The full quote, "Well, every one for himself, and Providence for us all--as the elephant said when he danced among the chickens." Charles Reade, A Simpleton (1873).
Think of this quote every time you hear a politician calling for less regulation, more freedom, and that God will help those who help themselves. There is a great attraction for us as U.S. citizens toward radical individualism. We love the story of the self-made man or woman. We are drawn to the idea that each person should strive for him / her self.
But who are the people calling for deregulation, less strict environmental and safety protections? Does that person have a great advantage over the rest of us, like the elephant among chickens? Is that person the one who thinks that God will take care of us, ignoring God's call for us to care for one another? Beware of the person who promotes less regulation, and individual freedom above all other virtues.
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