Thoughts on Wealth Redistribution . . .

There is a vast difference between "benevolent giving" and "wealth redistribution." And only with benevolent giving will society improve.

In benevolent giving, one is required to hone one's moral compass to the point where one can be wise enough to recognize and appreciate the abundant supply in one's own existence (gratitude), empathic enough to recognize and appreciate the needs another may have (empathy), and kind enough to take actual steps towards helping meet the other's need.

This can take the form of donations of any type - time, talents, or treasure.

Thus, with benevolent giving, there is a cognizant bond created between the one who gives (because they actually took the time and effort to recognize, acknowledge, and contribute to the good of the other entity) and the one who receives. The one who gives actually benefits the most in this exchange, because, by the act of giving, they become even more aware of their own abundance, and their enhanced awareness and gratitude will spark yet another instance of giving to another. The one who receives directly benefits in SO many ways, not the least of which is seeing - by direct example - that perhaps they, too, could be the "one with more" compared to others around them, and thus the receiver in the first instance is now able and willing to help others, if they will but look around them and see perhaps another individual (or group) who presently "have less" - and thus gratitude and generosity beget themselves and both individuals and communities as a whole benefit from this wonderful cycle of benevolent giving.

In wealth redistribution, a Third Party is injected into this process. The Third Party acts as a filter to determine who is "in need" and who "has more" and match them up accordingly, taking wealth from the "haves" and giving it to the "needy." While, on the surface, this may appear to be a highly efficient means of taking care of the needy, in reality it impoverishes everyone involved.

How?

Because the one "in need" typically has to record somewhere (applications, etc.) "I have less" or "I qualify for help" or "I have a need" and this can often humiliate the individual and, worse, make them feel they are destined to always be in need or "less than" others in some way.

Because the one who "has more" typically is removed from the one "in need" and thus fails to make any connection to the "in need" individual. This dehumanizing of the redistribution process (note, in benevolent giving, wealth redistribution DOES ALSO occur) can often lead the "has more" group to feel both overly burdened and taken advantage of. Worse, it can lessen their own sense of work ethic, a la, "why should I work hard and be a benevolent giver, if this third party is going to take my increases AND KEEP SOME FOR THEIR OWN INVOLVEMENT IN THE REDISTRIBUTION PROCESS." And THAT is the worst part of all -

By involving a Third Party, the Third Party *only* has value if they constantly find more entities "in need" and more entities who "have more" and continue to redistribute the wealth; otherwise, the Third Party has no ongoing place in the process and no reason for existence or functionality. And, while that constant taking from those who "have more" is arguably onerous, unjust, and burdensome, the true horror is the Third Party constantly sends the message to those "in need" in effect: "you or others like you will always be impoverished. You have no hope of rising. Thus you MUST have this Third Party to oversee you and care for you and take care of your needs and your rights and your responsibilities."

And that smacks of moral and economic slavery.

And slavery of any type is one of the very darkest elements of any society.

Take stock of your life and count your blessings. Truly, make a list of health blessings, fiscal blessings, blessings of friends, family, food, employment, ALL. THE. THINGS.

Then.

Look around you. Notice your neighborhood, and your community. Build them up - and by "build" I do not mean more structures. Connect with others. Help a friend in need. Help a stranger. Seek ways to be a benevolent giver.

This is how we heal everything.