1 week Ago By By John R. Wiens
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Recent global events are deeply disturbing. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Opinion Recent global events are deeply disturbing. Democracy seems to be faltering just when we need it most.
I fear our democratic politics are being overrun by the authoritarian tendencies of some of our pretend, and pretentious, political leaders. And, unfortunately, in this new session of the Manitoba legislature politicians are assuming the all-too-familiar adversarial positions. In “Voices: The Educational Formation of Conscience,” Tom Green, a well-known American educational philosopher, introduced the ideal of a conscience of sacrifice — moral education for citizens mainly achieved by following the example of others.
He proposed that we think about sacrifice as moving beyond self-interest, as requiring a commitment to truth and keeping promises, and of a focus on the greater good as opposed to seeking strategic advantages. His idealistic arguments are compelling, applicable to today’s political scene and a way to think and act moving forward. Premier Wab Kinew during opening of the spring session of the Manitoba Legislature, March 5.
Working together, rather than against one another, could improve politics — for everyone, John R. Wiens writes. (Mike Deal/Winnipeg Free Press files) Green’s notion, as I understand it, is different from the Old Testament understanding of sacrifice as a spiritual demand to offer something dear to you to God.
It is more in the secular sense of not compromising your health, identity or dignity by too inward a focus on self-preservation and self-aggrandizement but striving for something of worth which supersedes the self but still causes satisfaction and joy. His notion of sacrifice often appears as a spontaneous action resulting from a greater human concern, a conscience which becomes known to oneself after the fact. But there is also an opportunity to engage in planned sacrifice, action which is indifferent to self interest.
It is also easy to see sacrifice as a battle between obligation and self interest, something Green also disavows. If one is just doing one’s duty or just meeting the requirements of a job, that is not a sacrifice and could still count as self interest because it satisfies the minimal of duties, and is likely to secure one acceptance and approval, both aspects of self interest. Today’s politics would look very difference if informed by a conscience of sacrifice.
I find today’s extreme partisan divide appalling and unacceptable on most moral and civil grounds. Its public face is too often unnecessarily vindictive, disrespectful and downright bad-mannered. Even when tackling racism, gender discrimination, environmental protection and other measures regarding diversity, equity and fairness, it is divisive.
I fear that political parties think it is not good enough to just pursue those common goals, butalso in the process they must somehow discredit competing parties. And our opposition parties reply in kind by imputing ulterior motives, insinuating deliberate deceit and generally promoting distrust and division. It’s no wonder that citizen cynicism is as high as it appears to be.
However, we as the electorate are not without fault and blame. Many of us also convey messages to our politicians that our only interest in them is how they can serve our interests, like lowering taxes and pledging to look after our personal agendas, ranging from denying public injustice to privileging private enterprise. It’s no wonder they make promises they can’t or don’t intend to honour, or reward only those who voted for them in the last election.
And it’s no wonder that they look the other way regarding some obvious but uncomfortable truths in the pursuit of serving partisan interests. Both parties seem to conveniently forget that an opposition is also a duly elected part of any government. So, what does conscience of sacrifice look like? I believe there are many amazing examples avail-able to us.
We usually describe them as people for whom the needs of others supersedes their own. I know of many teachers who give up their lunch breaks, preparation times, and before and after school time to work with students without expecting anything in return, other than the satisfaction that comes from working with, and helping young people thrive. We all know of nurses, doctors and health-care workers who make special connections with, and give exceptional care to, patients way beyond the requirements of their jobs.
And we can all think of the scores of volunteers who give hours oftheir time to community service without any personal inducements or incentives attached because it’s just the right thing to do. Sacrifice, without pursuit of rewards, makes the world a better, kinder place. Knowing that, wouldn’t it be nice to imagine a politics informed by a conscience of sacrifice? Would it not go a long way toward reducing public cynicism if our politicians did not frame everything in partisan terms, instead appearing together to announce positive initiatives supporting human benefits and solidarity? If they made decisions based upon public benefits as opposed to who voted for them? If they did not make unrealistic promises because of a commitment to truth and reasonable, credible possibilities? A reminder to all of us and our provincial politicians — Manitoba is just the kind of province where our two major parties could work together.
The divides are not as great as they sound in question period, and because of our size, MLAs can get to know each other as caring people. Manitoba has only periodically shifted to the extremes of political ideology, and we seem happiest when we are somewhere close to the middle, no matter which party is in power. It’s the kind of place where both parties could receive joy and satisfaction from working together on something we all feel is worthwhile, for example, Indigenous reconciliation.
With a little imagination we could find many areas of agreement and solidarity. Green’s conscience of sacrifice has much to recommend for itself and to all of us as democratic citizens and the people who govern us! » John R. Wiens is dean emeritus at the faculty of education, University of Manitoba.
This column was previously published in the Winnipeg Free Press. Advertisement Advertisement.
