tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post7314922957198562657..comments2024-03-18T21:52:45.757-07:00Comments on CONTRARY BRIN: Science Fiction and FreedomDavid Brinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-39544111764938007872016-02-26T08:41:05.220-08:002016-02-26T08:41:05.220-08:00This is a mischaracterization of Julius Ceaser who...This is a mischaracterization of Julius Ceaser who actually was a liberal of his day. The Roman Senate at the time was dominated by a faction (the boni) of arch-conservatives.<br />Another way to look at Ceaser's exploits in Gaul was he imposed civilization and Roman law on a tribal culture.baalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08867574754980403172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-34296741663989306702016-02-24T11:59:00.100-08:002016-02-24T11:59:00.100-08:00Some here mentioned Julius Caesar.
Julius Caesar w...Some here mentioned Julius Caesar.<br />Julius Caesar was a genocide with total absence of empathy. And certainly this man had the idea of seeking the total happiness of all roma, bypassing the plutocracy. Happiness built on the ashes of millions of "barbarian" peoples.<br />And probably he would have succeeded in launching César roma all a benevolent dictatorship (which I do not approve) But Cesar had an ego bigger than me. He was entrusted; and it was destroyed. He believed that the plutocracy does not dare to play dirty against him. "Because he was Caesar." Behold l danger to really honest politicians today. If you assume that the plutocrats will play always clean .... Well, I do not think so. Did not Jesus of Nazareth said: "Be as shrewd white doves, but as serpents" (biblical allusion unwilling to discuss the existence of God)<br />So I hope that honest politicians have good tricks up his sleeve, because the plutocrats have many tricks up his sleeve.<br />And, as I mentioned before, the best trick of the plutocrats is altering election results used in counting votes a 'software style: "The Manchurian Candidate". Something that some say it's a trick that Republicans often used.<br />How can democracy survive such a powerful trick? A perfect magic trick. And maintaining the overall appearance of a perfect democracy. And I ask the righteous! Freemen of America !: What trick have up their sleeves to counter this problem? ... Upsss, sorry. I just saw the movie "Braveheart" and I was thrilled. je; je. Je.<br />I apologize for the poor translation. I do not speak English.Winter7https://www.blogger.com/profile/16829856315044551289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-40757679370480604322016-02-24T11:56:43.281-08:002016-02-24T11:56:43.281-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Winter7https://www.blogger.com/profile/16829856315044551289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-4749225029094062562016-02-23T15:21:19.823-08:002016-02-23T15:21:19.823-08:00onward
onwardonward<br /><br />onwardDavid Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-78114183467158596082016-02-23T14:48:08.827-08:002016-02-23T14:48:08.827-08:00@David - "donzeel did you see my STAR WARS ON...@David - "donzeel did you see my STAR WARS ON TRIAL riff on how the key metaphorical diff between SWars and STrek is the concept of the SHIP?"<br /><br />Not yet, but I shall (and shall move onward to). But I'm liking the notion that 'ships' of SciFi are America's allegorical navy - a vitamin C for a landlocked nation striving to explore cooperation. I like that Kirk comes from Iowa (the most 'democratic' of our Midwest states). And will miss this thread. donzelionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05991849781932619746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-8729912841724153672016-02-23T14:31:14.397-08:002016-02-23T14:31:14.397-08:00onward
onward<br /><br />David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-85115087031914394282016-02-23T14:31:06.544-08:002016-02-23T14:31:06.544-08:00locumranch:
