A Video for Our Schools

This video was sent to me by one of the followers of this blog (thanks, Bren), as an example of "brainwashing" of our school children. In a sense it is and of course I disagree strongly that it's the government's role "to take care of us" and to over-regulate private enterprise. I don't want that philosophy dinned into our children's young and receptive ears. Putting aside that premise expressed in the video, there is much in it I agree with.

Take that socialistic part of the message away and that leaves quite a few legitimate criticisms of the way modern society views life. Regardless what our belief system may be, if we pay attention, we know that we have worth as human beings which is above and beyond what our professions are, how much money we earn and, for heavens sake, we are more than (as the media and economists term us) "consumers." The remedy isn't for the government to restrict productive business activity or the advertising urging us to buy-buy-buy, but rather for us to step back and look at what our real needs are and what our core values are.

A comment in the video which is factual is that government caters to the big multi-national corporations to the detriment of domestic industry, farms and therefore the personal prosperity of individuals and families. The answer isn't socialism, but rather repealing some of the legislation which has caused this situation, such as taxation that drives businesses offshore and leniency in immigration and trade policies.

The video is also correct in pointing out that toxins are permitted in our foods and other products. In most instances, though, it's not more laws which are needed, but rather enforcement by the FDA and and other regulatory agencies of existing laws and regulations -- a legitimate role, I believe, for government. Though of course a role we need to keep our eyes on to see that it doesn't become a tool of behavior control.

After watching this entire video, I find, essentially, only one serious objection and that is to the opening statement that it is government's role to "take care of us." Educating ourselves and our children to be responsible as adults about what and how much they buy, how they exercise "stewardship" over their property and possessions and to consider the effect of how they live on others is in itself a sound principle and one that communities lived by for generations and can return to, with individual, family and community awareness and effort.

Leave out the opening "it's government's role" statement and a few of the gratuitous comments about "global warming" and "providing [emphasis mine] health care and the save-the-world implied position, and this would be a very good presentation for our school children (and ourselves) to hear.

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