Opus 2011-88, Hanson on Sowell

I was listening to a podcast by Victor Davis Hanson downloaded from the Young America’s Foundation.  It was dated 12/19/2009 and titled “Obama’s Brave New World.”  He brought up a concept I have already shared when I was talking about the writing of Thomas Sowell.  Both men were giving secular approaches to the Christian belief that men are born in sin and that sin is the major cause of problems in the world.

Thomas Sowell talks about the Constrained Vision and the Unconstrained Vision.  The Constrained Vision sees man as the problem and believes that one role of society is to “constrain” him.  Thus we have checks and balances in our Constitution to keep tyrants in check.  The Unconstrained Vision sees man as an innocent victim of society.  Man is held down by religion and family.  If “unconstrained” human beings would build a paradise.

Hanson came up with similar thoughts but his were from the Greek civilization and literature.  He calls them Tragic and Therapeutic.  Tragedy sees man as flawed and needing the guidance of social pressure, religion and family.  The Therapeutic approach sees man as the victim and needing understanding. 

I find it interesting that the Christian doctrine of original sin is understood and expressed by so many people who would never endorse it.

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