And, wouldn't you know it? All Wo...locumranch:<br /><i><br />And, wouldn't you know it? All Women, as well as any & all Formally-Designated Victims, are immune from criticism under Politically-Correct Doctrine.<br /></i><br /><br />So Madeline Albright didn't get criticized? Or Hilary for that matter? Carly Fiorina?<br /><br />You might want to move here to Earth-1. It doesn't seem to be as bad a place to live as your planet is.LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-35452002767409837872016-02-23T14:31:02.953-08:002016-02-23T14:31:02.953-08:00That there are cases and anecdotes and even tragic...That there are cases and anecdotes and even tragic examples of all those things, I do not dispute. Case by case, such injustices merit attention... as do case by case examples of climate scientists misbehaving.<br /><br />But to do as the hysterics have done - extrapolate and exaggerate PC bullying anecdotes into some kind of major, consistent and society wide persecution of white males? That is just plain silly. The chief differences between PC bullies and their enemies are these:<br /><br />1-Their enemies are vastly bigger, stronger and more entrenched, with white males still tremendously advantaged. (Though perhaps not in specific cases where PC bullying dominates, e.g. in some college campuses and sci fi awards). PCBs simply do not represent the vast majority of liberals. Their political power on the grand stage is nil.<br /><br />2- The DIRECTION that PC warriors want us to go... toward greater opportunity for previously excluded castes... is the right direction. Many of the PCBs may personally be jerks. But the trends they support are the right trends, in sharp contrast to the confederate hate-fests egged first by Fox, then Trump. <br /><br />3- There is an inherent end game. As girls and minorities grow up feeling more empowered, they will, over time, become BORED by PCBs. This is already happening. My Karate black belt daughter does not feel limited, nor does she see any reason to make having a woman president her top political priority. Albright and Steinem are old farts and do not understand. <br /><br />In contrast, confed xenophopic hate fests have no inherent limit. No limit at all. We saw where all that can lead, in my parents' time.<br /><br />What saddens me is that so few are willing to nuance this, as I am doing. Without any doubt the worst PCBs are jerks!!! I will openly say so and we should work to reduce some of their specific excesses. But that is done by reducing our current acrimonious politics. And one side has done most of the hate-feeding. It must either back off or lose... lose bigtime...<br /><br />dbDavid Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-50601804474109931782016-02-23T14:28:35.907-08:002016-02-23T14:28:35.907-08:00Tony Fisk:
Looks like the Republicans have decide...Tony Fisk:<br /><i><br />Looks like the Republicans have decided to drum their heels and hold their breath over Supreme Court nominees until Jan 20 next year.<br /></i><br /><br />No surprise, but I wonder if they really think the next president will be a Republican. Or if they think they'll hold more Senate seats than they do now. This may come back to bite them, as in 1998 when they delayed Clinton's impeachment trial until after the elections, when they thought they'd <b>increase</b> their congressional seats. Didn't work out that way.<br /><br />I'm actually fine (for now) with a 4-4 tie on the cases they were set to ram down our throats this session. The dynamic will become interesting if another one dies. If the next to go is Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it will be quite a different thing from if it is Clarence Thomas.LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-45917617926765084962016-02-23T14:23:11.505-08:002016-02-23T14:23:11.505-08:00locumranch:
Those who equate Political Correctnes...locumranch:<br /><i><br />Those who equate Political Correctness with mere 'Politeness' are being disingenuous: Political Correctness is Weaponised Politieness, deliberately designed to silence, shame & marginalise a designated masculine Whipping Boy in the pursuit of mostly feminine advantage, under the equalist pretense of Minority Reparations...<br /></i><br /><br />If you had stopped with "silence, shame, & marginalize", you'd have had a stronger case. By making it <b>all</b> about feminists, your bias is showing. What I hear is, "Someone has to get special privileges, and it's supposed to be my group. Other groups aren't supposed to be able to do unto me as I've done unto them."