“The average man of the present age [1948] has a metaphysic in the form of a conception known as “progress.” It is certainly to his credit that he does not wish to be a sentimentalist in his endeavors; he wants some measure for purposeful activity; he wants to feel that through the world some increasing purpose runs. And nothing is more common than to hear him discriminate people according to this metaphysic, his term for less worthy being “unprogressive.” Richard M. Weaver
The operative metaphysic for many became the environment, which ought to be objectively measurable, but defies agreement. Moreover, many of its’ adherents believe humanity and the environment are antithetical, that our existence necessarily harms the environment.
When God was the operative metaphysic, the majority of people incorporating God’s metaphysic would generally follow a benign course toward other people. This was because people were made in God’s image. Political decisions tended to favor the demographic majority.
Now that the majority accepts a metaphysic they believe to be opposed to mankind, and that same majority believes in growing and using the power of government, it follows that we should expect more political decisions to go against the interests of people. On a fundamental level, this may help explain why we already have so many regulations and so much government action that is hostile to our well being.
In terms of stewardship, preservation, efficacy, sound economics, husbandry, accountability, oversight, and pretty much every other concept that engenders wisdom, government runs a distant second to all other forms of organized human action. Who will protect the environment from the institutionalized, heavy handed, non-adaptive, one-size-fits-all, modus operandi of government?
Creative men and women will synthesize the protection of themselves with the protection of the environment, and they’ll have to overcome the negative effects of government and the ministrations of progressives to do it.
“That government is best which governs least.” Thomas Paine