http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laissez-faire
Bing Dictionary
- lais·sez-faire
- [ lè say fér ]
- principle of no regulation of industry: the principle that the economy works best if private industry is not regulated and markets are free
- refusal to interfere: refusal to interfere in other people's affairs, or the practice of letting people do as they wish
synonyms: noninterventionist · unrestrictive · permissive · freewheeling · lax · hands-off
Many words acquire connotations which distort their original meanings. This French term has its roots in capitalism. Let business run itself without government intervention and regulation. Yes, of course, there will be those who specialize in greed and corruption, but this isn't a result of the freedom of operation. It's a direct result of the sin nature of mankind. Which is precisely why the utopian communists will never find their space and peace on planet earth. Greed and corruption can be found in the governmental interventions and regulations just as easily and innumerably as in the freewheeling private industry.
But laissez-faire has expanded over the years to include a general attitude of careless, whimsical conduct, a sort of free-spirited and who cares type of individual.
Words carry those connotations into conversations, boardrooms, bedrooms, and stories. Definitions sometimes get forgotten as pseudo-meanings overtake them. Writers beware. Use words, expressions, and slang carefully to portray the attitude, emotion, and desired understanding. Foreign or domestic, words carry innuendo, subtlety, suggestion, and/or direct definition to the reader. Choose them wisely.
Father, you gave us words and you are the source of all wisdom. Please help us to ask for wisdom and then to use what you provide. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.