<br /><br />To the point I would have conceded to a shorter sentence--you have a point about Political Correctness itself, or at least to what you <b>perceive</b> as Political Correctness. However, those who make a point of "not being politically correct" generally do follow up with a rant which is really avoiding politeness. See Donald Trump for a blatant example.LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-47256206688607275432016-02-23T14:07:54.354-08:002016-02-23T14:07:54.354-08:00Those who equate Political Correctness with mere &...<br /><br />Those who equate Political Correctness with mere 'Politeness' are being disingenuous: Political Correctness is Weaponised Politieness, deliberately designed to silence, shame & marginalise a designated masculine Whipping Boy in the pursuit of mostly feminine advantage, under the equalist pretense of Minority Reparations, despite the fact that the so-called Oppressed Female Minority is in actuality the de facto 53% Gendered Majority in the Enlightened West.<br /><br />All Men suffer under this yoke called 'Political Correctness', irrespective of racial, religious & ethnic divisions (although, most certainly, it can be said that 'Men of Colour' suffer *more*) as Equal Opportunity & Title IX-style programs provide disproportional benefit to the Female Majority by labelling All Males as potential Rapists, Oppressors & Abusers and All Women as Victims.<br /><br />And, wouldn't you know it? All Women, as well as any & all Formally-Designated Victims, are immune from criticism under Politically-Correct Doctrine.<br /><br /><br />Bestlocumranchnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-85323995035044006392016-02-23T13:39:01.495-08:002016-02-23T13:39:01.495-08:00Looks like the Republicans have decided to drum th...Looks like the Republicans have decided to drum their heels and hold their breath over Supreme Court nominees until Jan 20 next year.<br /><br />('..protecting the will of the people' *my* speckled behind)Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-18096499984858885292016-02-23T12:55:03.088-08:002016-02-23T12:55:03.088-08:00A.F. Rey,
I'm not petty enough to want to tak...A.F. Rey,<br /><br />I'm not petty enough to want to take something away from others for no other reason than that I don't have it. There may be other reasons (not in this case), but not that one.<br /><br />As it happens, it wasn't even the worst treatment I've received at an institution of higher education. Contemplate that for a second. Those are other unpleasant stories. But it was a bit of a nail in the coffin.<br /><br />Dr. Brin,<br /><br />I didn't say you said that (because you didn't). In fact, I said that I couldn't say it either. But neither is being a WM a guarantee, either (as some would have it).<br /><br />Maybe it's a bit idealistic, but I'd rather not have swinging pendulums, nor do I think they're inherently necessary. If there's a problem fix it, certainly, but I don't like unfairness in any direction.<br />raitonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-4406425899490442222016-02-23T11:19:26.737-08:002016-02-23T11:19:26.737-08:00donzeel did you see my STAR WARS ON TRIAL riff on ...donzeel did you see my STAR WARS ON TRIAL riff on how the key metaphorical diff between SWars and STrek is the concept of the SHIP? In SW it is aWWI fighter plane, the knight’s charger, accompanied at most by a loyal squire/droid/gunner.<br /><br />In ST it is a Naval vessel like the Beagle of Capt Cook’s ship – a mélange of many imperatives and many skilled crew including scientists. No demigods, just way above average people, working together.<br /><br />Raito I never said there’s no discrimination vs WMs. Only that in the grand context it is dumb to call that as life-limiting a problem as it still is to be female or colored. Specific torts? Sure. GENERAL whining? Nope.<br /><br />Paul read the Secession declarations of S.Carolina etc in 1861. Their core complaints included the fact that northern states allowed abolitionist newspapers to continue publishing. Un-be-freaking-leavable.<br />David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-76887621048871183662016-02-23T10:59:06.512-08:002016-02-23T10:59:06.512-08:00And belatedly, because I'm a bitch:
