Individual Rights vs. Common Good?

Topic: Individual Rights vs. Common Good?

Are there times when it is appropriate to give up individual rights in the service of a common good?

As we think about the common good -- that which benefits society as a whole, in contrast to the private good, that which benefits individuals and certain sections of society;

• Why has the common good vs. the individual good come to have such a critical place in current discussions of problems in our society?

• Are the concepts of individual well-being and community well-being exclusive of each other?

• How do we as individuals and as a society experience the tension between the common good and our own good?

• In our everyday lives does the notion of social responsibility vs. personal responsibility guide our behaviors? What are our subsequent feelings or judgment of ourselves and others as we reflect on these behaviors?

The common good is a notion that originated over thousands of years ago, yet has many current-day implications as we try to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges. Do we believe if people choose to accept sacrifices for a common good that will mean a better life for all, or do we believe the protection of group or individual rights and a “live and let live” approach means a better life for all?

What happens to the family who has lived in a farmhouse for 8 generations when they are forced off their land by the public need for a highway? Which is more important in this case: the individual’s right to own property or the good a highway would bring to a community?

The current health care debate reflects the tension between individual rights and the common good. Some have the view that health care initiatives are in the interest of a healthier nation. Others claim that compulsory health insurance impedes individuals’ right to the best health care money can buy. Can the individual rights vs. common good debate help us understand some of the ideological tension behind the current health care discussion?

These individual rights in the service of the common good can be largely political, but there are moral and personal aspects as well; if you and five others were stranded and starving, and your only hope of getting out alive is to eat the first member who died, would you do it to save the rest of the group?

Do you build special infrastructure to accommodate the few who are disabled even if that means the cost would increase the financial burden on all taxpayers?

Would you buy a car that fits your personal tastes/needs but has a negative impact on the environment or buy a car you don’t love, that helps save the environment?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6oSJg6wuBg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t8in5n4cps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvPKTVK10JE

Meeting Format:

Each meeting has a single topic which is introduced by the person who came up with it. He/she introduces the topic by posting prior to the meeting (above) and presenting it for up to 15 min at the start of the meeting. Following this introduction, we take turns sharing points of view related to the topic. Everyone who wants to is encouraged to speak. The Group is self-monitoring.

The meeting starts at 2 pm and ends at about 4:15 pm. At 3:45 or so we will begin closing round making final comments, stating what we heard or what we learned during the meeting.

Note**- Diversity of perspective and opposing points of view are frequently expressed. The right of each person to express her/his point of view, freedom of thought and expression are valued greatly.