The introduction to my edition of The Tale of Genji describes the author Murasaki Shikibu’s father as a “man who was either unable or unwilling to form and preserve the patronage relationships necessary for bureaucratic advancement…”

This struck a sharp chord for me, because I tend to chose to go with the truth of a situation instead of promoting the personal will of those in a position to guarantee my livelihood. I’ve often pondered why I don’t act according to my economic self-interest. It’s not only anti-Darwinian - it seems to go against the U.S. cultural consensus and the consistent advice of all who care about me. Everyone insists “networking” and “relationships with key people” are the main path to employment and political existence, and all who shirk the social game must be inherently self-destructive or just stupid (or, in business-speak, “needs coaching in social skills“).

During the past few weeks the call for government intervention to preserve net neutrality has once more stirred up my thoughts on what creates pressure to seek patronage. Ever since 9/11 I’ve been worried about the problem of trading freedom for safety - particularly the freedom of speech. However, I’m now even more worried that if we go too far in dismantling government, individual freedom will be all but demolished by corporate interests, mafias, and roving street gangs. Individual freedom isn’t the default: it needs to be actively protected.

The freedom of the individual is being betrayed by the civic culture that now dominates the U.S. Jared Bernstein has described how YOYO economics has maximized the freedom of a few well-placed individuals at the expense of the many. On the cultural side, Robert Fuller has been arguing how rankism places relentless pressure on people to turn to patrons, fueling an epic expansion of indignity. I’ve been arguing that the New Puritans are seeking to block the marginalized from putting their opinions on record, invoking risk to potential patronage relationships. Note the underlying problem of all of this is that people are increasingly turning to the patronage system, while resistance to the patronage system leads to ostracization and homelessness.

Not since the days of corvee labor have average individuals been so powerless in society. Everyone feels dependent on a corrupt employment system. But, moreover, the nation of “nobodies” has no recourse when corporate interests infringe on their most basic civil and human rights. This might be because the powerful forces of our society are not answerable to any institution charged with protecting the rights of each and every individual. The media has become a purveyor of corporate messaging, the legal system is impossible for regular people to cope with even though most can’t afford a lawyer to do the coping for them, and the State can run roughshod over the rights of the individual now that our ostensible “representatives” don’t bother to help constituents unless a good photo op or a bribe is involved. Individual financial viability is being eroded by enormous systems of theft, from health care price gouging to corporate litigation herding into mass settlement centers. While “public interest” groups such as the ACLU seem to be protecting individuals, they actually only help people if it serves their policy agenda.

No wonder everyone feels like they are puppets forced to play out someone else’s lie. And frankly, the current Democratic emphasis on “framing” just reinforces this feeling of being squeezed into a mold of unreality. Even blogging only gives a few people a serious megaphone to stand up for their truth, and this just underscores the plight of those without a megaphone. Why should a megaphone be required? Why do we need to tarry for people in the streets (not to mention fake mobs)?

Big government can be costly and oppressive, especially when the checks and balances fail. However, if we throw out government all together, we will quickly find ourselves in a new feudal age where patronage-seeking and constant indignity are the only possible way of life.