Fail Burt...And belatedly, because I'm a bitch:<br /><br />Fail Burton,<br /><i>"I have not made assumptions as to the motives of anyone here which are by an amazing coincidence 100% miserable. I have not mind-read anyone and put the results in scare quotes then deemed them pathetic or falsely claimed to know their origins, whatever the hell that means. I have not accused anyone of serial madness, anger or a persecution complex. I have not made false claims of any commenter which are outright lies. I have not bizarrely asked for "evidence" after someone used actual quotes."</i><br /><br /><a href="http://wondermark.com/1k62/" rel="nofollow">http://wondermark.com/1k62/</a><br /><br /><i>"I will not be back."</i><br /><br />And will no doubt use it as an example of "being silenced by politically-correct/lefty/lesbian/something something apologists". An example of the "banhammer" that he spoke of in his first spurt. He was silenced...<br /><br />...<i>because people disagreed with him.</i><br /><br />It's the common confusion of "I have a right to my opinion" with free-speech. You may not criticise my views, because I have a right to my opinion. <i><b>You</b></i> may not speak, because <i><b>I</b></i> want to speak without being criticised. The very same thing we despise about the shrill Left.<br /><br />Locumranch, quoting Voltaire: <i>"To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize"</i><br /><br />And see the commenter equating calls for tax increases on the extreme wealthy to "lynching" the rich. Because increasing taxes is the same as murdering black people in the '60s for trying to vote. Or note that FB's first post ranted about suppression of free speech, while criticising the existence of books he didn't like, and the actions of those who did like those books from being allowed to give awards.<br /><br />Or watch/read any Fox/News-Corp opinion piece about supposed "political correctness" by teh liberals, and see that 90% of the time it's really anger at being criticised. A Twitter hashtag somehow suppressing the free speech of a paid commentator at an $800 billion global media empire.<br /><br />As others have noted, those who rail the most against "political correctness" are not railing against the concept of controlling the behaviour of others, but merely over no longer being the group in control.<br /><br />For eg, the Sad Puppies and their splinters didn't rebel against the nominees for the Nebula Awards by setting up their own SF Awards, they rebelled against the very idea that someone else was allowed to like something they didn't. Because "freedom".Paul451https://www.blogger.com/profile/12119086761190994938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-23843977764137278532016-02-23T10:58:25.113-08:002016-02-23T10:58:25.113-08:00Belatedly, because I thought it was an interesting...Belatedly, because I thought it was an interesting irony:<br /><br />Fail Burton,<br /><i>"the same way no sport could survive if the players truly believed the rules were stacked or arbitrary."</i><br /><br />Except the rules of any sport <i>are</i> arbitrary, and usually are very deliberately stacked to make the sport more entertaining for fans, safer for the players .... or <i>fairer for teams with less resources</i>.<br /><br />Any sport with salary caps or a reverse-order draft system(*) has it because they wanted to prevent their sport from being dominated by one or two well-funded teams who can buy up all the talent. Why? They know that that is unsustainable.<br /><br />* (where low placed teams get the first pick of next season's best recruits, high placing teams get latter choices)<br /><br />Likewise, most sports give the primary saleable rights for the sport to the league itself, so that it's self-funding (in lieu of "taxing" team and player income).<br /><br />Successful sports have "taxes" and regulations, aimed at levelling the playing field (heh) and preventing distortion of the market by a wealthy few.<br /><br />In other words, the very example FB chose to use to rail against progressivism/feminism/etc is actually an example of why such measures are necessary, <i>and emerge repeatedly in successful systems</i>, even ones run entirely as a for-profit business.Paul451https://www.blogger.com/profile/12119086761190994938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-50407451834881809332016-02-23T10:57:59.225-08:002016-02-23T10:57:59.225-08:00Robert,
Re: Laser-sails.
