When appearances are considered more important than substance, common sense goes out the window.
These days, we’re all being told to simply “do something” about any number of issues we face (or have simply made an issue of).
But what does that accomplish, beyond a warm feeling inside, some false relief of guilt? “Doing our part” becomes a mantra for unjustifiably useless and costly acts.
Take, for instance, airport security. These days, it’s incredibly invasive to the point of groping and/or nudity, in addition to spirited exploration of your possessions, including computer files.
To get on an airplane, you must forgo any privacy.
It wastes millions of hours and dollars a year, and there’s no guarantee that it do anything but keep the honest people honest. There are so many ways around the “safety” measures that anyone with an inclination could avoid being caught without much effort. Plastic/carbon fiber weapons. Hidden blades within luggage, belt buckles, canes, or anything else. Clubs or batons made of anything hefty and solid. Poisonous puncture weapons. Even makeshift firearms or bombs can be hidden in a number of ways.
All these measures do is give us a false sense of security and relieve our guilt of “not doing anything”.
We see this same sentiment in environmental movements (turn off your lights or the planet will die!), political movements (vote for the lesser evil or you’re unAmerican!), schools (collect soda can tops to save the world!), and countless other ideologies.
Perhaps there is no problem with the values underlying these movements or ideas. Maybe they have the best intentions of anyone who has ever lived. But don’t confuse intentions with actions. That’s what politicians have been doing ever since the first government was forced upon a populace. Politicians are always expected (and live up to the expectations) to “do something” about this problem or another.
What if the answer is to let the problem work itself out? Or what if it is a long-term, non-spectacular action that people can take on voluntarily? Why must the government force us to do anything? So that we feel good inside?
When you’re told to do something for some broad, unarticulated cause, consider what it is actually accomplishing and its cost, and make sure it’s worthwhile.