Remember the golden mean?
Aristotle believed that virtue occupies a middle ground between deficiency and excess. He called that middle ground “the golden mean,” and it was a key concept in his philosophy. Courage, for example, can be described as a mean between cowardice (a deficiency of courage) and recklessness (an excess). Confidence lies between self-doubt and arrogance. Etc.
Inherent in the notion of a golden mean is the recognition that even good things can be taken too far. The absence of a good quality is a problem we usually recognize, but (despite the adage) we less often understand that you can have too much of a good thing.
I recently came across an article from the Yale Daily News that reminded me of the importance of that golden mean. (I have no idea how I came to read the Yale Daily News….). The argument raised was hardly new; numerous scholars and historians–not to mention political pundits–have faulted America’s culture for an excess of individualism. Indeed, there is an entire philosophy, called communitarianism, built upon the premise that a good society is one in which citizens are “embedded” in the values and norms of their communities, and that the American emphasis on individual rights actually deprives us of the comforts and connections that make for a fulfilled life.
My own reading of communitarian philosophy is that it lies at the “deficiency” end of the spectrum–that the sort of society many of its proponents extol would smother creativity and penalize difference. Protecting individual rights against majority passions was, after all, one of the Founders’ most important and praiseworthy goals.
That said, the author of the linked article and many others who would not choose the degree of “embeddedness” that the communitarians appear to advocate argue that we have gone too far in the direction of excess.
As a matter of political philosophy, we, like many other countries, protect individual rights to protect the people from government overreach and maintain the mixed regime that our exceptionalism presupposes. But our politics and practices go further. They are built on the individual not just as a bearer of rights, but as the sole fundamental unit of society; in this vein, policy ideas are constantly evaluated on the basis of individuality. How does policy X affect an individual’s freedom to express their religion? How does policy Y burden an individual taxpayer?
This individualist mindset, built into the core structure of U.S. governance, is now inseparable from the American identity. I propose that our wholehearted devotion to the individualist perspective goes too far.
As the author points out, governments in much of the rest of the world have come to realize that serving the common good requires a combination of individualism and commitment to community welfare.
In America, we seem to lack the ability to prioritize the common good over individual rights, even when doing so would clearly benefit both individuals and the community. The author provides examples: the U.S. is the only Western democracy (assuming we still are a democracy) that declines to provide its citizens with universal health care. We refuse to prevent the leading cause of death for children and teens, thanks to our devotion to an individual right to bear arms. As he writes,
In America, community safety is understood — like everything else — through this same individualistic filter; the community is nothing more than a loose set of individuals. Therefore, community safety is as simple as putting weapons in the hands of each American so they can protect themselves. The American community as an end in itself is an empty concept.
This is probably not an optimum time to have this discussion–in the U.S. right now, the individual rights that do lie at the heart of the golden mean–free speech, separation of church and state, the right to due process and other protections of the rule of law– are under unremitting attack, an attack mounted primarily by a Christian Nationalist cult, and aided and abetted by a rogue Supreme Court. But it’s worth wondering whether people who were a bit more “embedded” in a system that looked out for their collective welfare–that guaranteed them access to health care, outlawed assault weapons, and provided a more robust social safety net–would be less likely to express their resentments by joining racist cults.
Devotion to the common good is entirely compatible with protection of individual rights. We just need to find the golden mean…
As Todd so often points out, we are experiencing the final throes of capitalism where greed coupled to deregulation has distorted the “golden mean” so much that our excessiveness regarding individuality has dominated. We don’t have universal health care because of the money made by a paper industry: big insurance. We worship our guns because the gun lobby/NRA have funded the political environment to ignore the will of the people for regulation of killing weapons. Meanwhile, the arms industry is working 24/7/365 to keep up with the pathological demand for still more guns and ammunition. In sum, our industrial might is centered around machines and substances that kill other human beings for profit. We are no longer the “policemen of the world”, we are the arms supplier to those who fight wars either contrived or by accident.
