When Reality Meets Theory
The greatest danger to liberty today comes from the men who are most needed and most powerful in modern government, namely, the efficient expert administrators exclusively concerned with what they regard as the public good. Friedrich August von Hayek
As with many topics, Hayek was spot-on with the above observation. Note the phrase, “...exclusively concerned with what they [emphasis mine] regard as the public good.” In this view, the public's opinions are neither sought nor valued. On occasion, however, reality either invades the ivory tower or its inhabitants run smack into it while venturing outside its confines.
Meet Michelle Rhee, former chancellor of public schools in Washington DC. A self described, “card-carrying, life-long Democrat,” she reflexively sided with teacher's unions and against education voucher programs on the theory that in so doing, she was standing up for workers. That's when reality came calling in the form of parents who desperately wanted their children to have a good education, but who were unable to take their children out of failing schools. How in good conscience could Rhee expect these people to send their children to schools to which she would never send her own children? Rhee described the experience as an “epiphany,” saying:
I was not willing to say to these parents and say to these mothers, ‘You know what? Just give me five years, right? Just take one for the team. Your kid may not learn how to read and write and do math for those five years, but this is what is good for the system.’
Meanwhile, at 30,000 feet in a 737, a Yale professor had occasion to rub elbows with a heretofore nameless, faceless, amorphous statistic otherwise known as a small business owner. But Stephen Carter, a law professor at Yale, took the time to actually listen to a real business owner and in the process got more of an education than he has likely received in quite some time. Asked why he, the owner of a successful small business, wasn't hiring, the gentleman replied, “Because I don’t know how much it will cost. How can I hire new workers today, when I don’t know how much they will cost me tomorrow?” Carter understood, adding, “He’s referring not to wages, but to regulation.” The article is certainly worth reading in its entirety, but the Professor's conclusion is particularly interesting:
As an academic with an interest in policy, I tend to see businesses as abstractions, fitting into a theory or a data set. Most policy makers do the same. We rarely encounter the simple human face of the less- than-giant businesses we constantly extol. And when they refuse to hire, we would often rather go on television and call them greedy than sit and talk to them about their challenges.
Another epiphany, I suppose. It's odd, as Rush pointed out on his show today, that people so imminently credentialed and educated should go through life so bereft of real understanding. Is it possible, I wonder, that they've been educated beyond all reason? Then I look at the constellation of academic stars on Ricochet, among both members and contributors, and the suspicion grows that it's really an ideological divide we're observing rather than an educational one. On one hand we have a philosophy that divides people into groups or “abstractions,” according to race, class, education, income, grievance, ad infinitum, and tries to prod and cajole them to act in accordance with a design not of their own making, but fresh from the craniums of people who fashion themselves as superior and genetically predisposed to order the lives of others. On the other hand, we have a philosophy that believes in individual liberty, individual excellence, and individual accountability, period.
If we can have international and cross-cultural exchanges among students, we can certainly encourage more cross-cultural exchanges among theoreticians and those who labor outside the world of theory. If it is true that a conservative is really a liberal who has been mugged, then by all means, let the sort of reality that gently mugged Ms. Rhee and Professor Carter continue its work.
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Comments:
Sep '10
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
Gene Wolfe (one of the best authors now living) wrote an essay on J.R.R. Tolkien, published in Interzone in 2001, called "The Best Introduction to the Mountains." The focus was on Tolkien, but near the end Wolfe wrote,
We have -- but do not need -- a pestilent swarm of exceedingly clever persons who call themselves public servants when everything about them and us proclaims that they are in fact our masters. They make laws (and regulations and judicial decisions that have the force of laws) faster and more assiduously than any factory in the world makes chains; and they lay them on us.
It need not be so. We might have a society in which the laws were few and just, simple, permanent, and familiar to everyone.... We had it once, and some time in this third millennium we shall have it again; and if we forget to thank John Ronald Reuel Tolkien for it when we get it, we will already have begun the slow and not always unpleasant return to Mordor.
Edited on May 28, 2011 at 6:22amJan '11
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
I'll trust Ms. Rhee when she dumps the Democrats
Jun '10
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
I forget the company, but I remember a CEO who made a special effort to get new productivity ideas from every level of the company, including factory line workers. What he found was, the best cost-saving ideas were all coming from the factory floor--not the engineers. In fact, in this case, the best "idea men" were blue-collar, and the ones waiting for direction, and getting their hands dirty (making new tools) were the white-collar engineers.
May '11
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
Great Post Dave!
