"Earned Success" and "Human Flourishing"

Meet Arthur Brooks and John Wooden

Arthur Brooks, President of the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, has just released his book, “The Battle” – “How the Fight Between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America’s Future”. He’s contributed a couple of valuable concepts worthy of shaping discussion throughout the country. And in an unusual way, his message connects very well with the ‘life-messages’ taught by John Wooden, the 99 year old retired UCLA basketball coach who passed away last Friday.

Brooks explores more deeply some of the foundational ideas behind the ‘free enterprise’ system, and exposes the fallacy of thinking a socialist system reflects greater compassion for those at the lower end of the socio-economic ladder and a more virtuous, ‘non-materialist’ perspective on life. Buy the short book to get the full picture, but what makes his contribution helpful is that he is able to convey his ideas without resort to theology and religious teaching. This may help persuade even the anti-religious to a greater appreciation for the America of the founding, along with a determination to restore it.

Brooks points out that money has never been the measure or guarantor of happiness in America; there are happy Americans living at the low end of the ladder; and there are unhappy Americans living at the very top. The better barometer of happiness is the extent to which, whatever our economic status, our personal and family life carries an intrinsic feel of “earned success”—that we’ve worked hard and well and honestly to gain whatever we have gained. Inherited wealth, lottery winnings, money gained by scam—none of it satisfies. But the feeling of having earned it ourselves, provides basic satisfaction to all of us—regardless of gender or skin color or sexual orientation, and regardless of the size of the monetary measure of what has been earned.

Brooks makes clear, however, that we can never have the chance at earned success without the right to pursue happiness, as enshrined in the America of the founding. This ‘inalienable’ right is therefore foundational to what Brooks refers to as ‘human flourishing’—to the creation of a society where the boundaries of discovery and invention are always being pushed by the aspirations of free men and women seeking earned success.

Brooks’ thinking dovetails very well with that of John Wooden, who first developed in 1934 his “Pyramid of Success”, the building blocks of character traits that lead to his definition of success: peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best that you are capable of becoming.

Even if you know nothing about sports, you will gain immeasurably by studying the wisdom of John Wooden. His record in coaching the UCLA basketball team to 10 national championships in 12 years is incomparable, but if you take the time on his website to learn a little of this man’s thinking, what stands out is his humility, grace and Christian earnestness—all of which led to ‘earned success’ and organizational ‘flourishing’ in a college sports program on a scale never equaled before or since.

Against the backdrop of Brooks and Wooden, the emptiness and even depravity of socialism is exposed. Equalizing incomes and outcomes without regard to earning either; redistributing wealth from the ‘makers’ of it to the ‘takers’ of it—these deny our individuality and dignity; they directly undermine and suppress the human capacity and desire for self-improvement and earned success (which leads to societal improvement). There ceases to be any reason to do your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming if there is nothing to be earned from doing so. Never mind financial rewards; just think of the classroom. Work hard to get an “A”, but the socialist doesn’t like unequal outcomes and insists that everyone get C’s so that nobody feels bad. Maybe nobody feels bad, but nobody feels good either—or more accurately, everyone ceases to feel anything. Apathy, dependence, cynicism and decadence necessarily follow, because there is no point in striving for success.

In truth, Brooks’ points all have their grounding in Judeo-Christian theology, and John Wooden would openly tell anyone that his thinking derived from ‘the good Book’. The open secret is that the America of the founding also derived from the good Book, and America flourishes when she adheres to the principles of her founding. Americans are waking up to that fact in record numbers. Thanks to Arthur Brooks and John Wooden for helping the wakeup cause.

Paul Gable

June 7, 2010