November 19, 2024

America First?

The "America First" mantra makes sense on an intuitive level, for it appeals to the natural self-centeredness within us, which is why it garners votes and receives uproarious applause at rallies. 

Truthfully, it makes sense on one level. It probably is a good idea to put your oxygen mask on before your kid's, if the plane is crashing. But as a philosophy it really does not call us to our best. Jesus tells us that if we want to find our lives we have to lose them. Not only does self-preoccupation look bad on us, it ends up not giving us what we want. You will notice that the most self-centered people are often angry, vindictive, petty, small-minded. Their lives often collapse on themselves. Generous people, people who move beyond "me first", are often the folks who are most pleasant to be around. Love flows from them, which evokes love from me, which then can be shared with others. "America First" sells, but it is not good news.