"Amazing" Students

Every month, UGA's website highlights what it percieves to be an "amazing student." Take Ms. Katie Griffith for example. These individuals (almost always members of the Young Democrats) are usually arrogant, self-righteous losers who spend time "volunteering" and participating in really complicated-sounding political programs like the "International Council for the Economic Development of Third World Brown Children," or some crap. Well good for them. Awesome. Let's give them a huge pat on the back. But wait...why should we? They aren't really helping anyone. I'm sure when these nieve, idealistic white college kids leave Uganda or wherever that the natives will remain in poverty.

The liberal paradox is that there must be some sort of personal sacrifice in order to do any real good for anyone. This is the root of the problem. Liberals just can't fathom the idea that the only real way to help people is by...not helping them, and by instead pursuing your own self-interest. The invisible hand that Adam Smith wrote about over 225 years ago can't function if people don't act selfishly. As a result, even with the best of intentions, government planning and altruism almost always makes everyone worse off than before. The reason why America is one of the richest countries on earth is because it allows its citizens, through the common law legal system, to pursue their own interests in a free market by seeking profits, accumulating wealth, and reinvesting that wealth into an ever growing and expanding economy, free from government control and excessive regulation. There's nothing "amazing" about not wanting to create wealth.

So anyway, in closing, here's how I wish this month's Amazing Student profile would read:

Meet Patrick Holland. Patrick is one of the most amazing students here at UGA because he cares only about one person in this world: himself. Throughout his life, Patrick has held a deep passion for not helping others (unless it pays well). Patrick spends his time free time volunteering at...nowhere, because he realizes that if something isn't profitable then it's not really benefiting anyone. He also realizes that the only way third-world countries will ever get out of the mess they're in is for counterproductive foreign aid organizations and governments to get out of the way and let commerce take root and flourish.

After graduating, Patrick has one goal in life: to make as much money as possible. By investing that money and supplying entreprenuers with the necessary capital to seek profits, create new jobs, expand research and development to create new technology, and to make the most efficient use of resources according to the price system, Patrick is helping to raise the standard of living of millions, while worthless WASP-like volunteer organizations continue to try and feel good about themselves by building little bamboo houses in Sri Lanka.