Few of us haven't had the experience of waiting in line. Whether in a snaking parade outside a stadium or at an airport, supermarket or bank, we've waited. We've all had the experience of seeing some person try to cut ahead and, perhaps, have been the one who said, "Hey, buddy, who died and made you king? The line forms at the rear!" Sure, we've made exceptions for the occasional kid, the pregnant lady, the nun or the guy with the red-tipped cane, but as a rule, the principle of "first come, first served" has been a mark of the Anglo-American respect for the sanctity of the queue.
Lately, this has undergone a change. For a fee, some airlines will let you go to the front of the line, breezing past the patrons who have been patiently waiting, sometimes for hours. More and more businesses are discovering an additional source of income in selling access to the ticket booth just as they have in selling access to politicians. What they probably haven't realized is they've given us a dandy metaphor.
Getting in line is as American as apple pie and being overweight. It's only fair that the person who gets there first gets to be the first in line. In an age of celebrity worship, some camp out on sidewalks all night to be the first to get into the stadium for the concert. However, it's not too uncommon to hear about people who camp out all night only to be able to sell their place - or their ticket - for huge profit to somebody who doesn't feel like freezing or getting stiff knees.
Advocates of capitalism and free enterprise feel that selling your place in line is just fine. If Person A wants to aggravate his rheumatism standing in line for eight hours and can make a hundred bucks selling his effort, why not? It's the authentic American entrepreneurial spirit at work. So is charging extra for letting people cut into line. In a capitalistic society, money brings privilege. What are you, some kind of communist?
On the other side, the people in line cry "foul." Waiting in line is like taking turns and this is how we've been taught since kindergarten. Cutting in line is wrong, whether or not it's done by some hood or a guy in a business suit. The mere fact that the suit has paid a few bucks to do it doesn't make it any better. Lines are a part of democracy - first come, first served.
Hence the metaphor. Capitalism versus democracy. Should money let Person A cut ahead of Person B, even when Person B has been standing in line since eight o'clock this morning? Or is Person B more valuable to the economy because he/she is putting more money into the system and thus is more likely to stimulate business? On the other hand, if paying for cutting into a flight queue is OK, should it also work for life boats? How about heart transplants? The best schools? The best legal advice? Or does it already work that way?
We've reached a point where we can't equate capitalism with democracy any more. They don't necessarily go together. In fact, sometimes they can be direct opposites. We've got an election coming up where one side in particular is billing itself as the Champion of Capitalism. They probably approve of paying for the front spot. Maybe the other side does, too, but doesn't admit it. After all, nobody's asked them.
There's a real question as to which view is really the "American" view. Lately, I'm wondering. Money has become our measure of success, our legal speech and our ticket to ride. Lots of us just don't want to be bothered with standing in line when there's an easier way. And most of us love the easier way. Which side wins will tell us how many will vote for it.
Next!