Marx thought that distributive justice can exist only when material objects are distributed to each according to his needs and from each according to his ability. The average American eats twice his or her appropriate amount of calories on Thanksgiving. That exceeds one day's bodily need by an entire other day. According to Nozick, anything more than the minimal state is unjust. Rawls has a rule that says each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty that is compatible with a similar liberty for others. Not everyone can afford to have a Thanksgiving dinner, not even everyone in America, much less in the rest of the world. If not everyone can have an extravagant dinner, then no one should. From Kelsen's point of view, would all men find happiness with some men feeding their families with copious amounts of food while another feeds his nothing? If the answer is no, then our social order is unjust. In fact, the idea of Thanksgiving is not compatible with the ideas of four separate philosophers. To what extent does that make Thanksgiving unjust? Food for thought.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
What's wrong with Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving in itself is not such a horrible idea. It would be great if people actually spent the holiday feeling thankful and fostering contentment. But we don't. We consume copious amounts of food, watch TV, and get up early the next day to spend extravagant amounts of money on things we don't need. The fact that Americans have a holiday surrounding eating way more food than we need to or should is completely ridiculous and even unjust.
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Very interesting way to look at thanksgiving. It kinda seems as if you were the exchange student here ;)
ReplyDeleteAlright, although it was my first thanksgiving ever, I try to share some things that came to my mind while reading your post.
I guess, Marx would totally agree with you on how you described the immorality of the way, thanksgiving is celebrated these days. For him, the reason for this is obviously to be found in the alienation of thanksgiving from its original idea. As far as I know, one ought the give thanks on that day, to whatever good happened to us. So, the idea is pretty convincing, but the way it is alienated from its actual being is controversial. So, what is the reason for this? Surely, it is the expression of the idea of "private property" that leads to what you described.
I'm not too sure if the consequence of what Rawls said about the "most extensive basic liberty" would necessarily lead to the conclusion that if some cannot afford such a dinner, nobody ought to. In Rawls idea of justice, there is room for inequality, but not for basic inequalities. So, we have to ask the question, is the way, we celebrated thanksgiving a basic liberty, or better a basic need that has to be provided for everybody or is it something like "the cherry on the pie"?
I don't think it is unjust for people to gather with their families and enjoy a meal, even if it is an unnecessarily large one. I think that a lot of people do feel thankful on thanksgiving and I think that the gathering and meal are a celebration of this. I understand that this is perhaps an illogical way of going about it. It might make more sense to give extra to those in need rather than eat extra ourselves but I don't think its unjust. Also a lot of people do give back this time of year and do things like participate in food drives. The holiday has certainly strayed from its origin and could maybe be improved if more people focused on being thankful and giving back, but I wouldn't consider thanksgiving to be unjust.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that it is unjust to go overboard on thanksgiving. an important part that you left out is Nozicks's entitlement theory. As long as the food was acquired justly then Americans who overeat on thanksgiving or any other day is entitled to that. In addition, people are attempting to satisfy Rawls demand that "social/economic inequalities are to be arragnged so that they are to the greatest benefit to the least advantaged" by having charities to donate food to those who cannot afford to give their families a thanksgiving.
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