Musical Socialism

Last night, I went to the annual awards ceremony of the jazz music program my two youngest boys are in. I won't name it here because of the title to this piece and I don't want to unnecessarily politicize the Director. I continue to take responsibility and flak for my passionate moderation seen by some on the right to be as evil as Mau-Mau Marxism.

Anyway, the Director said something interesting last night. In getting a little emotional about how much he respects his students for their talent and their basic goodness even more, he said that music education is so important because it teaches good citizenship as a lesson in civics. My ears perked up.

He explained that good musicians come to his program with great individual talent. There are even great soloists and leaders. But for his performance groups to be successful, these individuals need to be able to give their talent to the greater good of the group by learning communication skills and sharing as they learn to cooperate with each other and the group.

I know, I know, all my Libertarian Capitalist friends will say that's just as it should be because it's all voluntary unlike government forcing people to be good and take all their money for the undeserving. I think government force is all a red herring. As a 29-year federal bureaucrat I've been generally unsuccessful in making anybody do anything. Maybe I'm just inept.

But government, even in a very complex society with a myriad of laws and regulation still only functions for good if each individual with all their talents and even "rights" learns to come together voluntarily for the greater good of the group by learning communication skills and sharing as they learn to cooperate with each other and the group. After all:

governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society. D&C 134:1.

Maybe we just need more music education.