"While they talk abo...Robert,<br />Re: Laser-sails.<br /><i>"While they talk about using it to send people to Mars in three days, I can think of a far better use for this technology: sending probes to the outer planets"</i><br /><br />Further. <br /><br />We can at least reach the outer planets, with Pluto being the current limit of out capability of sending a probe in a reasonable time, but we physically lack the ability to get a probe out to one of the KBO/SDOs within a single researcher's career or out to the sun's gravitational focal minimum within a lifetime.<br /><br />But Mars in 3 days means 600AU in less than 3 years, <i>even if</i> the laser-propulsion doesn't continue to work beyond Mars.<br /><br />None-the-less, laser-sails aren't exactly a new concept, so I'm not really sure what the "news" was.<br /><br />Laurent Weppe:<br /><i>"My personal pet-theory is that feudalism vs democracy is the result of the opposition of two conflicting aspects hardwired in most Humans' psyches: Most humans are both instinctively repulsed by injustice, and conflict-averse: feudalism appears when parasitic bullies take advantage of the second instinct, and maintain itself so long as the anger produced by injustice remains weaker than the innate aversion to strife. But since aristocrats seldom are self-limiting parasites, the abuses and corruption keep increasing until anger overrides conflict-aversion"</i><br /><br />Yeah. That's why one of the most successful tactics for the corrupt lords is to deflect the blame to an out-group. It's safer and easier to kick-down than kick up, to attack those who actually have less power.<br /><br />Hence if a blue collar worker notices that the GDP rises but wages are stagnant, and starts to ask where the extra money is bleeding out of the system, he is directed to "welfare cheats", "entitlements", the dependant-class, etc, to distract him from those who have actually corruptly increased their wealth while society as a whole stagnated.Paul451https://www.blogger.com/profile/12119086761190994938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-32889771643037152022016-02-23T08:23:53.051-08:002016-02-23T08:23:53.051-08:00'I was discriminated against because I was a w...<i> 'I was discriminated against because I was a white male.' Fortunately, the person delivering the message wasn't politically correct about it. I was told 2 things. The first was that because I was a white male who had supported myself for a decade I was not eligible for any significant student aid (this was in the days before you could indenture yourself for decades to the banks). The second was that had I been a woman, disabled, or a minority, I would have been. Apparently my failure was not having been a good enough example of the stereotype of a well-off white male.</i><br /><br />I'm curious, ratio, what your reaction to this obvious injustice was.<br /><br />Was it, "Since I am being discriminated against, we should take away this program from everyone?" Or was it, "Since I am being discriminated against, we should offer this program to everyone?"<br /><br />I think this illustrates a major difference between Republicans and Democrats today.A.F. Reynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-61416243284699110642016-02-23T07:50:14.092-08:002016-02-23T07:50:14.092-08:00I may not be able to concoct that phrase, but I ca...I may not be able to concoct that phrase, but I can certainly concoct another. 'I was discriminated against because I was a white male.' Fortunately, the person delivering the message wasn't politically correct about it. I was told 2 things. The first was that because I was a white male who had supported myself for a decade I was not eligible for any significant student aid (this was in the days before you could indenture yourself for decades to the banks). The second was that had I been a woman, disabled, or a minority, I would have been. Apparently my failure was not having been a good enough example of the stereotype of a well-off white male. I'll also note that this was in response to a call from the college asking why I hadn't registered for classes (it was because I'd run out of money). Naturally, when I pointed out that the credits transferred from the tech school meant that I half the classes I was required to take did not advance me toward graduation, and could I go part time, the answer was no. In the same conversation where I was told that the college of engineering didn't like it when people managed to get in the program and then drop out. Didn't help that my roommate was able to go part time. He worked at the local utility that donated millions each year. So it happens. It's wrong when you're discriminated against. It's wrong when I'm discriminated against. So we work on that.<br /><br />But I digress...