The death of eternal truths and the new Paganism

What you want is somebody to do it for you [which is the great lure of the Utopian Socialists]. Yes, just give us all the power and your life will be wonderful. This is the biggest crock of sh*t every. How is it possible that you can't see through this?

You've got to figure it out yourself. THAT'S the answer.

 

That first sentence is bumper sticker logic.

As for the second, characterizing what is knowable does not confer a knowledge of the processes of this universe.

 

You're still making claim after claim with no evidence.

It's you who is attempting to lure people with comments so unbelievably empty.

 

Just like some slave owners were better than others, right? It's all bad [yet a minimum of it is necessary].

This is how I look at it. Either you are for freedom or against it.

Life experience. Liberals used to be really nice but they went left and that was the end of happy times. Look at the Democrat party. Now there's a bunch of happy campers. And look at your own comments.

 

I'll excuse you for not understanding the first [as almost nobody does], but your second statement is pure gibberish. What are you attempting to say?

 

We are for freedom. But, the real absolute is that we are a society. We can allow more or less freedom to individuals, but we can not change the fact that we are a society.

The acts of individuals have to be within the constraints of our society. We can discuss what those constraints should be, but there is no disputing the fact that they must exist.

You last sentence is more of your comments that you fail to support in any way.

 

You characterized what is knowable.

Then, you claim that if you buy that characterization, you understand all things - and that is just plain silly.

 

All government is bad. Let’s add that to your “concentrate on the bad” list. It is becoming quite long.

“Either you are for freedom or against it.” One thing I did not bring up about conservative psychology is their intolerance of ambiguity. Things are either black or white.

Playing the “life experience” card is pretty lame. I’ve had a lot of life experience myself, big deal. Let’s look at my comments. I criticized your negativity, I disagreed with your cynical outlook, I give credit to mankind, which overwhelmingly is good over bad. I am an optimist and look for the good in people, so I seem to be the opposite of your take on liberals. Meaning your life experiences mean little.

 

If you understand the nature of knowledge, you understand all things.

Knowledge flows, it is a continuum. You can only understand the flow, not anything specific. This is what allows you to drive at 80mph on an interstate with hundreds of other cars while making an infinite number of micro-adjustments in your speed and direction. You are able to do this because you understand the flow [of traffic]. This is how all things work.

 

Direct experience is the primary method through which we learn. It is a BIG deal.

 

Can you say anything without some snarky comment at the end?

The only people who are pro-government are those who directly benefit from it...all the parasites...politicians, lobbyists, corporations, government workers, and the tens of millions who are dependent on government for income. Seems like that's just about everybody anymore.

The federal Government should only be involved in homeland security and little else. Nearly everything else they do is a disaster. State governments shouldn't do much more than minimally regulate, and local governments can do the rest.

 

Well, I just don't see where you have given support to those claims - nor is there any possibility that you can.

The idea of infinite adjustments created by a brain is obvious nonsense. Brains aren't infinite in any dimension.

Plus, being able to drive a car is not an example of increasing our knowledge of how this universe works.

 

No, EVERYBODY is pro-government.

Government is how we guide our society toward success.

There are those who disagree with various methods of government or those who take part in that leadership, but that doesn't mean they don't want government.

 

Experience does provide learning for some and for others an opportunity to confirm their biases.

You continue with absurd simple minded statements like the only people pro-government are parasites and the federal government is a disaster, only tells me how deeply you are biased towards the negative and I am in no mood to help you dig yourself out.

 

There are good things and there are bad things. Those on the left seem to be obsessed with the bad. And their solutions are based on ideology, not practical experience. Otherwise, everybody would be leftist.

Instead, the entire world wanted to come to the U.S. in the 19th and 20th centuries because there was freedom and economic opportunity made possible by having a small government. As soon as the government began to seriously grow, the party was essentially over and we have been living on a combination of previous wealth accumulation, debt, and money counterfeiting.

BTW, best not to reply at all then to give one that I would rate a 9.5 on the lame scale.

 

How do you explain our healthcare costs?

All other countries have versions of single payer systems.

In the USA, we make healthcare a FOR PROFIT industry - all that wonderful free market capitalism!!!

So, what is the result? We pay more for healthcare than any other country in the world!

And, THAT is what the right wing DEMANDS!

 

No, a right-winger like you is “obsessed with the bad” as your very long list of the “bad” has illustrated. Are you at all self aware?

