It does seem you are choosing one vague ideal over another.

It’s my observation that we are goal oriented creatures, in a cyclical and feedback driven reality, so pursuing any such goal has to take into account all the various consequences and that is close to impossible.

As I see it, we are nodes in a network and while each of us is going to react to our inputs differently, the function of a public system is to first educate succeeding generations to the fact our responsibilities to those around us is somewhat related to the rights and respect we can expect back from our community.

That we live in a culture which values individuality over community seems to result in an atomized, isolated culture, that is more easily manipulated by coercive authority and mediated by a parasitic financial system. Healthy individuals require a healthy society and that is work, on the part of everyone.

Consider that government was originally private. It was called monarchy. It failed because monarchs lost sight of the fact they served a function to society, in order to be served by it. It is a two way street.