About That Omelette

It's a simplistic slogan that masquerades as sophisticated, worldly ethical analysis. When someone is getting ready to do something nefarious or morally dubious to others (always others outside one's tribe) in pursuit of some vaguely defined system or state of social justice, or when such actions have been taken and are being defended, we are told that "to make an omelette you must break some eggs." When this was said of Stalin in the 30s, Orwell famously responded, "Yes, but where's the omelette?" In this case, the premise is granted to an extent, with the caveat that utopias aren't so easy to actualize. In which case all you are left with is a seriously deficient society plus all the nasty actions that got you there.

As I was pondering the omelette claim the other day, I wasn't thinking of Orwell. Actually, I'd forgotten all about his retort. I was thinking about the slogan's recent return to popularity on the Left and how misguided it is to base your moral code on such obviously shallow and artificial sloganeering. And I had a couple questions. First, why not skip the omelette and serve up some soft-boiled eggs with nice sides of fruits and vegetables, maybe even some hummus and tabouli like they do in the Middle East? Or, if you must have an omelette, why do you think it's okay to break someone else's eggs instead of just breaking your own?