Crossposted from my personal blog in the nether reaches of the Internet.
There's always an argument to be had over the soul of liberal thought- why we do what we do. When talking to the Tea Partiers or the free-market faith healers, how do you encapsulate why you support a vigorous welfare state, even if you yourself never use it? Why do you support healthcare for everyone, even if you never get sick?
A post came along on the news aggregator Reddit just before the New Year, and ended up winning the "Comment of the Year." To read it in its entirety, go here.
Boiled down, a man had broken down on the side of the road and needed a jack. An immigrant finally came to his aid and went above and beyond the call of duty for him- cut down a tree to prop up the jack, bought another tire iron when the one he had broke, and fed the man from his own cooler. When the man offered him 20$ for his trouble, he refused. Why did he? Four simple words:
"Today you...tomorrow me"
Yes, a man who spoke almost no English at all beat us political philosophers at our own game. He summarized the liberal social contract in four words- we give to others in expectation for receiving at some other point in the future, should we need it.
The welfare state rests on this, that we help the unfortunate because one day we may be unfortunate ourselves. We support the old and infirm because we do not stay young forever. We support teachers and education because we realize that the future is about not us, but our children.
So I say to you, today may be about you. It might not. Just remember that if it is, that tomorrow it is not- give generously to worthy causes, to social justice, and to support freedom across the globe.