Do you remember the teacher who used to hold back the entire class for detention because they weren’t able to find the culprit. The idea was that the threat of doing this might cause at least one class member to oust the culprit. Of course it never worked. Everyone sat in the classroom angry at the teacher rather than being angry at the culprit (often someone they didn’t even like).
Why does this happen? I’ve been thinking about the idea of corporate sin and wondering if the same thinking and action is behind classroom corporate detention is behind corporate sin.
Here’s a typical scenario. Many people know that some clothing is made in sweat shops, most of us are appalled by it and most of us (myself included) do very little about it. We don’t so much talk about our own inaction or the inaction of other individuals but prefer to blame “the system” or the government or some other teacher like authority. I realize the analogy isn’t completely parallel but I do think there is something to be learnt, perhaps. I’m just not sure what.
5 comments:
I'd like to see where you go with this. I think the Church has been too hung up on Coporate Sin and I believe it's one of the main reasons behind the exodus from church.
It wasn't something Jesus taught either I don't believe.
I am guilty of not doing what I can (in situations like your sweat shops example) and blaming and whinging about the system, and or the general population.
;)
Do you remember the teacher who used to hold back the entire class for detention because they weren’t able to find the culprit. The idea was that the threat of doing this might cause at least one class member to oust the culprit. Of course it never worked.
Reminds me of Full Metal Jacket, where the drill sergeant punishes the entire platoon every time the bumbling fat soldier makes an error. The desired effect in that case was a Code Red (I know I'm mixing up movies here), in which the platoon members---fearing punishment themselves---begin to discipline their own.
I'm inclined to think of sweatshops as the lesser evil, the symptom of the greater one.
If people work in a clothing factory because other options are a worse deal, that is the injustice one ought to complain about.
If people are enticed to work in a clothing factory by promising a better deal than what is actually given, that is the injustice. Whatever one's view of economics, most will agree that lying is wrong.
I haven't thought about that scenario in years. The church, at large... no one would stand for what the scripture says, reprove, rebuke, and exhort... they like the praise and exhortation parts but not the corrections and discipline. We as members are supposed to expose the thing, and bring it into the light. First with the offender, then with an elder, then in front of the class, so to speak... to get pantsed in the midst of the congregation. Ouch. How would that go over?
Hey Eric,
Not sure what you mean about your lying comment. None the less I agree that one of the hard things about sweat shops is that often the other options are much worse and many countries that have had sweat shops for a while have managed to go on to become more economically powerful and not need them. Still just because something good comes from something evil doesn't make that thing ok and the solution is going to be bigger and more complex than just avoiding sweat shop made products.
Post a Comment