Stories from the Heartland: Human Nature

The wonderful human being who goes by MiddleFingerMom here on the board introduced me to John Steinbeck a couple of years ago. For those who are unfamiliar with Steinbeck, he is considered one of the greatest novelists in American literature. He had a positive view of human nature. He thought that we are all essentially good without any divine intervention. We all have our faults, but when it comes down to it, most of us want to be good to each other.

I'm studying business right now in college. I'm going part time and I work full time. One of the first tenets of economics is that we all conduct ourselves in a way that is consistent with our own self interests. That is like a law in the social science of economics. It's one of the first things they throw out there to you. But they go further. They also say that when everyone behaves in a way that is consistent with their own self interests it benefits society. That is, if you behave selfishly that is also in the social interest. Everybody going after what they want creates the best society.

Both views are true. They are at odds with each other, but they are both true. And it's up to us to find the right balance. The ACA is a step in that direction.