Friday, February 19, 2010

The Unintended Consequences of Evolution

In yesterday's National Post, Ian Hamilton offered a superb analysis of the phases of Canada's "human rights" system; how it has evolved (mutated, really) from a one-man operation to the out-of-control beast that plagues us today.

It strikes me that this "evolution" has brought several unintended consequences. First, a whole retinue of self-righteous mediocrities have been handed a whole lot of power, the taste of which has only made them lust for more, more, more. Second, we have created a culture of complaint in which, say, an over-the-hill stripper or a lazy janitor  can race off and kvetch to a "human rights" outfit instead of accepting life's vicissitudes and/or taking responsiblity for their own poor job performance. And finally, of course, free speech, our most valuable freedom, the linchpin of all freedom, has been taken away from us. (Officially, anyway. There are those--iconoclasts, individualists, malcontents--who choose to exercise their freedom without the state's permission.)

On balance, not exactly an "evolution" that's done us much good. Makes one long to turn back the clock to a time B.C--before ("human rights") commissions.

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