>>9
>Point one: It is the essential element in any human society. The sharing of burdens to increase the chances of group success.
I disagree. Humans are not social animals. I mean this in the sense that a person can live fine in the wild by himself, difficult, but can still live. A human is not bound by his physical nature to a social group, like ant or bee, which cannot physically survive apart from their group. A human is an independent, selfish entity. Each person's own life, success, and happiness is the moral goal dictated by the physical nature of the human race, and that should be his purpose.
The reason why a person would find living with other people beneficial as opposed to living alone is because of trade. This important mutually beneficial activity in all forms is what improve human lives and the reason why a rational person would choose to live among other humans in a proper society instead of by himself.
A rational person don't come to live in a society so he can carry another's baggage or have someone carry his. A society of that kind destroy lives.
Trade in values, not sharing of burdens, should be the essential element in any human society. That is what the physical nature of human demands.
>Point two: Poverty is ubiquitous, and a drain on resources. Charity and altruism are more desirable human characteristics than greed and being judgmental.
I disagree
Firstly, poverty is not ubiquitous. Human nature does not destine man to fail. No matter one is rich or poor, if he strives and make the right choices, he will produce more and more wealth. The poor will grow rich and the rich will grow richer.
Secondly, on poverty been a drain on resources. Whose resources?
Lastly, on "Charity and altruism are more desirable human characteristics than greed and being judgmental." Why is it more desirable? And desirable for who?
>Point three: Again. Poverty is ubiquitous, and a drain on resources. And no one is "forced to give up his property to strangers he doesn't even know", except in that we are forced to belong to our society. Our participation in this society "forces" contribution to a general pool administered by our elected representatives.
Yes, welfare is having individuals under threat of force from the government to give up their property to people they do not know. If you do not pay up the share of tax that cover the welfare policy, you can be persecuted by law.
As for you latter parts, it makes no sense what you are trying to say. You are forced but you are not forced..?
>It's a problem that's more expensive to ignore, yet many try. They believe that if everyone works as hard as they, then poverty would disappear.
Poverty will disappear if people are free and is willing to work/produce and trade and is safe guarded from theft on all fronts. But unfortunately destructive political policies such as welfare keeps that from happening and breeds more poverty.
>They are angry and want to blame poverty on the poor. They believe that the poor create their own suffering and that their suffering will "teach them a lesson"; perhaps even that poverty is a natural process that weeds undesirables out of society. This is called social Darwinism. It is not a humane philosophy. Is this what you meant by human nature?
What I meant by "human nature" is just that, what humans are. Humans are organism that have a volitional faculty that grants them free will (unlike animals) to do or not do in all things. Lion survive by hunting with fangs/jaw. Humans survive by using the reason faculty in his mind to transform inanimate objects into personal properties he can use to sustain his life.
As for this social Darwinism, that's not it. A promising young man struggling in poverty would deserve charity. I would personally help him, out of self-interest, because it gives me personal pleasure to help those I believe who deserve my help. I would not give a cent to a hobo by the street who would use it to buy another bottle of liquor.
The bottom line is though, whether I help or not, and who I help, is rightfully entirely up to me, since what I give out is my property, wealth that I have earned myself. And this applies to all human beings.