Jay Long

There are two types of people: 1) Those who believe the Individual came first and then created society and institutions. And, 2) Those who believe Society came first and the individual must bow to its will. It’s all about costs vs benefits. I fervently believe Individuals came first. We then formed tribes (societies), or other institutions. This had a cost to the individual, but the cost was less than the benefits. For example, safety from other tribes that wanted to prey on us. Or the benefits of trade, where you raise cattle and I raise wheat. I trust that you will keep your part of the deal and I don’t have to survive on my own. As long as benefits exceed the costs, societies survive and individuals thrive. People stay because they can achieve more as a member. This is a truly “warm embrace.” Those who believe society came first think the individual must sacrifice whatever it takes to maintain “Society” or the “Collective.” If you believe the costs exceed the benefits - if you are exceedingly productive and are forced to share your plenty with others who are less productive - you will want to leave this collective. Often, then, the “group” will try to force you to stay. In this case it is force or coercion that keeps the “collective” together. This is the opposite of a “warm embrace,” it’s an “iron fist.” In the first case, individuals have the right to go off on their own. It’s up to society to create an environment that makes them want to stay, a place where the benefits exceed the costs. This is the essence of freedom and it embraces, even celebrates, the most productive members of this society. Those who take advantage of this society are shunned and if they resort to crime are punished. There is a societal cost to crime and there should be a cost to the perpetrator. Those who believe society came first will try to convince people that crime only exists because the benefits of society are distributed un-equally. Therefore criminals should not be punished, but other members of society should absorb the costs. Shoplifting will become the norm. And if you want to leave this system, you won’t be allowed (ex North Korea, Cuba). Or, you will be shunned and shamed as a “racist” or “greedy.” Clearly, the first system attracts the productive, while the second system repels the most productive. And the lessons of this dichotomy are that societies should only provide services which are indivisible - like defense, fire fighting, clean water, police, courts, and the protection of private property and rule of law. If a society protects itself from criminals and enemies, then more investment will take place. If a society lets itself be stolen from and invaded, then less investment will take place. Why invest if someone can just come take it? The US was founded as a place of rugged individualism. But slowly, and surely, over the past 100 years, government has grown and redistribution has proliferated. Slowly, but surely, the costs have been rising while the benefits decline. We are in the middle of this battle today. It is more obvious than it has been in a long time. May 2026 be the year where more eyes are opened to the power of the first type of people…those who believe the Individual came first. It’s actually helpful that we get to watch NYC attempt to put society first. It won’t work…but people need to try and fail in order to learn.