DrHurd.com

It's always fashionable to be in favor of "the little guy." Socialists use the little guy as justification for "spreading the wealth." Conservatives use the little guy as justification for populism which -- when translated -- means a celebration of mediocrity and (usually) fundamentalist religion.

It's wrong to use "the little guy" as a standard of value. Size doesn't matter, in the context of success. What matters are competence, integrity, effectiveness and efficiency. If a small business practices these principles, it will likely become big over time. If it maintains these values over time, it deserves to remain big. Not all competent people become big. That's OK, too. But "little" is not an end in itself. Neither is "big."

Big business is usually a byproduct of success. There's nothing wrong with success. Size should never be the standard of value. Quality should be. So long as a big business remains big because it pleases the customers -- and for no other reason -- it should be applauded, not condemned in favor of "the little guy."

I recently read that while "no smoking in public places" laws are widespread throughout Europe, the "culture of smoking" remains. What does this mean?

It's simple. People will be who they want to be, regardless of what the government says or does.

There is something deeper than politics because there are deeper things than force. You can force me to do what I don't want to do -- indeed, you can actually change my behavior by doing this. If I smoked, I would not smoke in public places if it were against the law. I'd rather not go to jail or face fines. But you can't make me not want to smoke.

Force can deter values, but it can't create them. Government can make fewer people smoke in "public" places such as bars and restaurants -- subverting private property rights in the process -- but government cannot, and will never, be able to cure addictions or change people's preferences.

Q: What is the psychological reason people get choked up when they see great accomplishments or performances? I am watching the Kennedy Center Honors and just watching the accomplishments of the artists is so inspiring that I got all choked up.  Is it because we see greatness and a reinforcement of our values in a concrete form?

A: Yes. There's an old-fashioned term called "reverence." Traditionally, reverence was applied to the supernatural and the mystical. These have gone out of style, for the wrong reasons. To stop worshiping statues and fantasies is a good and rational thing. It's a sign of personal and social progress. But to give up on ideals worthy of reverence is NOT a good thing. We live in a cynical and hardened society. Business leaders have been, to say the least, disappointing (as well as harassed). Political leaders have ranged from mediocre and uninspiring to unspeakably unethical.