I read an article awhile ago that was referenced in this blog post - http://falkenblog.blogspot.com/. In this study, researchers studied the thoughts of preschool children on property rights using some interesting scenarios and techniques. The researchers concluded that 75% of the children found that ownership of property was absolute.
“Friedman’s team presented a simple quandary to 40 preschoolers, ages 4 and 5, and to 44 adults. Participants saw an image of a cartoon boy holding a crayon who appeared above the word “user” and a cartoon girl who appeared above the word “owner.” After hearing from an experimenter that the girl wanted her crayon back, volunteers were asked to rule on which cartoon child should get the prized object.” - http://www.sciencenews.org/...
People who wish to push capitalism have reported this study with glee with headlines such as, “Are Kids Born Capitalists?” and “Humans Born Capitalists.” I think this shows far more about their worldview than anything else.
Here’s the reality. We are born with a bend towards selfishness, pride, and stubbornness. Anyone who disagrees should watch a typical daycare class for the day. Children fight over toys. At some point, their favorite word becomes, “Mine!” and “No!” Kherington’s new thing is to walk or crawl to me while I’m sitting down, walk up my leg, and steal whatever is in my hand, whether it’s food, a toy, or the remote. When I look at her and say, “no” (kindly, of course), she cries. When she tries to grab it, and I don’t let go, she makes this (albeit cute) screaming noise. She wants it. And she’s still 10-months old. She’s already showing her selfishness. Some call it a protective instinct brought on by evolution. I call it sin nature. I’ve never in my life seen or heard of someone who was bent the other way. That has to be taught.
So, when I hear that someone has discovered a study that purports to demonstrate that children have a bend towards absolute ownership, I do not celebrate nor do I laud capitalism as something innate deserving of praise. Absolute ownership, one of the benchmarks of the capitalist society, isn’t something to be celebrated in my understanding, but something to run as far away from as humanly possible.
I know my rejection of capitalism makes people think of me as a socialist or a liberal. I’ve heard such criticism before. But I reject those assertions just as strongly as I reject those who would say that I’m an American capitalist. As I read the words of Christ, I believe there is a third way, one that must be learned.
Ancient Israel was built around the concept that nothing belonged to the individual. A farmer was required to give up to 30% of his crop to the community or the religious leaders. He was told not to go back and pick up what was dropped so that the poor and the widows could pick up what they needed. The story of Boaz and Ruth show this clearly. Jesus takes this concept a step further when he reminded his listeners that everything we own ultimately is not ours. It belongs first to God. He said such bizarre things like, “If a person asks for your cloak, give him your tunic.” We’re not to fight it, but go above and beyond. Jesus said that when we give of our resources to those in need, we are doing it, ultimately, to Him. This is most certainly not capitalism, regardless of what religious spin people would like to put on it.
Capitalism is a system based on a humanistic understanding of the world. Socialism is as well. We absolutely should not go to the Federalist Papers, The Wealth of Nations, The Communist Manifesto, or any other work for us to determine what worth is, what possessions are, and what our relationship to other human people are. To do will continue to miss the mark completely.
Jesus says plenty about money, about possessions, and how we are to live our life in relationship to God and to others. Anything that preaches something opposite to that should be spurned as one would spurn a rabid dog (Rowan Atkinson).
Kherington will learn one day. We already talk about sharing. Ethan stole one of Kherington’s toys two weeks ago. She started to get angry. I told her that she needed to share. She, of course, is too young to comprehend such an idea, but I said it nonetheless. I gave her another toy and she moved on. If I live a life of selfishness, Kherington will learn that “taking” is the way that the world works. If I give my life away, she will learn that even though everyone else “takes,” it is much better to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35)
In other words – Kherington gets to give her life away, just as her mother and I get to do. How exciting is that?
Cross-posted at http://kheringtonclark.com/