Wrong questions have no right answers. When answers elude us, our next best option is to ask the right questions. Today's social issues are unprecedentedly new and complex, leaving us without the luxury of relying on past experiences for guidance. In this context, asking the right questions becomes our most reliable strategy.
What, then, are the principal questions we should pose? The term 'principle' stems from the Latin 'principium,' meaning 'beginning.' So where should our contemplation of social dilemmas begin?
Decades of reflection on social issues have led to the development of key principles within the social teachings of the church. These principles or 'beginnings' offer a starting point for considering social matters. But what exactly are these 'beginnings'?
At the heart of social issues is the individual, who forms the cornerstone of society. We understand that what is good aligns with the nature of a thing (as mentioned in #21 of My Personal Compass). What is good for humans depends then on human nature, which encompasses both moral and social dimensions.
Humans, as moral beings, are capable of holding responsibilities and are entitled to some basic human rights. Their social nature links their individual good with the common good. Therefore, a good society provides an environment where individuals can thrive both as social beings and as morally responsible individuals, with their dignity respected, protected, and promoted.
However, the recognition of our inherent human nature and the freedom to fulfill it have largely been abandoned or forgotten. This oversight has led to the rising popularity of a notion that the individual good can be pursued independently of the common good. This idea often culminates in an obsessive individualism, where society becomes a collection of disconnected individuals blindly chasing their own interests, detached from both their personal objective good and the communal good.
Conversely, history is also riddled with attempts to subordinate the individual good to the common good. While traditional forms of socialism have largely become extinct, the underlying tendency to eclipse the individual behind the collective persists in certain ideologies today. These ideologies often view society through the lens of group conflicts (ethnic, religious, sexual, etc.), where the individual's identity fades within the group.
From the understanding that the human person is a moral individual who needs to associate with others to pursue a common good, principles like participation, solidarity, and subsidiarity emerge. While these principles don't automatically resolve all social dilemmas, they often provide the right starting point for addressing social issues.
When confronted with a new social issue, we should ask: Does it enhance fundamental human rights? Is it likely to improve individuals and society? These basic questions help us avoid starting with the wrong inquiries, such as popularity, alignment with prevailing ideologies, pragmatism, or convenience.Â