10 commandments for a better society

Here are 10 very obvious and very straightforward “rules” that, were they observed, would make society a whole lot better for everyone. This is just a quick first draft, so please add your comments. They still need a lot of polishing!

  1. Everything that government does it does badly. So the less government the better. This has been proven to be true an infinite number of times. The government is not your friend.
  2. There really is no room for religion or other superstitions in civilised society. Especially there is no place for it in education. People must only have faith if it causes no harm whatsoever and in any way to anyone else.
  3. Freedom of speech is an absolute. There is no such thing as libel or hate speech, they are constructs. The only exception to free speech is criminal activity.
  4. Nationalism is good, so is the community in your street. People need a sense of belonging, identity and common purpose.
  5. Punishing success by the government extorting money from people which is then used to reward failure. Redistribution. This, obviously, harms everyone in society by reducing achievement.
  6. Equality of outcome is pure evil because it punishes ability and rewards its lack. However equality of opportunity is absolutely essential in a fair society.
  7. Political correctness, racism, sexism, taking offence etc are all just mechanics to close down someone you disagree with when you have no real facts to counter their argument. 
  8. Envy is a poison in your soul, which is why socialists are such bitter people. If you want more stuff in your life go out and earn it, don’t expect the state to steal it from others for you.
  9. Always treat others better than you treat yourself. Generosity, kindness and happiness are interlinked.  
  10. All people are not equal, in any way. This is obviously true as every society that has ever existed proves. So expecting equality is crass stupidity.

Edit 26 March to add one more:

11. A person’s body is their own property. It is not the state’s business if a person wants to euthenise it, prostitute it or take recreational drugs. So long as no harm is caused to others.

 

3 Comments


  1. Actually Bruce, I disagree with quite a lot of your politics, but I agree with everything in this very good post. Hope you are well

    Reply

  2. Wouldn’t necessarily disagree with any of these points, but I do think inequality matters. At a certain point, the gap between rich and poor becomes detrimental to everyone. I don’t believe in absolute, rigid communist equality, but I think it’s just as superstitious to say that large degrees of inequality are always fair and deserved.

    So Sir Philip Green paid himself hundreds of millions of pounds while bankrupting BHS. I fail to see how he’s a great success story who deserves all that for what he’s done for the economy. I’m not saying a managing director should get exactly the same as a new floor assistant, but if the hundreds of millions a single owner took were invested in the company, it would still be around today.

    I’m no socialist, but I acknowledge that the gap between earnings between the top and bottom can sometimes be detrimental.

    Reply

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