The “left’s” solutions have improved the evolution of society over time. Child labor laws, women’s rights, equal rights, civil rights, worker’s benefits, helping the elderly to die with some dignity and not in abject poverty as they did before social security, things the right reluctantly came around to agree with.
Your broad brush statements are simple minded. Take for instance “the federal Government should only be involved in homeland security and little else. Nearly everything else they do is a disaster.” Yes, let’s get rid of the FDA, EPA, FAA, OSHA, FTC, etc…..I’m sure there would be no disasters without them. You can trust your state to regulate air traffic standards, control the drug and petrochemical companies, and have a safe environment. States are much less susceptible to corruption than the federal government, aren’t they?

Your ideological delusion that “small government” increased freedom really only worked for rich white people so they could get away with whatever they wanted and leaving the rest unprotected.

 

We have a fascist health care system, a coalition between government and corporations.

We've already had this conversation. Single payer systems are better [in many ways] but are not affordable, as well. What's affordable is an acutal health care system, not a sick care one.

It works for just about everything else, why shouldn't it work for health care? And why did it up until the 60's?

Yes, it's called massive corruption.

And, THAT is what the right wing DEMANDS![/QUOTE]This is where you are dead wrong. You simply do not understand the problems. Nobody [except those who benefit directly from it [government and corporations] demand corruption.

 

I am for maximum freedom. I support whichever ideas make the most sense. Sometimes they are liberal and sometimes conservative, but most times, they are neither. At the moment, the liberal-left is coming up with completely moronic ideas that only support their ideology. Everybody is finally catching on to this.

This country worked best [on the whole] when the government was MUCH smaller]. There needs to be the least amount of regulation that will protect the interests of the common citizen but not too much will it will stifle innovation and growth. This should not be difficult to understand.

There are all kinds of bad things that happen in life, so no matter how BIG you make the nanny-state, not only can you not prevent most bad things from happening, you will make them worse. The best chance we have is in allowing individuals to do their thing...innovate and come up with market-based solutions that will reward people for doing such. This will raise the standard of living of everybody and make billions of people buy into your Holy Grail of saving the planet. After all, we wouldn't want to destroy the planet, would we?

 

Every first world country (plus a lot more) have variants of single payer healthcare systems.

They tend to cost a lot less than our own system.

I don't really disagree with your comment on "sick care", but the US population does not see the benefit.

You'll have to explain your comments on corruption.

 

And they are all significantly less wealthy than we are. Why do you think that is?

We seem to spend quite a bit more on just about everything. It's called spending other people's money.

Some do, but most are not in very good health. No profits in good health.

Either you are benefiting from the corruption, e.g., teacher's unions, or you are being fleeced by it [the vast majority].

 

??? If you want to try to connect that to our FAR MORE EXPENSIVE way of delivering healthcare, then JUST TRY.

I think you don't understand the issue here. Other countries are spending LESS than we do on healthcare and they spend much more of the total healthcare cost through their governments.

WE, on the other hand, depend on capitalism to deliver health care. And, THAT is MORE expensive.

You need to support your claim here, too.

Teaching is the lowest paid profession that requires an advanced degree. The idea that teacher's unions are fleecing anyone is just flat out laughable.

 

You don't understand capitalism. Does our health care system look like it operates on free market principles...much of it government financed and regulated and the rest rigged by insurance companies. Hardly capitalism.

 

You seem to have little cogent counterargument for my statements besides right-wing tropes. The liberal/left “moronic ideas” are backed by an ideology that supports fairness and public safety. The right seems to think the past was better without demonstrating how it was. Here’s your chance.

Also they like to go on about a smaller government would be better. What are you going to cut? Here’s your chance.

Maybe you do not understand the free market and capitalism. Capitalism says maximize profits and if you can not afford my product you can not have it. Is that how you want the health insurance companies to act doctor?

 

"Fairness and public safety" determined by who? You folks are equality of outcome supporters as well as being afraid of everything. Not the world the vast majority would like to live in.

EVERYTHING.

The system has been severely corrupted. It is now fascism and crony capitalism.

Capitalism [when left relatively alone] lowers prices. Look to the electronics industry as a good example of how capitalism should work. Or look at the incredibly low inflation rate of the last 25 years [up to the pandemic]. You have to take the bad with the good, but look at the good that has been done over the past century...billions of people pulled up from the depths of poverty. These are the folks socialists pretend to care about, right?