In The Careless Society John McKnight takes a look at the service economy in the United States and how its rise has led to the decline in community. His claim is that automation and outsourcing has resulted in fewer people producing products and more people earning a living by providing services. In order to continue to prosper, we must continue to expand the service sector of our economy. And in order to do that, people must be convinced that they would be better off using the professional services of an expert rather than relying on themselves, their family, or people in the community.
The service economy has expanded into the area of social services including marriage counseling, birth control counseling, financial counseling, legal counseling, education, child care, elderly care, and on and on. McKnight argues, “Removing the mask of love shows us the face of servicers who need income, and an economic system that needs growth. Within this framework, the client is less a person in the need than a person who is needed.”
Additionally, McKnight provides examples of where professional services may have been counter-productive and actually made problems worse. But for economic and political reasons we continue to reach for professional services to solve those problems.
“The Careless Society” reads like a doctoral thesis, it takes considerable focus and mental energy to follow. For those willing to put forth the effort, it’s an interesting look at many of the problems our society is facing.
But the real gem in this book is the last chapter titled “Christian Service.” It rocked my world by proposing a revolutionary alternative to serving others.
In this chapter, McKnight looks at the way Jesus turned the world upside down by exhorting his followers to become servants rather than lords. But then right before his death, Jesus turned the world upside down once again when he said, “No longer do I call you servants… I call you friends.”
So here is Jesus, after spending his entire ministry telling people to become servants, in his very last hours he invites his followers to an even higher calling – to become friends. McKnight writes, “Friends are people who know, care respect struggle, love justice, and have a commitment to each other through time.”
Why friends rather than servants? Perhaps it is because He knew that servants could always become lords but that friends could not. Servants are people who know the mysteries that can control those whom they give “help.” Friends are people who know each other. They are free to give and receive help.
How are you treating those around you? Are you lording over them? Are you serving them in a helpful but impersonal way? Or are you becoming a friend to those in need?
Hey Paul, great connecting with you at the blogger meetup! I’m really enjoying what you have to say, so I’ll definately be reading more. See you around blog land!
Matt, thanks for stopping by. Keep up the good work with your blog!
Sounds like a great book. I’ll have to be sure to check it out and let you know what I thought about it.
Hi Paul
Happy New Year to you! I trust you are having an enjoyable day. My name is Todd Stepp and I work for BooksChristian.com, here in Franklin, TN. We are a Christian owned & operated company that sells over 200,000 Christian products.
I have visited LiveIntentionally.org and have noticed that you post book reviews on your blog. I wanted to see if you would be interested in partnering with us, enabling visitors to your blog to purchase books that you review, as well as other books that you may suggest to them (books of the day etc.). In return we would pay you 9% on every sale made. There is very little work that would need to be done on your end, as we provide all the tools to create links and codes that you can post on your blog.
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i actually just saw your post on “Flowerdust” website and was responding to it. I just recently in 2010 dated a Minister at my church who i realize now just “preys” on single women with children! The story is long, lustful and deceitful so i will make it short! After all the freaky encounters and the phone sex we would have daily and nightly and then he would sometimes preach on the next Sunday or Wednesday and even repent after sex I also found out that he’s a Sex Offender here in Tennessee! He actually had sex with a 15 year old girl! Now he’s dated a woman at our church, then me at church, got married and divorced in a year and now he’s dating another at our church and we all have minor children!! What is really wrong with this picture?
lashonday, someone like this should not be on staff at a church. You should tell the senior pastor and church elders about this.