Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 4:58am

Proxy Morality: Advocacy and 'Solidarity'

A couple weeks ago, I wrote a post on how we sometimes impute excessive virtue to ourselves for being on the right side of historical conflicts, though a sort of proxy morality. I’d like to follow-up on the theme with the other area in which I think we often fall into a mentality of proxy morality: issue advocacy and solidarity with oppressed groups.

Let me start by trying to lay out a little bit more clearly what I think proxy morality is and why I think it is a danger to us. Proxy morality consists of drawing a strong sense of virtue or righteousness from identification with some cause or group. It is, I think, a dangerous tendency because it allows us to indulge in a great deal of pride and righteousness, while at the same time running of the risk of both excusing ourselves from taking any direct moral action in regards to the issues which we congratulate ourselves on due to proxy morality. It also presents the temptation of telling ourselves, “I’m a basically good person because of my support for X, Y, Z, and thus my minor failings A, B and C hardly matter.” Indeed, more generally, I think there is always a big of backslapping going on between Screwtape and his associates when one of us self-awards the “basically good person” label.

One area in which I think we often develop a sense of proxy morality is in regards to advocacy — often political advocacy. For those of us on the right, this may be in regards to opposing abortion, same sex marriage, euthenasia, and other clear social evils in the voting booth. This is clearly a good thing, and I think there is often significant moral wrong in not opposing these evils. However, casting a ballot or publicaly agreeing with a political stance is something that typically costs us very little at a personal level, and does little if anything to help specific other human beings. So while it would certainly be wrong if we didn’t oppose these evils, it is dangerous if we give ourselves too much credit for doing so. As the Chris Rock line goes, “What? You want a cookie? You’re supposed to do that!” For those of a more progressive persuasion, a similar sense of proxy morality is often felt by those supporting environmental regulations or programs intended to reduce poverty, etc. Leaving aside questions about whether such measures are successful in achieving their objectives, it must at the least be admitted that casting a vote or engaging in advocacy has significantly less impact on these matters of concern than actually living a “greener” life or doing something yourself to help those in proverty.

A related area of proxy morality is declaring oneself to be “in solidarity” with some particular group recognized to be suffering. If one is actually out living in Neuvo Laredo or Juarez and helping those suffering there, one can make some legitimate claim to be “in solidarity with the poor” — if on the other hand one simply means, “I really feel for the poor from the safety of my computer desk, unlike those nasty people who clearly don’t,” then one is engaging in proxy morality.

Similarly, declaring oneself to be “supporting” women in crisis pregnancies or women oppressed by traditional Islamic cultures is a rather empty boast if it is unaccompanied by any particular action (other than talking about it) and should be no great source of feeling virtuous.

Again, I do not want to imply that people should not take these stands or have these sympathies. Doing the opposite (opposing good policies or not sympathizing with those who are suffing) would clearly be bad. However, we accomplish very little actual virtue by taking these stands and we should never allow ourselves to believe that once we have done so our work is done.

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Donald R. McClarey
Admin
Thursday, August 26, AD 2010 12:38pm

Bravo! I have always held political advocacy of the pro-life cause to be highly important. However, I have also thought such advocacy was never enough which is why I served as a Birthright Volunteer at the U of I and am in my tenth year as Chairman of the Board of the local Crisis Pregnancy Center. Political involvement is never a substitute for personal help to those needing our, not someone else’s, assistance. All of this is something not to take pride in however. Most of us could do so much more. Helping others is merely to meet our minimal demands as followers of Christ. In regard to abortion this is especially true. “I do not believe it should be legal to kill unborn children in the womb.” This should be akin to saying, “I do not believe that cannibalism is a proper food choice.” In our decadent times we celebrate aspects of morality that even hardened sinners in earlier periods of the Christian era would have been aghast at trespassing.

John Henry
Thursday, August 26, AD 2010 1:17pm

I am in solidarity with the sentiments of this post. ;-).

Michael Denton
Thursday, August 26, AD 2010 1:19pm

Good post, and one I shall need to think about. I would only add that while simply supporting cause x is nothing, actually praying for that cause is an action that goes beyond “proxy morality” (as you are sacrificing time on their behalf). I imagine prayer allows Christians to be more involved in many issues more than just proxy solidarity.

John Henry
Thursday, August 26, AD 2010 1:45pm

I’ll just add that sometimes there appears (to me) to be a tension between the type of mentality best suited for advancing social change and a mentality focused on the development of individual virtue. For instance, Martin Luther King Jr. was a tremendously successful advocate for his cause; but his personal life was far from exemplary, and many of his tactics (e.g. successfully targeting and goading extremists like Bull Connor into acting violently towards school children) are open to criticism.

In a media-driven culture that focuses on the sensational, a measured, nuanced, and fair critique often attracts little attention, while a ridiculous simplification can often advance (or set back) a cause a great deal. It seems to me in many cases that there is a tension between being a good person and getting things done; and that (in addition to cynicism and discouragement) is the perennial temptation for those who are committed to larger causes. “The children of this world are wiser…” and all that. Proxy morality can occasionally be effective, and still be the enemy of virtue.

Dobie Gillis
Dobie Gillis
Thursday, August 26, AD 2010 2:14pm

I know what you mean. I volunteered at a food bank this summer, and was surrounded by nothing but “progressive Democrats.” Come on, righties! Get out there and DO stuff!

T. Shaw
T. Shaw
Thursday, August 26, AD 2010 3:23pm

Dobie,

How old are you, now?

I used to watch you on TV when I was a kid, in the 1950’s?

I am gratified they’re taking time out from assisting at abortion clinics to feed people that got past the abortion factories.

restrainedradical
Thursday, August 26, AD 2010 9:30pm

Excellent post. At the same time, I wouldn’t hold it against people for doing nothing more than stating their positions. We have other responsibilities and limited resources.

Pauli
Sunday, August 29, AD 2010 2:48pm

Good post.

casting a ballot or publicly agreeing with a political stance is something that typically costs us very little at a personal level

That is true for me and for many others, but we should remember the enormous pressures which some are under. Think about the blacks who voted for McCain. That vote took a lot of guts and they were punished “at a personal level.”

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Tuesday, August 31, AD 2010 3:32pm

[…] Excellent post on proxy morality. I.e., pontificating on the hypothetical. Proxy Morality: Advocacy and ‘Solidarity’ […]

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