A society that doesn’t protect, feed and educate its children is doomed to failure, is it not? The current “government” run by Republicans seems hell-bent on doing just that. Why? Money. Short-term money. Short-term money that buys them the next election. Even if the voters actually turn out and vote out the Republican president, Republican reps and senators will still get elected to Congress. Forget the SCOTUS. The majority Republicans who sit in judgement over our demise are a collection of corrupt fools so compromised that their once shining career path is now a sludge trail stinking of their ideology instead of the good of the people and the community of America.
So, in the end, I think, years of voting against ones own best interests, remaining ignorant of what is happening to our body politic and retaining the notion that voting doesn’t matter (some of it justified) or just not voting – for a variety of reasons often mentioned in this column – leads us to that individualist end of the continuum instead of the community end.
Finding the golden mean – or perhaps rediscovering it – does not start with garish and vulgar things like ballrooms or illegal arrests or illegal attacks on boats in international waters or bogus investigations against political enemies or accepting 747s as “gifts” from foreign governments or idiot-level fake currency schemes or …. what will we see in today’s news. Perhaps finding something resembling that golden mean in our country begins with putting money into second or third place in our list of priorities as a society.
Let me get this straight. This morning I read in the NYT that the president of the United States, Donald Trump, is literally tearing down part of the White House in order to build a gold laden ballroom the financing of which is dubious at best. This after his response to the No Kings protests was an AI generated video showing him flying a military jet over the country and bombing his own citizens with his shit. He really did attack a boat in the Pacific Ocean killing two people without proof that they were any danger to this country. Also he filed suit against the United States government claiming he is owed $230,000,000 because the government investigated him for crimes he committed while out of office, and he will decide the outcome of that lawsuit. He continues to keep the government shut down and refuses to meet with Democrats to negotiate an agreement to reopen it, and also puts off his much ballyhooed meeting with Putin to end the Ukraine War. And so this morning I read this lecture on the “golden mean”?????? Really?
MaLes and I have chosen to make the big move to a life plan community affiliated but not governed by The Methodist Church. We did so at a time we had mental clarity how we wanted to live out the final quarter without being a burden to family and loved ones. We have discovered community among hundreds of like minded with a communal desire to age with dignity. After reading Sheila’s article this morning, I came to realize the search for the ‘golden mean” brought us here. Promotion of life enrichment that lifts individual talent and expression is applauded. Add to this a desire to self help others create a culture of servant leadership that appreciates and respects team members and resident volunteers who serve and provide for our basic needs.
Thank you, Sheila, for this very insightful post that underscores what we have known through the ages how we contribute to build the blessed community,
Vern nailed it!
Albert Einstein’s famous dictum, “Why Socialism,” is based upon our personal resentment of being part of a community. I believe the Founders wanted to emphasize, ‘We the people…,’ but we have become all about the ‘I.’ Objectivism was then promoted by Reagan and Thatcher, and later by the Kochs, through their advocacy of Ayn Rand-style objectivism. Poor Ayn resented Communism because it stole her daddy’s business. 😉
Capitalism requires the Golden Mean, but it has been heading in the opposite direction since FDR because the Oligarchs have forced it that way. It really went crazy after Freud’s nephew came to America to teach the Oligarchy about propaganda. Edward Bernays taught the Oligarchy how to use propaganda against the people. He used his Uncle’s psychoanalytic findings against the people – he manipulated the EGO. Our individual “I.”
His work evolved into mind control used by the oligarchy against the people. Now, we have Silicon Valley and algorithms. We also have lots of censorship. If you thought propaganda was bad before (it’s created personal bubbles), it’s about to get much worse as we enter fascist authoritarianism. For those paying attention, Trump recently signed an EO declaring war on “domestic terrorism.”
Does anybody know what “domestic terrorism” means?
p.s. Chris Hedges recently interviewed Whitney Webb about Silicon Valley and the national security state, including its origins (CIA, DHS, DIA) and its future direction. Not looking good. Here’s the link:
https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/the-rise-of-the-thielverse-and-the?