Aug '10
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
Perfect! How can any venture get underway without a business plan? How can any bank or investor advance funds in the absence of some reasonable grasp of the risk involved? Money's a coward and uncertainty's a scarecrow.
The lack of growth and the dearth of jobs aren't the casualties of greed; they're the result of legitimate doubt and uncertainty concerning the chances of success.
Oh, and raising taxes, even if it reduces uncertainty, changes the odds. As in "heads I win, tails you lose."
Do truck drivers have interns? Can I pull our college student and send him to you?
May '10
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
David - You have a television series in you. Call me. We'll do lunch.
PS - You bring the duck, I'll bring the football.
Edited on May 28, 2011 at 7:14amRe: When Reality Meets Theory
James F Strother: .
... Do truck drivers have interns? Can I pull our college student and send him to you? · May 27 at 9:36pm
It depends on what his definition of "roughing it" is. This lifestyle isn't well suited to pampered types. Then again, they are probably the ones in most dire need of an adjustment in perspective. Two weeks max. He'll need work boots, work gloves, and enough cash for a bus ticket home if his fun meter pegs. Deal?
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
EJHill: David - You have a television series in you. Call me. We'll do lunch.
PS - You bring the duck, I'll bring the football. · May 27 at 9:42pm
Edited on May 27 at 10:14 pm
I'll have my people get right on it. Will a Canadian Goose work?
Aug '10
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
James F Strother: .
... Do truck drivers have interns? Can I pull our college student and send him to you? · May 27 at 9:36pm
It depends on what his definition of "roughing it" is. This lifestyle isn't well suited to pampered types. Then again, they are probably the ones in most dire need of an adjustment in perspective. Two weeks max. He'll need work boots, work gloves, and enough cash for a bus ticket home if his fun meter pegs. Deal?
I am going to have a serious talk with him and get back to you. Thanks!
Mar '11
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
In Timothy 3 Paul made the following prophecy relevant to this post: "...in the last days perilous times shall come...men shall be...ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."
He adds many other spot on descriptions of what men will become but I'll let you read that yourself.
May '11
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
I have two daughters, 17 & 15 years old, they are at that point where they are starting to try to figure out what they want to study at university or if they want to go another route, some kind of trade instead.
Both are certainly smart enough to go to university, they get good marks, and I think they have a fairly good idea of business, as they did grow up inside our retail shop here in Tokyo. I've told both of them that we will pay for school, but they have to work part time while going to school, I have suggested that they find work as waitresses if they can. I've worked as a waiter, as well as a plethora of other jobs, and being a waiter/waitress is hard work, and it should teach them a lot about work, and money. It is also a skill that they can fall back on just about anywhere in the world, there is always a need for good wait staff.
I think way too many "Educated" people have too little real world experience and I think it often shows in their attitudes.
Cheers!
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
Stu, I've been on both sides of the equation and I find truth in the old saying that a hard day's work never hurt anyone. I'd go a step further and add that an honest day's labor cleanses the soul. But it can exact a toll on a body at the same time. Best to study hard and strive for excellence, but learn the value of labor.
Feb '11
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
Any post that starts with a Hayek quote is a good post in my book.
If you are just starting to think about the concept of an "ideological divide" I highly recommend Thomas Sowell's book "A Conflict of Visions". I found it incredibly illuminating.
May '10
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
In theory, practice is just like theory; in practice, it it's not.
May '10
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
"Another epiphany, I suppose. It's odd, as Rush pointed out on his show today, that people so imminently credentialed..."
Dave, change imminently to eminently before anyone notices. ;-)
May '10
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
Actually, Steve Carter is not exactly a neophyte to common sense- he has been about the best Yale has to offer for years, starting with his first broadside against race-based affirmative action, through his criticisms of the anti-religionists, and his criticisms of the treatment of Robert Bork. In many ways, he is almost a Shelby Steele in his approach to life.
He's noit really a conservative, but it doesn't surprise me at all to see that he would seriously listen to a businessman and advertise the information received this way. He is an open-minded thinker, like John McWhorter.
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
Outstripp, I can't change it. I just can't. Something about being 24 hours late to make an imminent change... It just unsettles me somehow. Good catch. I'm going to stand in the corner now...
Sep '10
Re: When Reality Meets Theory
Dave is Immanentizing the Rushcaton. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course.
Edited on May 29, 2011 at 4:53amRe: When Reality Meets Theory
Pseudodionysius: Dave is Immanentizing the Rushcaton. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course. · May 28 at 7:36pm
Edited on May 28 at 07:53 pm
Good save. I'll put you on the Christmas card list.