Excellent piece from Gonzalo. One of his best. I agree with him 100%.
Structural Pliancy
 |
| Don’t be fooled—it’s flexible at the top. |
They are right: The U.S. government is guilty of over-regulating individuals and businesses—egregiously so.
On the other hand, a lot of other people—and I am one of them too—claim that certain persons and corporations act lawlessly as never before. They show as evidence the abuses of power of those in leadership—be it business, government, the military, or the intelligence/security aparatus—and they insist that something has to be done about it, some regulations have to be imposed.
They are right too: The U.S. government is just as guilty of under-regulating certain individuals and businesses as it is of over-regulating other people and businesses.
Obvious question: How can they both be right? How can it be that a few people, a few businesses, a few institutions are getting away with murder—in some cases literally—while most of us are under a crippling yoke of excessive, dishonest, petty and trivial rules and regulations that either serve no purpose, or actively pervert the welfare of our society?
Simple answer: Structural Pliancy.
Let me explain.
bluestem says:
One of Lira’s best writings. John
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
14th May 2012 at 11:13 am
ron says:
What do you expect?the wealthy live by different rules.Its always been this way.
Ive always looked around at all the rules and laws and how each year theres more and dont feel that free.
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
14th May 2012 at 12:48 pm
AWD says:
Yawn, nothing new here.
The “haves” versus the “have nots”, or the monied/lobbyist/owners versus those foolish enough to still believe in the American dream. They have locked everyone else out, sorry, game over. Try and get into their box seats, and you will be arrested and sent to a FEMA camp.
Like or Dislike:
2 
2
14th May 2012 at 1:43 pm
Thunderbird says:
A nice summary of the problem but no road to solution. Yes we have too many rediculous regulations but how do we change that? The only way we the ones that notice, can change it, is to ignore the regulations in mass or change the thinking of the masses to bring about a change.
One thing about human nature is that those with petty minds that get some power don’t want to give it up. We have created a monster of a legal system that makes it nearly imposible to change a rule or regulation. Why? Because everyone wants a voice and therefore a regulation represents a voice or group of voices in the majority. That’s right. So a descenting voice has no say. I was taught that a republic protects the rights of the minority while a democracy voilates that same rights of the minority. America has chosen the road of democracy. There you go. The people think this country should operate like a democracy so most of us accept a decision made by some board as binding because that decision was made in a democratic vote. Even if we don’t like it we are forced to accept it because we are a democracy.
Another problem many americans have is we don’t like to take responsibility; especially when dealing with each other. Got a problem with a neighbor; go call a cop to get involved, or the city code enforcement if our neighbor’s grass is too high. We like regulations because if we choose to live by regulations we like, then we can force our neighbor to live by them by going to the authorities and complaining. Are you beginning to see the real problem here? It is us. We have to change our thinking.
Government thinks of us as having to be managed because we are incapable of managing ourselves. Think not? Look at all those 911 calls that come in for rediculous reasons? We have become a society of children that won’t grow up and mature. Think not? Just turn on the television and look at all those stupid programs we are exposed too.
If we would live by doing unto our neighbor as we would expect done to us then we would not need so many rules and regulations to live under. If we would stop lying and accepting lies (as in the many white lies we call them, and lies in advertising,) then truth would mean something again.
What is pointed out in the article as the opposite of “Structural Pliancy” is of our own doing. We can undo it if we choose by living in a fashion that we care about others and their welfare as well as ourselves. By getting rid of our negative thoughts and looking at the positive in the reality around us. How do you think all these rules and regulations came about? They came about by seeing the negative only and doing something we think is going to make the negative go away. Is this not the basis for the saying, “resist not evil?”
If we take the position that the reality around us “just is” then we can look at situations we need to change; not with a negative bias that needs a rule or regulation, but rather with a positive outlook that the situation needs a responsible outcome, and how can we make it happen. By the way, love is the best way to achive pliancy in any situation. Try it.
The best governed are the least governed. But that takes a responsible approach to life and life situations. And that means changing our thinking. This I think is a reasonable solution to achieving structural pliancy. Is it not?
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
6 
0
14th May 2012 at 2:34 pm