<br /><br />The whole political correctness thing reminds me of The Languages Of Pao. Except that the current incarnation of PC amounts to people saying, "You said something I don't like. That makes you evil and you should suffer." It's gone well beyond being asking for manners when it's used as a weapon.raitonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-49877814291994671302016-02-23T07:43:56.256-08:002016-02-23T07:43:56.256-08:00Off on a tangent for a moment - chalk up another o...Off on a tangent for a moment - chalk up another one, Dr. Brin, to predictions from "Existence" <br /><br /><a href="http://www.sciencealert.com/nasa-scientists-are-investigating-a-propulsion-system-that-could-reach-mars-in-3-days" rel="nofollow">Specifically, the use of lasers as propulsion</a> much like the Crystal Observatories.<br /><br />While they talk about using it to send people to Mars in three days, I can think of a far better use for this technology: sending probes to the outer planets to start more in-depth investigations of our outer solar system. After all, if it took just three days to get a spacecraft to Mars (probably with fuel to help stop the craft and then to send a smaller craft back to Earth), then what about a space probe to head to Uranus or Neptune? Or even Pluto again... getting an orbiter to Pluto in a fraction of the time otherwise needed?<br /><br />Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-9170172801682915822016-02-23T06:18:53.525-08:002016-02-23T06:18:53.525-08:00donzelion, thanks for the link, that was stated el... donzelion, thanks for the link, that was stated elegantly. I'll add a paraphrase "Cut slack for others as you would have it cut for yourself.".Tim H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-63471925242376068022016-02-23T05:08:35.628-08:002016-02-23T05:08:35.628-08:00#DavidBrin/Annabelle - Annabelle is on to somethin...#DavidBrin/Annabelle - Annabelle is on to something interesting with her "spiral towards democracy' and her nod toward pirates, even if David's point on the historical primacy of feudalism can't really be questioned.<br /><br />First though, rather than pirates per se (or Vikings, a step up), try navies as a whole. America is a land power that has a navy, but our navy does not define us. Except in SciFi...where the ships of old are converted into metaphors to explore notions otherwise obscured to our 'landed' orientation. Navies are inherently 'democratizing influences' in a way that armies cannot be. <br /><br />(1) Romans could decimate an errant legion, but a captain must maintain discipline on his ship without such harsh measures. Loss of 10% of the crew threatens the viability of the entire vessel - not so with a legion. An army captain can be as cruel as he pleases, limited only by the power backing him; if he miscalculates, he can flee to his superiors. Cruel captains confront mutiny at sea; miscalculate, and you better be a good swimmer.<br /><br />(2) If an army captain disobeys his general and orders his troops to flee the field, other captains or the general can impose maximum punishment. When a navy captain disobeys his admiral, he has the option of becoming a pirate. Obedience among officers at sea requires a deep context and some token of respect - a nuanced treatment since each captain is an 'equal' but also 'not equal.' Obedience on land requires mere power.<br /><br />(3) Prominent families will seek glory by foisting their sons into officer cadres, but they do so most often into the army, rather than the navy. Why? If the son in question is a halfwit and becomes a navy officer, SOMEONE has to know how to steer the boat. <br /><br />SciFi and Freedom raise this in a new context, particularly in America, where we have never had the same naval identity Brits or Vikings did. Our first mythology was the Western hero, a libertarian champion. But SciFi offers us many "ship captains," a more 'democratic' ideal when they remind us <br /><br />(1) All lives are necessary - no person is a disposable commodity<br />(2) Leaders must respect one another to function effectively, and <br />(3) Merit and experience should trump privilege.<br /><br />donzelionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05991849781932619746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-70282972179588088552016-02-23T04:27:55.766-08:002016-02-23T04:27:55.766-08:00Laurent Weppe:
My personal pet-theory is that feu...Laurent Weppe:<br /><i><br />My personal pet-theory is that feudalism vs democracy is the result of the opposition of two conflicting aspects hardwired in most Humans' psyches:<br />Most humans are both instinctively repulsed by injustice, and conflict-averse: feudalism appears when parasitic bullies take advantage of the second instinct, and maintain itself so long as the anger produced by injustice remains weaker than the innate aversion to strife. But since aristocrats seldom are self-limiting parasites, the abuses and corruption keep increasing until anger overrides conflict-aversion<br /></i><br /><br />Going off on a tangent here, but <b>this</b> is exactly the sort of thing I always imagined Hari Seldon's laws of psychohistory to be able to model and predict.LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-63867431457603335392016-02-23T04:27:40.279-08:002016-02-23T04:27:40.279-08:00Oy.
