Topic: I Hate The Government (Read 1693 times)

McDohl · « **on:** January 26, 2011, 02:40:32 AM »

A bit of a misnomer, but sure to draw some eyes.

More specifically, I'm tired of the political powerplay garbage that is going on in today's world. Office-holders aren't chosen by the people, but by corporations that candidates cozy up to. So bloody annoying.

I think I said it best to Constantine last night:

"It's like more than 500 people trying to play a single game of chess."

Pacobird · « **Reply #1 on:** January 26, 2011, 02:59:40 AM »

45 years ago, the military industrial complex murdered the president and got away with it, despite such subtleties as killing the immediately-identified-and-completely-scapegoated assassin the very next day in broad daylight in front of a room full of cops and reporters

Royal☭ · « **Reply #2 on:** January 26, 2011, 04:28:16 AM »

Was the military upset that JFK wasn't escalating Vietnam fast enough?

A² · « **Reply #3 on:** January 26, 2011, 04:31:59 AM »

This looks like it'll be a quality thread.

Pacobird · « **Reply #4 on:** January 26, 2011, 04:41:05 AM »

bros my point is the government has never really been THAT awesome*

i mean, do you really think shit magically started rolling downhill and our elected officials became more grasping and corrupt AFTER watergate

*except teddy roosevelt

that guy fucking ruled

Bal · « **Reply #5 on:** January 26, 2011, 05:33:36 AM »

Teddy Roosevelt wasn't corrupt only because he was a benign dictator who had no idea what the extent of his authority actually was.

Pacobird · « **Reply #6 on:** January 26, 2011, 06:06:47 AM »

my point is not that teddy roosevelt is not corrupt

really, anybody who is looking for a political system pretty much anywhere at any time that wasn't corrupt is going to have to ignore a lot or just look at systems we don't know much about (assyrians: corrupt??????)

my point is that teddy roosevelt was awesome

the guy decided he was going to end the russo-japanese war by taking dudes on safari

and it worked

Bal · « **Reply #7 on:** January 26, 2011, 06:16:37 AM »

Don't worry, I think he was rad too. He also made a fleet of ships to sail around the world and show everyone how big our collective dicks were. That also worked.

Pacobird · « **Reply #8 on:** January 26, 2011, 06:34:14 AM »

What do you expect from a man whose lasting contribution to political soundbite history is an explicitly phallic metaphor?

Catloaf · « **Reply #9 on:** January 26, 2011, 06:42:07 AM »

This seems like a good place to reiterate my hatred for the supreme court ruling that corporations are people too. Or the one that says spending money is a form of speech. Or that said George W. Bush won the presidency!

Norondor · « **Reply #10 on:** January 26, 2011, 05:08:10 PM »

once upon a time blacks were 2/5 of a person and japanese couldn't own land

the arc of the moral universe is long, but bends toward justice

(it will just never, ever bend fast enough for me)

Mongrel · « **Reply #11 on:** January 26, 2011, 08:48:12 PM »

Quote from: Norondor on January 26, 2011, 05:08:10 PM

but bends toward justice

No, not really.

Büge · « **Reply #12 on:** January 27, 2011, 01:19:19 AM »

'Belief' as according to Death

Pacobird · « **Reply #13 on:** January 27, 2011, 04:12:58 AM »

Quote from: Mongrel on January 26, 2011, 08:48:12 PM

Quote from: Norondor on January 26, 2011, 05:08:10 PM
but bends toward justice

No, not really.

How about this, then: the arc of civilization bends towards the creation of wealth through technology and innovation, and while that wealth may be distributed in shockingly unequal ways, enough of it goes to society's victims that they may more effectively challenge their victimhood. These challenges do not always produce results and in fact usually do not, but do often enough to be worth considering.

Zaratustra · « **Reply #14 on:** January 27, 2011, 05:04:57 AM »

more technology leads to more dissemination of information, which leads to more manners in which the mistreated may somehow improve their situation - through professionalization, gathering together, rebeling, etc

in this view a proper civilization is one in which each institution provides means to overcome the unfairness of other institutions

Mongrel · « **Reply #15 on:** January 27, 2011, 07:30:16 AM »

I could agree with all three of those, though my preference is for Pratchett.

I just think the pendulum swings one way and then it swings another. Obviously history has demonstrated that a rising tide has lifted all boats materially, but the jury's still out on whether or not we're really better off for our material success.

Pacobird · « **Reply #16 on:** January 27, 2011, 08:11:28 AM »

Man, if we aren't, I sure ate a lot of brussel sprouts out of respect for starving African children for nothing!

Mongrel · « **Reply #17 on:** January 27, 2011, 10:29:06 AM »

Perhaps a better way to phrase my particular brand of cynicism is to say that I harbour the dark suspicion that the species has unknowingly Peter-Principle'd itself.

Mongrel · « **Reply #18 on:** January 27, 2011, 09:16:16 PM »

Well, this Bernie Sanders fellow doesn't seem too bad so far

Thad · « **Reply #19 on:** January 28, 2011, 01:26:21 AM »

The only ACTUAL socialist in Congress.

News:

Author Topic: I Hate The Government (Read 1693 times)