Plato wrote a most wonderful work that you can read with your
children called, The Republic. That is of course
complete hyperbole and purposefully placed sarcasm. Research The Republic and see for yourself some
of the more adult themed topics discussed. This book is where the noble lie originated. The
Republic is a Utopian-minded progressive's dream of a
"perfect" society controlled by an "elect" of
intellectuals. These "philosophers" control all facets of life
including providing for each individual in the society. It's not voluntary but
coerced. The Republic was anti-individual and
pro-collective. Of course, what Utopian society upholds the individual? A
socialist-Utopian style of government whether Fascist or Communist, strips the
individual of his/her humanity and individual desires, and replaces it with a
dehumanized collectivist body. The collective becomes more important than the
individual. You become a number or object for use by the Central
government. Coercion or force becomes the "necessary" and
"noble" tool to force the individual to cooperate and help the
collective whole.
In order to control the individual and coerce them to do what they
want, the government tends to rely not only on force but also on a lie-not just
any lie but a noble lie. In short, a noble lie is a myth
manufactured by the ruling elite to convince the people that what they are
being coerced to do is just. The myth is that the collective whole will be
better off if everyone is forced to take care of the collective whole.
 |
| Rob Peter to pay Paul. |
This article is the first in a series about various noble lies
that our government have been manufacturing.
Welfare and other entitlement programs have been enforced by the
barrel of a gun along with promoting them with a noble lie. This compassion
that comes at the barrel of a gun is a complete contradiction that ends with
undesirable unintended consequences. For a great article that goes into depth
on this issue check out this link http://studentsforliberty.org/blog/when-compassion-comes-at-the-barrel-of-a-gun/.
Again, the lie is that if you don't subsidize activity for the
collective whole then you are a selfish barbarian who contributes to the
problem and creates success off the backs of the other less fortunate. As
Bastiate explains in The Law:
When we oppose subsidies, we are charged with
opposing the very thing that it was proposed to subsidize and of being the
enemies of all kinds of activity, because we want these activities to be
voluntary and to seek their proper reward in themselves. Thus, if we ask that
the state not intervene, by taxation, in religious matters, we are atheists. If
we ask that the state not intervene, by taxation, in education, then we hate
enlightenment. If we say that the state should not give, by taxation, an
artificial value to land or to some branch of industry, then we are the enemies
of property and of labor. If we think that the state should not subsidize
artists, we are barbarians who judge the arts useless.
This is also the logic fallacy of "zero sum." If
someone is creating success on their own, then someone else is losing. If you create
wealth then it is being taken away from someone else. This is wrong and an
utter fallacy of reason. Milton Friedman, one of the greatest economists of the
20th century, spoke and wrote dispelling this myth of zero sum. Here
is a short clip of him discussing this fallacy, Milton Friedman on Slavery and Colonization . Thomas
Sowell, another brilliant economist, wrote Economic Facts and Fallacies and
began with the "four core fallacies;" which, zero sum is one of the
them. He pointed to the opposite and correct logical conclusion that
"voluntary economic arrangements are 'positive-sum.'" Let me give you
an example. And I will use the Ipod, since most people today know and can relate.
Apple may spend $50 for the parts (just an estimate for the example, not an
accurate one). The Ipod is then available for purchase at $200. You the
consumer or purchaser voluntarily enters into a transaction for the Ipod. Now,
you estimate the total value of the Ipod based on your entertainment and
overall time and enjoyment of the product at $500. This involves all the time
you are going to spend on it with downloading music, apps, and other
entertaining things. You purchase the product for $200 while profiting $300.
Simultaneously, Apple profited $150 off the purchase. Apple did not increase
wealth while someone decreased and made a loss. It was a positive-sum.
The noble lie in regards to force used to facilitate compassion
and giving is a perfect example of the anti-liberty and anti-reason activities
of Big Government. Basic economics proof that there is no zero sum and in fact
there is a positive sum with voluntary transactions. No wealth is gained while
someone else loses. Hence, the noble lie of forcing people to give money to
redistribute to others that are losing while those whose money is taken have
made their wealth off their backs is just that, a lie. This lie does not accomplish
anything good. The premise is flawed and also the conclusion that compassion is
created through force is equally flawed. Compassion and giving is true and
better when voluntary through individual choice. The poor will always be with
us as the Bible, economics, and common reason tells us. Furthermore, the poor
are not created by those who create wealth. And you can't force compassion with
the barrel of a gun. The end result is more poverty, resentment, less
liberty, bigger government, and dehumanization of the individual to form the
collective whole.
Watch this ten minute clip of the Robber Baron Myth by Milton Friedman and you will be enlightened. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmzZ8lCLhlk&feature=relmfu
This is also the logic fallacy of "zero sum." If
someone is creating success on their own, then someone else is losing. If you create
wealth then it is being taken away from someone else. This is wrong and an
utter fallacy of reason. Milton Friedman, one of the greatest economists of the
20th century, spoke and wrote dispelling this myth of zero sum. Here
is a short clip of him discussing this fallacy, Milton Friedman on Slavery and Colonization . Thomas
Sowell, another brilliant economist, wrote Economic Facts and Fallacies and
began with the "four core fallacies;" which, zero sum is one of the
them. He pointed to the opposite and correct logical conclusion that
"voluntary economic arrangements are 'positive-sum.'" Let me give you
an example. And I will use the Ipod, since most people today know and can relate.
Apple may spend $50 for the parts (just an estimate for the example, not an
accurate one). The Ipod is then available for purchase at $200. You the
consumer or purchaser voluntarily enters into a transaction for the Ipod. Now,
you estimate the total value of the Ipod based on your entertainment and
overall time and enjoyment of the product at $500. This involves all the time
you are going to spend on it with downloading music, apps, and other
entertaining things. You purchase the product for $200 while profiting $300.
Simultaneously, Apple profited $150 off the purchase. Apple did not increase
wealth while someone decreased and made a loss. It was a positive-sum. 