“Inherent in the notion of a golden mean is the recognition that even good things can be taken too far.”
I have been saying for years that progress does NOT always mean improvement. Our “easier lives” conducted by our thumbs on small and smaller cell phones isn’t so easy when we run out of charge. Simple calls to schedule medical appointments or get test results requires three steps just to get to the part where you ask your question. It requires confirmation numbers but you gotta act fast or they are obsolete. I am getting another TV installed today (I hope) to get rid of the “Smart TV” I was talked into getting for my benefit. It has been nothing but problems and “Smart TVs” only allow closed captioning on their listed contacts. This will require obtaining a confirmation number (with a 15 minute limit) to access my WIFI identification from Spectrum who has required I change my password in the past. It is like trying to get CIA clearance for identification on a paid for source of service. “Smart TVs” do not transfer closed captioning to the input of outside appliances such as my DVD/BluRay player and the last qualified person who tried sought help from an expert level to be told it is not allowed.
“Inherent in the notion of a golden mean is the recognition that even good things can be taken too far.” We have lost all chance of “a golden mean” in our daily lives in less than one year; America’s “golden mean” is now slathered across the Oval Office in the White House, separate from the destruction of the East Wing where Trump’s Gold Ball Room is planned.
There is no middle ground and our philosophy is now gilded Fascism; the Senate Democrats need to stand strong to save our medical care and control Trump’s tariffs, this shutdown was instigated and wide spread months ago by Elon Musk and his DOGE control. Vital government workers have been long gone and unpaid long before the Dems grew a pair and stiffened their spines in the Senate. We will probably never return to our past lives of being proud Americans and proud of our nation.
I can’t help but notice how both sides of the UNIPARTY can always come together and agree for more military aggressions. Interesting that the two individuals on the sub were summarily sent back to their native countries when others in their predicament were turned to chunks of flesh and pink mist.
I do have a beef with the most recent No Kings soiree ; there were no demands.
Btw,Todd. Have read what Albert Einstein wrote wrt zionism?
“Devotion to the common good is entirely compatible with protection of individual rights. We just need to find the golden mean.” Yes, we do. And it does exist in places we don’t hear much about. Sheila, this is one of your best and the comments are its match. What a privilege to know there are people who think and know and can express themselves with intelligence, vigor and enthusiastic commitment to the common good. Thank you.
Those faux patriots who are willing to see the destruction of our government, and now even the demolition of the White House remind me of the faux Christians who have been willing to torture and kill people’s real bodies in order to save their imaginary souls. When they are finished with their destruction, the thing they claimed to love will no longer exist.
Vernon did, indeed, nail it.
Trump’s joy ride in the AI plane shows exactly where he lives: Inside the mind of a shit throwing 3 year old!
“I am because we are,” is a concept out of the Ubuntu of Africa, and is the dialectic opposite of Ayn Rand’s idiocy, and a much more viable way to be.
I’ll repeat what I wrote the last time Ayn Rand was mentioned here. She was certainly no idiot as you would know if you read her entire body of work instead of just cliff notes provided by some “authority”. She came of age under Stalin’s reign of terror. She was aware of the imprisonment, torture and murder of millions of people. She wrote in defense of individualism as a contrast to its extreme opposite. This is no more the act of an idiot than was George Orwell’s authorship of 1984. Stop and think whether you feel justified in calling her an idiot simply because she was female.
We operate because of the tiny part of human knowledge we all share, plus we each have specialized knowledge, too. For instance, I have learned a lot from the lawyers here, but I specialize in the science and engineering of my education and career.
Sometime long ago, I either read or thought, I’ve never met anyone whom I couldn’t both learn from and teach to. That’s what we all do here. Our goal for the few minutes a day we are together virtually is to both teach and learn as a collaborative step towards one golden mean: better understanding governance in general and our government specifically.
That works for me because this is not a commercial venture like most entertainment and social media. We are all here voluntarily, and nobody has any purpose other than learning and teaching.
