Social Law

766. Is social life founded in nature?

766. Is social life part of nature?

"Certainly God has made man for living in society. It is not without a purpose that God has given to man the faculty of speech and the other faculties necessary to the life of relation."

"Certainly, God made people to live in society. God gave people speech and the other abilities needed to live with others for a purpose."

767. Is absolute isolation contrary to the law of nature?

767. Is complete isolation against the law of nature?

"Yes, since man instinctively seeks society, and since all men are intended to help forward the work of progress by aiding one another."

"Yes, because people instinctively seek companionship, and all people are meant to help advance progress by helping one another."

768. Does man, in seeking society, only yield to a personal feeling, or is there, in this feeling, a wider providential end?

768. When people seek the company of others, do they simply follow a personal feeling, or does that feeling serve a broader divine purpose?

"Man must progress; he cannot do so alone, because, as he does not possess all faculties, he needs the contact of other men. In isolation he becomes brutified and etiolated."

"People must progress, but they cannot do so alone. Because they do not possess every ability, they need contact with others. In isolation, they become brutish and weakened."

No man possesses the complete range of faculties. Through social union men complete one another, and thus mutually secure their well-being and progress. It is because they need each other's help that they have been formed for living in society, and not in isolation.

No one has every ability. By living together, people complement one another and help secure each other's well-being and progress. Because people need each other's help, they are made to live in society, not in isolation.

769. We can understand that the taste for social life, as a general principle, should be founded in nature, as are all other tastes; but why should a taste for absolute isolation be regarded as blameable, if a man finds satisfaction in it?

769. We can understand that the desire for social life is generally natural, like all other desires. But why should a man be blamed for wanting complete isolation if he finds satisfaction in it?

"Such satisfaction can only be a selfish one. There are also men who find satisfaction in getting drunk; do you approve of them? A mode of life, by the adoption of which you condemn yourselves not to be useful to any one, cannot be pleasing to God."

"Such satisfaction can only be selfish. Some men also find satisfaction in getting drunk. Do you approve of them? A way of life that leaves you unable to help anyone cannot please God."

770. What is to be thought of those who live in absolute seclusion in order to escape the pernicious contact of the world?

770. What should we think of those who live in complete isolation to escape the harmful influence of the world?

"The life of such persons is doubly selfish. In avoiding one evil, they fall into another, since they forget the law of love and charity."

“The lives of such people are doubly selfish. In avoiding one evil, they fall into another because they forget the law of love and charity.”

—But if such seclusion is undergone as an expiation, through the imposing on one's self of a painful privation, is it not meritorious?

But what if someone accepts such seclusion as a way to atone, deliberately enduring painful deprivation? Is that not worthy of praise?

"The best of all expiations is to do a greater amount of good than you have done of evil."

"The best way to make amends is to do more good than the harm you have done."

771. What is to be thought of those who renounce the world in order to devote themselves to the relief of the unfortunate?

771. What should we think of those who leave the world behind to devote themselves to helping people in need?

"They raise themselves by their voluntary abasement. They have the double merit of placing themselves above material enjoyments, and of doing good by fulfilling the law of labour."

"They raise themselves up by willingly humbling themselves. They earn merit in two ways: by rising above material pleasures and doing good by fulfilling the law of work."

—And those who seek in retirement the tranquillity required for certain kinds of labour?

And what about those who seek solitude for the peace and quiet needed for certain kinds of work?

"Those who live in retirement from such a motive are not selfish; they do not separate themselves from society, since their labours are for the general good."

"Those who live in seclusion for such a reason are not selfish. They do not separate themselves from society, because their work serves the common good."

772. What is to be thought of the vow of silence prescribed by certain sects from the very earliest times?

772. What should we think of the vow of silence required by certain sects since the earliest times?

"You should rather ask yourselves whether speech is in nature, and why God has given it? God condemns the abuse, but not the use, of the faculties He has given. Silence, however, is useful; for, in silence you have fuller possession of yourself; your spirit is freer, and can then enter into more intimate communication with us; but a vow of silence is an absurdity. Those who regard the undergoing of such voluntary privations as acts of virtue are prompted, undoubtedly, by a good intention in submitting to them; but they make a mistake in so doing, because they do not sufficiently understand the true laws of God."

"You should instead ask yourselves whether speech is natural and why God has given it to you. God condemns the abuse of the abilities he has given you, but not their use. Silence, however, is useful. In silence, you have greater control over yourself. Your spirit is freer and can communicate more closely with us. But a vow of silence is absurd. Those who see such voluntary sacrifices as acts of virtue undoubtedly have good intentions. But they are mistaken because they do not sufficiently understand the true laws of God."

The vow of silence, like the vow of isolation, deprives man of the social relations which alone can furnish him with the opportunities of doing good, and of fulfilling the law of progress.

A vow of silence, like a vow of isolation, cuts people off from social relationships. Only these relationships give them opportunities to do good and fulfill the law of progress.

773. Why is it that, among the animals, parents and children forget each other, when the latter no longer need the care of the former?

773. Why do animal parents and their offspring forget each other when the offspring no longer need their parents' care?

"The life of the animals is material life, but not moral life. The tenderness of the dam for her young is prompted by the instinct of preservation in regard to the beings born of her. When these beings are able to take care of themselves, her task is done; nature asks no more of her, and she therefore abandons them in order to busy herself with those that come afterwards."

"Animals have a material life, but not a moral one. A mother's tenderness for her young comes from her instinct to preserve the lives she has brought into the world. When her young can care for themselves, her task is done. Nature asks no more of her, so she leaves them to care for those born afterward."

774. Some persons have inferred, from the abandonment of the young of animals by their parents, that the ties of family, among mankind, are merely a result of social customs, and not a law of nature; what is to be thought of this inference?

774. Animal parents abandon their young. Some people have concluded from this that human family ties result only from social customs, not a law of nature. What should we think of this conclusion?

"Man has another destiny than that of the animals; why, then, should you always be trying to assimilate him to them? There is, in man, something more than physical wants; there is the necessity of progressing. Social ties are necessary to progress; and social ties are drawn closer by family-ties. For this reason, family-ties are a law of nature. God has willed that men should learn, through them, to love one another as brothers." (205.)

"Human beings have a different destiny from animals. Why, then, do you always try to make them seem alike? Humans have more than physical needs. They also need to progress. Social ties are necessary for progress, and family ties make social ties stronger. For this reason, family ties are a law of nature. God intended people to learn through family ties to love one another as brothers." (205.)

775. What would be the effect upon society of the relaxation of family-ties?

775. What effect would weakening family ties have on society?

"A relapse into selfishness."

"A return to selfishness."