fears about idealists using draconian measures to achieve these Utopian schemes, failures in the ability to supply our large population, rising costs, and road to Hell being paved with good intentions. Also he had doubts that anyone really wants to upset the status quo apple cart or, rather, our high standard of living.

The best answer to his questions - and by questions we always mean objections - the best answer is to use the example of Home brew. Home brewing is a great way to supply a necessity by making it ourselves.

Of course we don't make every ingredient from scratch; we have a community; we have civilization. Because it is not possible for me to grow the hops, grains, sugar and so forth I buy the kit from the people who are best able to supply these items.

But why not go one step further and buy the finished product? After all you can get cheap beer at the store for about 55 cents per beer, and beer almost of the quality I make for 75 cent - $1.75 per beer; the cost of production for each home brewed beer is 35 -40 cents not counting labor. Clearly the most efficient way to get beer is to buy it.

This is the beauty of being Catholic; you have the freedom to go either way. The Church advocates that "the means of production be as widespread as possible", but She makes no hard and fast rules about how we act on this principle. We do have to use discernment though, which is an understanding of how we are free to do the right thing.

It is up to us to look for ways that we can liberate our families and our communities from the consumerist and collectivist impulses of our mad system. We need to start with activities that we can enjoy and that either save us money or cost us little, and keep the means of production local and decentralized. Producing things by hand gives us a better perspective on the products themselves.

We have to avoid reactionary know-nothingness and apply the wisdom of the ages to the fallout of modern life. We have to ask for guidance with a willingness to follow it.

No comments: