How is it possible that, in a world that has developed nuclear power, dippin' dots, even the nitrogen widget, we still have things like hunger and poverty. Is there really any excuse for this? What is preventing world prosperity from penetrating every corner of the world? What is preventing all counties not participating in civil war and genocide from acquiring the bare necessities? We have WIDGETS damnit!
I almost broke a home row key when I heard this today: "Need represents the individual who wants to take the money, greed represents the individual who wants to keep his or her money, and compassion is the sentiment of the politician who facilitates the transaction." (tears). An absolute perversion of the English language. This is what the income tax has done. Unless there is a large-scale awakening, it appears the poverty will continue. When will folks learn where prosperity comes from, and what allows it to overflow across the world? I believe it is a virtue too heartless in appearance to gain widespread support. It is a concept too misunderstood due to crimes of a bygone era perpetuated by those who never endured them. The true humanitarians are not good at stealing, lying, and manipulating, and seldom get elected.
Is it too contemptuous for an anarchist to accuse the collective of failure? I suppose it's the standard actually. Ha, I said it - you failed. All of you. The world still has problems because of you. You killed Kenny. Bastards! Blaming an abstract entity is pretty useless. A nation always fails unless it wins a war or something. That's because humanity always wins when left to its own devices - it's the norm. Lump us together and everyone starts feeding off everyone else. We could probably solve all the world's problems if we understood it wasn't about a country, party, or ideology wining and losing, but ourselves. But, for now, there is that warm fuzzy feeling of innocence. After all, if we're all in this together, there's no one to blame (or everyone). We are all captains of a sinking ship, standing at the wheel professing our superiority listening to Pink Floyd and watching South Park (without comprehension).
I can't accept full responsibility, but I will accept some for doing less than I can to resolve the problem. I'm probably being quite counterproductive at the moment, but there's just as much reason to hate me as any of the cockroaches who we elected. Actually, our parents and grandparents started all this - our great grandparents actually. Check out what happened in 1942 with income tax withholding (Beardsley Ruml I think) - it is the opposite of ginger cookies and milk. Then there's Social Security. They must be sweeter in their old age. (But they still vote.)
I'm not actually an anarchist, although I admit it's an attractive position - and not really as bad a thing as most people think. Still, I think the state has been up to no good for quite a while and affixed a Ron Paul bumper sticker to my truck. Someone I respect had something to say about what would happen to the peacemakers. (Unbelievable how the evangelicals have ruined the reputation of something so innocent - rrr...different blog). Back to not speaking in tongues and not brainwashing children.
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5 comments:
Mark I am not sure what you are getting at here. I will forgive you though as it is a "rant".
"Need represents the individual who wants to take the money, greed represents the individual who wants to keep his or her money, and government is the entity that facilitates the transaction."
This is horribly wrong. I say that need is a far greater threat to man then greed ever was or will be. Need is a disgrace to mankind there is no reason for need. Need implies that lack of something critical to survival, however in many cases need is used as a beard for greed. For instance you can be a single income household with no kids, not married, and earn up to 215% times the poverty line and still qualify for SCHIPS under the guise of need. This is not need this is something far more horrible. It is the expanse of government power by way of appealing to mans inner goodness. They feed you need as a way to feed their greed. In fact this is the only kind of bad greed I can think of. The greed that uses the virtue of man as a tool for extortion.
Need is a symptom of man throwing away and shunning his birth right. His ability to reason, his ability to serve himself, to take care of himself. Need comes from social policies that embrace need. Policies that state that need is to be rewarded and greed is to punished. Just look at the tax structure. How is a self-sufficient man like myself who uses far less government the one who needs, is forced to pay for much more of it? I should pay far less! It is because need is being rewarded and the lack of need, witch many considered greed is being punished. I would argue that there is no one in the US who is truly in need, even the people who are considered poor are living well. Maybe not to the standard the feel they are entitled to but the are not starving. Need is a word used for emotional blackmail, and word so vulgar I will not serve it outside of the tax burden I am forced to endure.
Greed on the other hand is a virtue. Greed is what has delivered us technology not need. Greed is what has delivered us science, not need. Greed to be better, greed to be the best, greed to make money. Greed for high living. Greed to make your life better then it is. Greed is the fuel, and our minds the motor. Without greed we would all need.
How is that for a rant!
I could have wrote this over a few less beers. I clarified it a bit (and fixed the quote).
"Don't steal. The government hates competition!" Ron Paul 2008!
And yes, excellent rant! We're on the same page. But, greed is also permitted to be used for evil when government is involved (taxes etc.).
My argument is: Greed (self-interest) is not the cause of world hunger, poverty, etc., it is the only possible solution. Unfortunately, government turns most well-intentioned bleeding hearts (who trusts it) into an agent more capable of perpetuating injustice and human suffering than could ever be possible otherwise. And it does this without the agent's knowledge, which is why it is deserving of my drunken rant.
"Greed (self-interest) is not the cause of world hunger, poverty, etc., it is the only possible solution."
I could not agree more we should cuddle :-)
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