Positive social Assistance
We, as imperfect beings, need each other to exist, and need the
other even more, in order to develop and function adequately. We
feel a sort of hunger or need to receive from the other a
spiritual thing that will awaken in us a capacity designed for
this. We refer to it as "spiritual food" We will refer to
the hunger, described above as the "social hunger". It
may be mentioned that some of us also feel a need to provide the
other with this sustenance.
Spiritual food bears many facets. In order to provide
and receive one form of this food it suffices to merely be in
the company of others – this food satisfies our hunger for
security and shields us from feelings of loneliness. We may call
it - "basic food". In order to obtain and receive food of
another kind, such as love, recognition and esteem, intimate
contact with the other is necessary.
We will refer to this
nourishment as "noble food". In the absence of basic
food, it is impossible to receive and provide the noble one.
Most of us are familiar with the behavior of a socially isolated
human. In this situation, he cares primarily for his physical
requirements. After a time, he neglects even this. However, in
the company of others, he grows more driven, more optimistic and
is prepared to do more for himself - and in time, for others
too. It is evident that this nearness has
provided him with a positive energy, which motivated him to
function naturally. It is indisputably an invaluable natural
driving force.
When a human being finds his social defenses have been lifted
away, his state deteriorates even more. The thought that at any
moment something terrible may befall him gives rise to severe
feelings of fear and insecurity. We find these feelings amongst
people persecuted on account of their race or religion in the
Second World War or due to political reasons in any totalitarian
regime.
Not only do disquiet and fear inhibit the improvement of
mankind's functioning; they even induce a regression in his
existing levels of behavior and bring man to function mostly
with his primitive capacities. This condition will dramatically
improve if we return his blanket of social protection and afford
him the positive social assistance which a value based society is glad to
provide.
This need, this dependence, this hunger, has brought people to
organize in groups of increasing scale. First, family units were
created, following them appeared tribal organization, and later,
the tribes united under a roof organization, referred to as a
nation, and, in its political aspect, a state.
Summary: It is human society that provides the
individual with this basic positive social assistance , thus furnishing him with the conditions necessary
to his efficient and proper development and functioning. All
this goes to show that man's proper and natural place is in the
company of others.
It was the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, who already
2300 years ago, noted that Man is a "social animal". That is to
say, he feels a need to live within a social framework (a state,
for example), whose leaders would provide those basic positive
social assistance essential to his functioning. Therefore, the philosopher
continues in his argument - positive social life is natural to man,
because so he realizes his nature.
This was probably the reason why God turned to a people rather
than to individuals. Because only so, can man be brought to
self- fulfillment or only this way, can he be brought to a level
of achievements that will enable him to realize his Godly role,
into which he was born.
We must be adequately spiritually developed in order to live an
adequate positive social life. Most of our failures stem from the lack of
such life. While the source of this may be due to our own
limitations, it may also be due to society's limitations.
Human society has a tremendous effect on the individual, be it
a positive or a negative one. Human societies’ lack of morality
has brought people to today's intolerable situation, yet it is
society's high moral values, which will extricate them from it.
We pay a high price, indeed, all too often, an exceedingly high
price, for ensuring our positive social life. In spite of the suffering,
the disappointments and misery which society inflict on us, we
return to it because of no choice. This social hunger is abused
in one-way or another in almost every society, whether the abuse
is conscious or not.
One of the hardest punishments for human is the social
rejection and discrimination. Whether based on his race or
religion or simply taking the form of baseless hatred. The
negation of the Jews' basic rights, the various humiliations and
persecutions they endured, stem from such discrimination. A
human being cannot function over a long period of time under
such discrimination without his dignity and self-worth suffering
a major blow. The lack of resistance by those who let themselves
be led to death by the Nazis can be accounted for by the
debilitating effects of the awful discrimination they endured.
We learn then, that the supreme task of any society or state, is
to erect a proper form of governance, acting for the benefit of
its people. One, which will, among other things, create a
suitable infrastructure that provides for the individual's
needs, bringing him to a correct spiritual evolvement, aiding
his proper function and well-being.
Today, unfortunately, most societies and their respective
regimes are unconscious to the need and importance for, creating
such an infrastructure. There are some forms of government,
which even repress social hunger, thus directly causing
breakdowns in man's functioning as well as in the society they
run.
Despite the presence of many distinguished advisors, guiding
government activity, there is not even one that acts correctly
and actively pursues mankind’s natural development and function.
Therefore I draw the sad conclusion that governments knowingly
and intentionally act as they do, simply because it is
convenient for them to do so.
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