[10.24.11] "The Common Good"

While reading the Catholic religious definition of "the common good," which is "the sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups... ready access to their own fulfillment," I was reminded of the three unalienable rights of the Declaration of Independence: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This led me to wonder - if everyone pursued their own "happiness," or if they were fulfilled, would it be for "the common good"? I figured no, since the ambitions of some may impede or stop the dreams of others. Although I strongly wish there was a "common good," I do not honestly think that it will exist everywhere. It is in human nature to be competitive and naturally greedy, and some people are more willing to risk others to get what they want. In America, for example, universal healthcare stands as a popularly debated issue. Some people say that healthcare should be universal since every citizen would benefit from it. Others say that people should pay for their own healthcare since they were the ones that worked hard for their money - so why not get more out of their effort? Individualism is strongly encouraged in the United States, so people feel the right to act in their own interest. 

Compare the United States "system" to other countries of the world. Let's take Japan for an example. Japanese workers are extremely devoted to their work and company. In Manufacturing last year, we watched a movie (Gung Ho) that highlighted the difference in American culture and Japanese culture. The basic plot of the movie was that a Japanese company bought out an American car company and now the American workers have to work under Japanese bosses. The Japanese expected perfection, routine, and order in the car assembly lines. The Americans were outraged at this and set their mind to do things "their own way," even though it might not have been as efficient as the Japanese way. The Japanese also had the workers work long hours (since the assembly line wasn't as efficient, the company was behind on schedule) and expected perfect attendance. The American's point of view? Shorter work hours, weekends off, days off, and just the same pay. Just from this, one can see that the Japanese are willing to work together and support the company that supports them. Americans, however, seek things for their own interest. One will, at one point, meet a person who thinks of himself (or herself) only. For example - there are people who litter their trash on a sidewalk. (It still baffles me that full-grown adults do not know how to clean up after themselves!) Do they care that they are making their own community more dirty? The "save the environment" issue is also big right now. Will everyone work together and try to recycle? Will everyone take mass transportation or carpool instead of taking individual cars? Of course the answer is no. There are people who might decide to drive their own car to work and think, "I'm probably one of the only people who does this. It's okay because it's just one more, single person adding to the pollution." The problem is is that there are many more people that think the same way too! So in the end, we all just have a lot of people driving their own car to work. Again, like I said before - people act in their own interest.

"The common good" solely depends on everyone's mindset. Would one be willing to help others? Make a sacrifice of their own to help someone else? There are people who will and others who won't.