The public dilemma: me vs. the collective.

I was struck by a piece of news while listening to the NPR today: state and local judicial systems across the nation are confronting a shortage of jurors in the midst of tough economic times. This inevitably raises an age-old dilemma that has thinkers of different realms scratching their scalps and is confronted by ordinary citizens on a daily basis.

Most of us—barring the possibility that any readers are hardliners from the libertarian and republican schools of thought—have been indoctrinated with the concept that ‘the individual serves the collective, while the collective serves the individual’; this idea of reciprocation has long been an undisputable tenet that underlies the relationship between us and our governments and forms the fabric of our communities. We obey laws, pay taxes, and participate through voting (if democratic in any form) and other media of civic engagement, while the public sector provides us with access to basic amenities of health, welfare, and safety. Yet this usually-taken-for-granted assumption comes under siege in times of flux; when both the individual and the collective are hurting, what gives?

Despite recent news of economic recoveries, improvements have been slow to trickle down in the form of jobs. States such as California and Illinois are still seeing unemployment rates upwards of 10 percent and many of those employed have seen their benefits, hours, and salaries trimmed. Unlike most in the past, who skirted civic duties due to a mixture of ambivalence and inconvenience (sadly, I am guilty as charged), those who ask for jury responsibility postponements nowadays are handcuffed by the dwindling economic reality – taking any days off work can be costly. The fact that most courts pay a measly per-diem of twenty-two dollars or less does not help the matter.

This challenge of declining civic engagement is not only hindering the judicial system, but is also manifesting in other facets of societies. Since the financial tsunami hit in the middle of last year, the United States and elsewhere have witnessed dramatic declines in levels of volunteerism, with the popularity of taxes reaching new lows. As I have come to learn of the importance of civic participation, I typically argue that these are the kinds of times when altruistic acts of citizenry can make a difference; after all, without public involvement, the communities that we ourselves reside in would disintegrate. Yet who can deny an individual’s right to fight for his / her family’s minimal well-being?

This taxing puzzle is faced by many communities across the board and will likely remain unsolved in the foreseeable future. Governments may want to devise more palatable incentives to encourage public participation, but for the meanwhile, those who can afford the effort and time—like myself—should give a little bit extra to the sustenance of communal goods and services. That is the least we can do.

Want to waltz with these guys?