Dec 18, 2018
Among the ideas that have made Western civilization unique
from other civilizations is the notion that humans are
limited. From the ancient Greek and Roman philosophies to the
Christian and Judaic teachings, Western civilization was the first
to draw a stark contrast between what it meant for humans to strive
for nobility over fanciful deity. Bob Burch joins Josh once
again to discuss this seemingly obvious, but surprisingly nuanced
and highly beneficial belief that has been passed down through the
centuries.
There’s something hardwired in us to need a vision.
Without it runners don’t finish their marathon and managers may
fail to develop strategic objectives in accordance with the
original mission of their company. We don’t do well as a
species left in a bleak reality of mindlessly performing the work
assigned to us with no concept of how our work or efforts are
somehow contributing to some larger purpose. And what’s true
for the vision of an individual or a company is even truer for a
political vision on a grander scale.
“We know of no human community whose members do not have a
vision of perfection—a vision in which the frustrations inherent in
our human condition are annulled and transcended,”
wrote
journalist Irving Kristol, “The existence of such dreaming
visions is not, in itself, a problem. They are, on the
contrary, a testament to the creativity of man which flows from the
fact that he is a creature uniquely endowed with imaginative powers
as an essential aspect of his self-consciousness.” This
imaginative envisioning of perfection is part of what makes us
human. We don’t merely exist in this reality, we are
self-aware of our existence and self-aware of there being something
very imperfect with this reality.
There’s hardly any disagreement that there is something
fundamentally wrong with things as they stand now. For some
that may mean it’s a pity how far of a drive it is to the cleaners
while for others it may be a desperate struggle for survival
against disease or famine or genocide. Regardless, we all
have some sense of the injustice or inconvenience or imperfection
or—dare I say—evil present in our reality. And we all have
the capacity—even the yearning—to envision a reality made
right. A place, or a future, where all things are made new in
perfection.
But what’s true of the visualization of individuals or
companies is still true of our vision of a perfect reality: this
vision must play by the rules. This vision of perfect reality
must be anchored in actual reality or it will likely cause us more
harm than good.
“Man is not perfectible, but he may achieve a tolerable degree
of order, justice, and freedom,” wrote Russell Kirk in his
masterpiece
The Conservative Mind. “Both the ‘human
sciences’ and the humane studies are means for ascertaining the
norms of the civil social order, and for informing the statesman
and the reflecting public of the possibilities and the limits of
social measures.” By working within the reality of our human
frailty—as James Madison aimed to do in advocating a limited
government—we truly can improve our condition. But it’s when
we try to work outside of our limitations that we not only fail to
achieve terrestrial heaven, we often end up with terrestrial
hell.