Governments are nice and everything but we get a lot more done when we focus on what we can control — our own communities.
While recently visiting a regular American city I chanced upon a local talk show, in which a panel of community leaders discussed ways to eliminate poverty. A pastor, a businessman and a government official answered questions for callers and debated ways to fix various problems. Naturally, I was watching the local PBS affiliate.
Each member of the panel was intelligent and articulate. They made insightful points, especially in regards to the underlying problems of the community, which included high unemployment, dilapidated neighborhoods, predatory lenders, drug abuse and too many young people spending too much time on the street instead of being at school or work. As I said, this was a regular American city.
But amidst the back and forth, there was one thing that stood out from the rest of the conversation. No matter what the issue, when prompted for a solution every panelist invariably went back to some form of “we need a new program” to handle this, that or the other. Even the businessman got in on the action, singing the praises of a municipal task force organized to explore causes of homelessness. God knows what that program cost.
This got me thinking. Is this really where we are in this country today? When we face our problems as a society, is it the government we should turn to for rescue? The government that includes a national Congress with a 9% approval rating. The government boasting state and local debt of $3 Trillion and total federal debt of $19 Trillion. And yes, the very same government that, by this time next year, will be presided over by either a career insider politician being investigated by the FBI or a reality television star. Is this the best we can do?
If the idea of Americans turning to new government programs to solve our biggest problems is worrisome, then deeper reflection offers little in the way of solace. Over the past 10 years, some of our country’s lowest moments have been the direct result of massive government failures at every level. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina immediately comes to mind, as does last year’s Flint, Michigan, public water debacle, where politicians of both parties from city council up to Washington D.C. had a hand in causing the crisis.
But it’s not just the debt, corruption, and partisan gridlock. American government dysfunction — on the federal, state and local levels — has utterly failed to solve some of the most complicated issues in American society today. Whether it’s urban violent crime in places like Baltimore and Chicago, or rural poverty and drug epidemics in New Hampshire and the American Heartland, government agencies and their surrogates spend gargantuan sums of taxpayer dollars and barely make a dent.
None of this is meant to pick on government. Government serves an indispensable role in a modern society and its real successes are rarely rewarded with fanfare. Civil service is a thankless job. And an easy target for ridicule.
However, when facing the reality of a society increasingly dependent on government solutions, the reasonable observer can only make one of two honest conclusions. We must either put our faith and resources behind a herculean effort to improve government at every level. (No thanks.) Or, we can stop relying so damn much on government in the first place.
Let’s Be Self-Interested Together
The French historian Alexis de Tocqueville, perhaps best known for his early 19th Century observations on life in the United States, said the health of democracy in America could “be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens.” Tocqueville, whose philosophical writings were quite critical of individualism, felt strongly that the key to the American system lay in bringing together civilians who shared a common interest that enabled them to overcome their selfish desires. In other words, productive communities were a foundational pillar of our success.
What’s noteworthy in this commentary is not the typical libertarian anti-government spin, nor the collectivist kumbah-yah bent. The truth is that we are all naturally driven by self-interest, and there’s no shame in that. But when we focus on the self-interests that all of us share, that is when great things happen.
One of the wonderful traits of American life is the abundance of economic choice and social mobility. Despite the common media narrative of entrenched aristocracies pulling the strings, the data tells a different story. Regardless of what class you’re born into today, you have a chance to make something of yourself. It’s certainly tougher for some than others, but it’s nonetheless possible if you work hard and (generally) play by the rules. While inequality is an indisputable problem, there is no evidence to suggest that the American Dream is dead. In fact, America is still a place of great opportunity for the self-interested.
And this leads me to an important point. While federal government politics have reached sit-com level absurdity, and while mainstream news coverage would lead most dispassionate spectators to conclude that our country is engulfed in flames, the reality is that great things are happening if you just know where to look. In most cases, the where to look is on a local level.
Over the past three years, James Fallows, a reporter for the Atlantic, has been traveling the USA and telling the stories of revitalization in small towns and medium-sized cities from coast to coast. His reports have been at times fascinating to read. But the primary takeaway from his coverage is that America’s local communities are quietly innovating, building, growing and improving, and the key has been the people, organizations and community groups dedicated to their surrounding neighborhoods.
Fallows’ reporting across 48 cities chronicles rapid improvements in education, infrastructure, the environment and local economies. All is far from perfect, but his research points to overwhelming optimism and a frenzy of entrepreneurship and community engagement.
I’ve seen nothing to contradict these stories in my own travels. Over the past 10 years, I’ve noticed a surge in local maker movements, non-profit groups and innovative socially oriented startups. And in my own life, I’ve taken these lessons to heart.
In the past year, serving on the board of my neighborhood’s civic association, I’ve witnessed how a small group of motivated and dedicated volunteers can do more to keep a community safe and clean than any government program I know of. I’ve witnessed my church clothe and feed the poor, literally. Meanwhile, the modestly-funded charity for which my wife has worked on and off over the past two years is the only organization in the city that cares for victims of spousal abuse in the immigrant community. All of this stuff adds real value to where we live. And none of it is funded by taxpayer dollars.
We’re on Our Own, But Not At All Really
What’s the point of these anecdotes? It’s that we accomplish more when we focus on the things we can control, and when we work together. Governments are nice for enforcing laws and paving roads. But short of a petition with tens of thousands of signatures — who has time? — it’s hard to motivate your government to do much for you.
However, each of us can make a difference locally. We just have to start by practicing what we believe in. Sitting around watching Fox News or CNN will likely only result in anger and frustration. Rather than complaining from a couch, it’s actually possible to do something important in your own neighborhood or town, starting tomorrow.
Not to trivialize the hardships that befell the people of Flint during the recent water crisis, but such a disaster should serve as a reminder to us all. To the extent possible, we have to take responsibility for our own lives and do everything we can to keep our communities strong, rather than leaving so much in the hands of forces outside our control.
We can vote with our feet, our pocketbooks, how we choose to spend our time and with whom we choose to work. And we’re much more effective when we start small and work together with the people we know — our family, friends and neighbors. In this world of demands for better government programs, we shouldn’t lose sight of how much still remains in our own hands.