the gurt regrouping

[randomc]

Institutions that represent the weak are subject to the same nepotistic influences they defend against, and so constant reform, if not disintegration and rebirth, of these institutions is essential.

 

This is what the trend toward coalition in European political parties represents - a regrouping in part triggered by the collapse of aggressive Communism, but probably timely anyway.

 

The American system doesn't seem to be following this trend, so, is this a problem?

 

 

Icebreaker.

Edited April 4, 2015 by randomc

[Greg H.]

I once heard a radio dj compare the presidential election in the US to a game of pick your favorite serial murderer.

 

When none of the choices are good choices, you try and choose the option that can do the least damage.

[StringJunky]

I once heard a radio dj compare the presidential election in the US to a game of pick your favorite serial murderer.

 

When none of the choices are good choices, you try and choose the option that can do the least damage.

This is the dilemma we are in currently in the UK: shit, shit or shit.

Edited April 4, 2015 by StringJunky

[randomc]

I don't feel particularly confident expanding on this, yet...

 

What matters is outcomes, right? I mean philosophy degenerates into nihilsm in the absence of self-evidence, and that makes believers out of all of us; even mathematical axioms are defended on the basis of their good consequences. The scientific utopia of the Communists failed because we lacked knowledge, because we assumed that what we knew was enough to build a political sytem,,,

 

would it help to bring people in if i said sex reassignment is probably bordering on psychologiacla torture for political ends

Edited April 5, 2015 by randomc

[imatfaal]

I don't feel particularly confident expanding on this, yet...

 

Does seem to have stopped you so far...

 

What matters is outcomes, right?

 

Not necessarily - your suggestion would lead to decision making that is highly teleological; you could read about Utilitarianism which is the best known example. On the other hand there decision making based on rules of behaviour and moral imperatives; again you could look for Kantian deontology. Or you make choices based on what you want to be and how you believe can develop yourself best - this is Aristotean Virtue Ethics. Those are massive simplifications of course - but you get the idea that outcomes are not all that matters.

 

 

I mean philosophy degenerates into nihilsm in the absence of self-evidence, and that makes believers out of all of us; even mathematical axioms are defended on the basis of their good consequences.

 

I would claim that Nihilism normally results from the deliberate rejection of any meaning or purpose to life, from a refusal to believe in any moral or ethics foundation, or from a failure to grant validity to some other widely held concept. It is a mistake to conflate what is useful in maths to what is good elsewhere; I think mathematical axiomata are accepted as long as they are not contradictory and they are used if they are interesting.

 

would it help to bring people in if i said sex reassignment is probably bordering on psychologiacla torture for political ends

 

NO. Bearing in mind your other thread which seems to be a litany of misogyny - we now get treated to bigotry in the form of terrible judgment of the transgender community.

[randomc]

 

 

Not necessarily - your suggestion would lead to decision making that is highly teleological; you could read about Utilitarianism which is the best known example. On the other hand there decision making based on rules of behaviour and moral imperatives; again you could look for Kantian deontology. Or you make choices based on what you want to be and how you believe can develop yourself best - this isAristotean Virtue Ethics. Those are massive simplifications of course - but you get the idea that outcomes are not all that matters.

ok the assumption the we have to assume something... you have to get off the bus somewhere. context gets limited

 

 

 

I would claim that Nihilism normally results from the deliberate rejection of any meaning or purpose to life, from a refusal to believe in any moral or ethics foundation, or from a failure to grant validity to some other widely held concept. It is a mistake to conflate what is useful in maths to what is good elsewhere; I think mathematical axiomata are accepted as long as they are not contradictory and they are used if they are interesting.

 

Right enough. I have a hard time believing any moral or ethics foundations dosen't stand or fall by it's consequences. So not that dissimilar.

 

i'm buggered if i'm going to commit to defending any philosophy under these circumstances. And i have to complain that you haven't addressed my OP. And stop lawyering at me.