Caesar, Caesar, Caesar, Caesar, Caesar. That&...Oy.<br /><br />Caesar, Caesar, Caesar, Caesar, Caesar. That's all people want to talk about. Such an effective self-promoter, it's still working today. I don't know who this "you" is that donzelion wants to talk about. The cut-and-thrust of individual politicians in the midst of the collapse certainly makes for good spectator sport and the grist for endless dramas. It fascinated the nobility for centuries as it gave great education on how to manipulate and dominate. But absolutely NONE of it would have been possible a century prior, when the Roman Constitution still functioned. Ranks mattered there, but only in how to slot you into peer-groups where you would have to account for more than your broad acres. Once individuals mattered for what they controlled, rather than how they governed or spoke or supported policy, the Republic was already more than half dead.<br /><br />To wit: Laurent, I was not talking about Gaius Julius. The rot was setting in when that master opportunist was playing hooky in the streets. The optimate general in question was Lucius Cornelius Sulla. The first to use mass force against the State in the interest of the optimates... though not the first to use force at all; that taboo had been broken over forty years before. (Sulla killed many of Gaius' mentors, but figured at 17 he was too small fry to bother. Oops.)<br /><br />I certainly would not say that the populares are lily-white in the long view of history, either. Tiberius Gracchus' innovation of impeachment and recall merely for use of veto power was a bad move, and as things got increasingly desperate, the populares resorted to (using modern terms) breaking traditional term limits... manipulating what elections remained after Sulla's slaughter... and yes, ultimately advancing the Caesars to a point where they totally overthrew the corrupt, inflexible, unresponsive system. This may well have been in the interest of the electorate of the time, but ultimately destroyed freedom in Rome.<br /><br />And I wouldn't say that they would have had an easy time finding the right balance, either. This was pretty much unexplored political territory at the time; no city-state had ever had such power before while still retaining a republican constitution. <br /><br />Another serious factor in the decline of the Republic, for example, was how politicians of both parties could enrich themselves enormously in the provinces without taxation (since they themselves controlled tax policy outside core Roman territory). There should not have been political advantage in 'donating' monies to the public fisc which had been procured by the Poor Bloody Infantry. Marius (107 BC) saw the landless-soldier problem and instituted land-grants to veterans, especially those previously landless -- but left the demob/grant program to be run BY THE GENERALS, which turned the legions into mobile and armed versions of the same corruption as the provinces.<br /><br />Again and again -- the power of private individuals to procure wealth and power outstripped the government's power to channel wealth and power in the public interest. Once ANY politician could amass personal power, ALL the politicians acted to amass personal power -- those who did not were overwhelmed by those who did not. Populares also could arouse mobs to support them, which optimates could not; this is why a populares family ultimately came out on top. But the lessons should not be learned by who ultimately took the Prize, but rather how it came to be that There Could Be Only One. Catfish N. Codnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-32053963703235015102016-02-23T04:26:08.243-08:002016-02-23T04:26:08.243-08:00Laurent Weppe:
"Political correctness can be...Laurent Weppe:<br /><i><br />"Political correctness can be a PITA at the extremes, but the bulk of it is asking people not to be a**holes"<br /><br />Political correctness is, at its core, demanding that people cease to indulge in cultural, religious, ethnic, sociological, determinism.<br /></i><br /><br />Simpler than that..."political correctness" is a derogatory term for what, in other contexts, might be called "politeness".<br /><br />If you substitute the term "polite" for "politically correct" when someone begins a sentence with "I'm not going to be politically correct, but...", it more accurately displays the fact that they are essentially saying "I'm going to purposely be an a**h*** , and if that bothers you, then <b>you</b> are the problem."<br /><br />What right-wingers deride as "political correctness" on the left is simply "Stand Your Ground" as practiced <b>by</b> the left, a concept that the right also has no trouble with in other contexts.LarryHartnoreply@blogger.com