Lesson 6: Efficiency
One of the first things that MAGA did was establish a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). That sounds like a good thing. We want to use power with little or no waste.
However, my ears go up whenever I hear the word. I think of Jacques Ellul and Ivan Illich observing everything in a technological society is reduced to one value alone, efficiency. It focuses on solving the one particular problem at hand, ignoring all else but the easiest path to what you want.
That works solving materialistic and economic problems. However, it is very limited when it comes to human relationships. By not taking into consideration the interrelatedness in the natural and social worlds it can create great damage.
That certainly was apparent when Elon Musk appeared at a conservative conference last week. As he danced on stage to applause, someone handed him m a chain saw which he brandished about. It was the perfect symbol to designate what he’s doing. A chainsaw is efficient for tearing through a large log. However, it is anything but efficient if you want to do more delicate work. It’s hard to control. It can do great harm. It is extremely dangerous if you do not know what you are doing.
All of this nits to say what I have to imagine most people understand. DOGE is attacking very complex human problems with a chainsaw. It is obviously cutting government spending but doing it by tearing up fragile human lives.
Some would argue love is too inefficient to work in politics. However, Christians call on those tackling government waste to consider the people whose jobs they are eliminating are supporting families and those whose entitlements they are removing will suffer.
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