Hyperbolic capitalists believe that the flow of capital explains progress and, therefore, the wealthy are to be honored by society. All I can say is that the premise is entirely outside my experience. Human curiosity and creativity build progress an invention at a time, and when those find a better mousetrap, the money beats a pathway to their door.
Wealth feeds consumers, who are the basis of our economy. It’s the flow of wealth, not its accumulation, that builds our economy.
Two forces will build our future: climate change and A.I. Accumulated wealth would like to ignore the former and own the latter. That is contrary to progress.
Will we stand woke in time to take back what is ours? To collaborate on both threats and opportunities? Each day we stand stuck in the current doldrums of human knowledge is time wasted in building a sustainable, progressive world.
Whenever someone mentions Ayn Rand, I just want to laugh out loud. Her philosophy is rooted in her own mind. I was forced to read some of her polemics when I was in college. Every “proof” she offered came from her own novels. Whenever I hear someone like Paul Ryan spew her nonsense, I only feel pity for his intellectual insufficiency.
It’s going to take years to recover from current state of individual superiority (ie stupidity). The key element that is missing is any notion of the common good. That’s been a driving force for our veterans of wars so maybe I got too used to the notion. Maybe we should make those who celebrate an act of war, actually go and fight. Right now they’d be shipped to Venezuela. Have fun!
I hereby promise to sue anyone who causes me harm by not having their children vaccinated If I had children, and my kids started to get cavities I would sue the state for free dental care. Make them pay for removing mandates.
The correct word to describe MAGA is NOT ( make America beautiful again)
CORRECT word is TORY. Those who support kings & greed.
When too much is demanded from an individual without support, something happens. They give up, drop out, possibly spend their time salving their pain. drugs etc. Possibly their pain causes them to narrow their focus onto themselves. Surviving is all encompassing.
The golden rule of “Love your neighbor as yourself” can be manipulated to be you have to love your neighbor more than yourself, your efforts of support for others is not reciprocated. Therefore, you can be run into the ground caring for others.
People have to have the freedom to build self-worth to back off over demands from groups, religions etc. In US bill of rights has allowed for this from government. Reinforcements of these rights is much needed today in all areas of society.
As a commenter previously mentioned we have a president who is more concerned with the golden fleecing of the American people as symbolized by the overwhelming garish glint of gold in the oval office. We’re getting nothing of real leadership value toward a golden mean from his regime. Excess for them and less and less for the majority is in the works.
If we can maintain our freedoms to work on balancing our lives by a symbiotic give and take with our culture and state, we can aim toward a better tomorrow for everyone.
BTW I’ve read that Ayn Rand ended up unapologetically on the dole in her final years. We can learn, change our minds as we live and realize more.
Ah, Ayn Rand – she was not stupid, nor did she change her mind, she was just out for herself – I can’t resist re-posting a quote, source unknown (gender specifics in the original):
“There’s an age when boys read one of two books. Either they read Ayn Rand or they read Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. One of these books leaves you with no grasp on reality and a deeply warped sense of fantasy in place of real life. The other one is about hobbits and orcs.”
As to the Golden Mean, which is a nice philosophical digression from the Trump Outrage of the Day, I have always thought that the old Dem. vs. Rep divide on domestic policy was a tug of war pulling between increased communitarianism of the New Deal and the “rugged individualism” of our past (ignoring the government’s role in it).
I can’t remember if it was Tony Robbins or Brian Tracy who said in one of his programs that the proper expression of the Golden Rule was; “Do unto others as you would wish to be done to if you were just like them.”
It fits nicely with another teaching of Jesus; “that you should walk a mile in another man’s shoes before judging him.” Which, of course, fits nicely with another of Jesus teachings; “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”
The Creationists want to claim that the Bible is the complete word of God. They need to ponder the fact that the Bible says that “on the seventh day, God rested and admired his creation, and he said “It is good.” No exceptions or qualifiers, ALL of it was good. That means Africans, Aisans, and anything else that lives on the Earth. None of us are intrinsiclly better than anyone else.