TGGP, I think we have to define “deserve” relative to social consensus—a person deserves something if we aren’t outraged when they get it for one reason or another. (Most people define this based on the consensus of a subset of society—people who share certain values, for instance.) Differences in the concept of “deserve” are one of the fundamental differences (if not the primary difference) between conservatism and liberalism.
Do we need a definition of “deserve”? Perhaps it does not correspond to anything in reality. I would certainly argue that it doesn’t correspond to anything in politics.
For instance, should we have a council that doles out things people deserve? It just seems silly.
Politics is ideally a giant cost/benefit satisficing operation. Practically, it is an agglomeration of power plays. I don’t see where “deserve” fits in.
TGGP, I think we have to define “deserve” relative to social consensus—a person deserves something if we aren’t outraged when they get it for one reason or another. (Most people define this based on the consensus of a subset of society—people who share certain values, for instance.) Differences in the concept of “deserve” are one of the fundamental differences (if not the primary difference) between conservatism and liberalism.
Do we need a definition of “deserve”? Perhaps it does not correspond to anything in reality. I would certainly argue that it doesn’t correspond to anything in politics.
For instance, should we have a council that doles out things people deserve? It just seems silly.
Politics is ideally a giant cost/benefit satisficing operation. Practically, it is an agglomeration of power plays. I don’t see where “deserve” fits in.
A “council that doles out things people deserve” sounds like Parecon: Life After Capitalism by Michael Albert.
(Personally, it fills me with horror, but there are people who think it’s a good idea.)
I agree strongly with everything in the above paragraph, especially the end. And so should you. Greens 4 life!
Down-voted due to political phrasing (despite shared political-party membership).
Voted up due to political phrasings (and assumed effort goal of humor :))