The Fatal Flaw

The following is an imaginary interview with an Interviewer and a Citizen. Although imaginary, it does not lessen any of the deductive reasoning processes involved. Deductive reason applies if one is looking for clarity. If the reader is not interested in clarity, stop reading now. It is not my intention here, to prove the cause and effect between the problem and its result—only to point out what I consider to be a devastating flaw in the minds of most people.

Interviewer: We all have a sense of morality within us. Without having to define it explicitly, would you agree that there are two different positions one can take in regards to morality, as follows: A) you take morality into consideration in the decisions you make in life and that’s important to you and it should be important to everybody else; B) to you there is no such thing as morality since it’s just a man-created idea but doesn’t really exist.

Citizen: I do take morality into consideration. Those who do not are actually amoral or without morals. One should be careful of those who are without a sense of morality, since they can “justify” any act of cruelty or harm that is perpetrate by one human against another.

Interviewer: Since you are the person being interviewed, let’s assume that the answers to my questions are your own opinion from now on. Since you are concerned with leading a moral life, would you steal from your neighbor and why?

Citizen: No, since stealing is immoral.

Interviewer: How do you define stealing or theft?

Citizen: The taking of another’s property without their permission whether by force or by the threat of force.

Interviewer: Do you believe that the act of using theft, force or fraud against another, is immoral, and as such, you would never sanction or condone it, even if your neighbors gave you permission to commit those acts?

Citizen: I believe and agree with that.

Interviewer: Would you sanction or condone it if everybody in the nation gave you permission to commit those acts?

Citizen: Absolutely not.

Interviewer: When the majority of the nation, through the vote, gives you permission, through your representatives, to sanction or condone and enforce theft, force and fraud, do you then consider it as moral? Realize, according to your definition of theft and your condemnation of theft, that all taxation is theft.

Citizen: When the majority considers it as moral, then it’s okay. It’s in the Constitution.

Interviewer: Do you understand how you’re contradicting yourself? How can you believe one thing and then espouse its opposite at the same time and believe that they are both true?

Citizen: Everything is relative. Everybody knows that. Why can’t I hold contradictory beliefs as part of my belief system?

Interviewer: You can hold contradictory beliefs in your mind but that isn’t what makes them true or a path to success, since recognizing a contradiction is showing that an error has been made and errors are things leading to bad results— to be avoided. There is a word for such a philosophy. It’s called hypocrisy.

I call the revelation or exposure of this person’s hypocrisy and contradictory beliefs, The Fatal Flaw. It pervades the minds of almost every citizen. I quote, “the point is that in respect of the relation between the theory and the actual practice of public affairs, the American is the most unphilosophical of beings. The rationalization (use of reason) of conduct in general is most repugnant to him; he prefers to emotionalize it. He is indifferent to the theory of things, so long as he may rehearse his formulas; and so long as he can listen to the patter of his litanies, no practical inconsistency disturbs him⎯indeed, he gives no evidence of even recognizing it as an inconsistency.” Our Enemy, The State by Albert Jay Nock, (page 12).

Most Americans come to conclusions randomly. They believe what they read in the newspapers, depending upon which newspaper they read. They see the corruption, lying and cheating that goes on before their very eyes and haven’t the foggiest idea of what goes on behind the closed doors of government. Yet they espouse their own opinions about how to solve the nation’s problems. The Fatal Flaw is responsible for class warfare, domestic war, international war and most of the conflicts between people. My fellow Americans, first get rid of your Fatal Flaw and the solutions will automatically follow, as you realize that the only path to peace and harmony in the world is through the Science of Voluntaryism. The Fatal Flaw is responsible for the devastation that awaits the human race.

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Norman is a retired podiatrist who loves playing piano, writing music, lawn bowling, bridge, reading, classical music, going to movies, plays, concerts and traveling. He is not a member of any social network, nor does he plan on becoming one. Dr. Imberman has written a fantastic Christmas song which he had professionally recorded as a demonstration record. He is looking for a publisher, or A & R man, or record producer to listen to his song. It deserves to be a permanent member of the portfolio of familiar and favorite Christmas songs.