Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is quoted infamously as saying, “There is no such thing as society.” ** And that single remark has remained the subject of heated debate, 30 years on. (Did she really say that? Did she mean it? What did she mean?)

I think there are elements of that debate here, too… since “society” and “community” invoke similar reactions…

The thing that seems difficult to address in a balanced way, in the midst of often polarising views, is that regardless of where you sit in the socio-political debate (or everyday life, for that matter) is that belonging to community is a funny mixture of a birthright and a privilege.

Most of us are all for opportunity, and don’t like to see exclusion.

And yet in our desire for freedom of opportunity, we don’t manage to speak in measured tones of the responsibility to contribute. Contribution hasn’t been a vote-winner since I don’t know when. (Even that famous JFK speech about asking what you can do for your country was made *after* he was elected!)

Shame we’ve lost the habit of fair value exchange, so that these debates have to come up in the first place.

But I guess that’s part of the human condition. We just don’t have to support those aspects that don’t serve.

** Side note:

Thatcher’s supporters say that the quote was taken wildly out of of context, that she was actually addressing a tendency for some people to blame their habits and situations on general conditions in society.

On the other hand, this quote is also seen by many others as legitimising what became a rampant rise in “me first” materialist values in the 80′s (a la Gordon Gecko’s “Greed is good…” mantra).

Not surprisingly, the Global Financial Crisis (and I’m sure there are other more interesting versions of GFC) and shocking crimes (e.g. Columbine) bring out calls for a return to community values and behaviours. And about time too, say many.

@ Kathy – Oh, now that’s an interesting application, eh? I’ve had a few of those, as well. They come off looking like joint venture kind of things and apparently the joints at work are all mine. Um, no.

@ Mr. Lich – Well, I think it’s more in the online world than the offline one. People wouldn’t walk up to you on the street and ask you, y’know? But yeah. It’s becoming prevalent throughout the ‘net.

I have a related situation in my IT consulting business. Pleas from prospects to lower fees because of all the referrals I’m going to get from said prospect. Don’t have any contact information or introductions…but nifty promises of incoming business just as soon as we work cheap and “do a great job” of making their business better.
.-= Kathy Herrmann´s last blog ..Online Strategy Divas Talk Biz =-.

“Many of these people have a self-assured attitude, too. They really think they have the right to ask for free goods. They feel they deserve it. They’re shocked when I decline. They’re hurt and dismayed. They’re disappointed.”

Unfortunately, the sense of entitlement (especially here in the US) seems to be growing all the time. It’s already at levels that sadden me, and it just seems to be increasing. I really hope that pendulum swings soon.