E Pluribus Unum

The recent discussion of a bad movie based on Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (1931) got me thinking. Fueled by speculation of the possibilities arising from the advance of technology, science, and the industrial revolution, the notion of utopia emerged, a world of peace, prosperity, and happiness for all. Examples include Morris News From Nowhere (1890) or HG Wells Men Like Gods (1923).

Utopian visions drew criticism, and Huxley wrote his novel both in reaction to Wells (1923) and expressing his own outrage at the USA’s culture of advertising, excessive consumerism, and promiscuity. During this time many in Europe feared that mass production, materialism, and commercialism might lead to the "Americanization of Europe" and some in America, noting communism, grew concerned about the loss of individual identity against the increasingly powerful state. Huxley’s novel hit mass production (no pregnancy), communism (no god), promiscuity (no monogamy), relatedness (no families), and individual identity (conform and consume, be happy!).

Other key dystopian works emerged from different angles. Orwell’s equally famous 1984 (1949) went darker and aimed more directly at communism than consumerism, a malicious state crushing all in its path, and instead of Huxley’s use of genetic engineering, Orwell recognized the power of thought control through the manipulation of language. Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 (1953) created a world denying citizens the ability to read books. Burgess A Clockwork Orange (1962) addressed the legal system’s use of drugs and psychological conditioning to remove crime as a choice, and Ayn Rand’s masterpiece, Atlas Shrugged (1959), presented a new distinction, the efforts of the inept and unethical to systemically steal the wealth produced by the competent and productive.

The relationship of the individual to the collective society is critical to the whole conversation. While communism is mostly dead or dying, an arrogant and incompetent government can be just as destructive. Under W both traits infected both government and commercial enterprises. We now know what corporations do if allowed (Enron, Worldcom, AIG, Halliburton) and that they cannot be trusted to operate effectively (Detroit, AIG again, etc.). Instead of John Galt we have Ken Lay and Bernie Madoff. Instead of Hank Rearden we have RickWagoner. Where is the competence? General Motors could not be a better example of the boiled frog. Its fat overpaid suits sat in the pot for 40 years, and we think government is the problem? Making money has been replaced by taking money, any way and any how, and leap with your booty before the train wrecks.

Adam Smith’s view that individuals pursuing their own self-interests optimize the interests of the collective was refuted academically decades ago. Now we have seen self-serving individuals inflict incalculable financial carnage on the entire country. The lens of individual = good and government = bad (or vice versa) is obsolete. We need good individuals and good governance. Under the Bush administration, the worst of both raped not only the country, but the entire planet.