The Morality of Preparation And Forethought

Recently on another site an article appeared discussing thoughts on the ethical and moral obligations of people to make plans and preparations for disasters and extreme events in their lives. The author was speaking of physical events such as hurricane or flood or earthquake. The idea being that it is moral and ethical to have made preparations in advance for yourself and your family rather than rely on your neighbors and community (and government) to provide for you in the event of an emergency.

All good things to be ready for if you live in a location frequented by such events. Indeed, MasterPo has noticed a significant increase in commercials and public service announcements from FEMA and state agencies advising people to have a plan and supplies on hand. (Someone trying to tell us something??)

But while physical events can and do happen, the same concepts of ethics and morals can and should be applied to non-physical event that are much more common in daily life. If one can say it is moral and ethical to prepare for a hurricane than isn’t it just as moral and ethical to:

- Prepare for a disabling injury or illness by having disability insurance?
- Prepare for a life threatening accident or illness by having life insurance?
- Prepare for the damage or destruction of your home due to storm or fire by having property insurance?
- Prepare for your eventual retirement by putting something away in a 401k or IRA?
- Prepare for the unexpected but inevitable repairs and replacements life throws at you by having a rainy-day fund?
- And, as unpleasant as it may be to think about (though why MasterPo can’t understand, death is inevitable for all of us), prepare for the care of your family and loved ones by having a proper will drafted?

Yet all too often, more and more (or rather fewer and fewer) people see the need for such thought and preparation. Some of it is defiantly the Ostrich concept of not thinking about it and therefore it won’t happen (head-in-the-sand). But a lot is also clearly a general lack of concern in that if something bad happens then someone else (probably the government) is responsible for their problem resolution!

MasterPo shouldn’t be surprised. Personal responsibility isn’t taught any more in schools, unless it’s “green” responsibility to the planet or helping “the poor” fight “the rich”. Otherwise we are all global citizens and one big village.

Keep your nose out of MasterPo’s tent!