Edited April 6, 2015 by randomc

[Ten oz]

I think the United States is trending towards coalitions similary and in line with the EU. The concept of American exceptionalism as both an entitlement to and justification for all things is dying. As a child in grade school I was taught that the United States was the only free place on earth. I believed that Central and South American countries were dangerous places akin to the post apocyliptic sets of Mad Max movies. That the Middle East was one giant Bond movie style evil lair where dictators obsessed over destorying America. Asia was some far away place stuck in the 1800's. Europe I visioned as a neutral zone. A place were Americans could stage equipment or rest while dealing with all the mess called the rest of the world. And of course the USSR was a prison camp masquerading as a country.

 

Times have changed though. Kids today understand that the United States is part of a larger world and not the only just place in it. We see China and India as industrial competitors and and economic allies rather than 3rd world places to pity. Young Americans today best know Russia their youth's outrageous contributions to YouTube than as an iron curtain. Trends are not best seen as comparisons but rather measurements of one thing over time.

 

Whimsically written purposeful.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Ten oz

[randomc]

I think your talking about your admirable culture rather than your institutions. The culture is quickly becoming common to all of us. Whether the institutions change to represent us as we want to be represented is another story. The privelleged are unbelievably strong in your country. If you want to fight them, well maybe your an honorarary european, or maybe we're all honarary atlanteans!

 

I might be over selling this but...

 

DOWN WITH THE CARGO CULT POLITICO-FINANCIERS!

 

Ahem.

 

Socialist hymns aside, what does an institution that protects and represnts need to be? Probably 'election machine' is the bread and butter in a democracy...

To all, don't let imatfaal's lawyerism lower the tone... put your point to the OP as i made it. like ten oz -

I think the United States is trending towards coalitions similary and in line with the EU. The concept of American exceptionalism as both an entitlement to and justification for all things is dying. As a child in grade school I was taught that the United States was the only free place on earth. I believed that Central and South American countries were dangerous places akin to the post apocyliptic sets of Mad Max movies. That the Middle East was one giant Bond movie style evil lair where dictators obsessed over destorying America. Asia was some far away place stuck in the 1800's. Europe I visioned as a neutral zone. A place were Americans could stage equipment or rest while dealing with all the mess called the rest of the world. And of course the USSR was a prison camp masquerading as a country.

Times have changed though. Kids today understand that the United States is part of a larger world and not the only just place in it. We see China and India as industrial competitors and and economic allies rather than 3rd world places to pity. Young Americans today best know Russia their youth's outrageous contributions to YouTube than as an iron curtain. Trends are not best seen as comparisons but rather measurements of one thing over time.

Whimsically written purposeful.

 

There is no significant altrernative party that purports to represent the unpriveleged in the US. I'm assuming you have some sort of trade union representation.... hell, maybe your representation is so sophisticated no-one can even see it! Ha! (fuck off, your majesty)

i dunno, in some way i get the impression all is required of us is to speak when we'respoken to, although that's taken to vquite a sinister manifestation in my case.

Edited April 6, 2015 by randomc

[Willie71]

I think your talking about your admirable culture rather than your institutions. The culture is quickly becoming common to all of us. Whether the institutions change to represent us as we want to be represented is another story. The privelleged are unbelievably strong in your country. If you want to fight them, well maybe your an honorarary european, or maybe we're all honarary atlanteans!

 

I might be over selling this but...

 

DOWN WITH THE CARGO CULT POLITICO-FINANCIERS!

 

Ahem.

 

Socialist hymns aside, what does an institution that protects and represnts need to be? Probably 'election machine' is the bread and butter in a democracy...

To all, don't let imatfaal's lawyerism lower the tone... put your point to the OP as i made it. like ten oz -

 

 

There is no significant altrernative party that purports to represent the unpriveleged in the US. I'm assuming you have some sort of trade union representation.... hell, maybe your representation is so sophisticated no-one can even see it! Ha! (fuck off, your majesty)

i dunno, in some way i get the impression all is required of us is to speak when we'respoken to, although that's taken to vquite a sinister manifestation in my case.

I'm not sure what you are trying to get at here. Can you clarify, give some examples?

[iNow]

Many of his posts suffer from that same problem, but since he's now been sent away on an involuntary hiatus from the site, you shouldn't expect a response any time soon.