"Buddhanature is the innate primordial freedom of the mind, which is naturally imbued with wisdom, compassion, power, and bliss." Karl Brunnholzl Capitalism is, or is soon to become a dying economic practice (system). The reasons are certainly many, complex, and interconnected. But the primary reason is that capitalism, particularly in the USA, has become entirely focused on increased productivity to maximize profits and increase shareholder's stake, ie increase the wealth of individual shareholders. Which means in truth, as well as in straight talk, to insure that the real (and obscene) wealth is funneled to and concentrated in the top 1 or 2 percent of the nation. When self interest becomes the driving force behind every decision, and selfishness essentially becomes a "virtue" as it is with folks like Trump, then the footing on which a society stands on begins to crumble. Which is precisely the situation America is finding itself in today. In these pr
I suspect we boast a bit prematurely...at least by Thomas Paine's standards.
ReplyDeleteGee, ya think Jerry?
ReplyDeleteNow THAT is what I call thinking conservatively, in the best sense of the world.
ReplyDeleteJMJ
Absolutely Jersey!
ReplyDeleteI've often questioned why the so called "conservatives" cherry pick Paine conveniently leaving out the parts they dislike. Guess it's human nature, we see it ALL the time on blogs that profess to understand true liberty. Go figure.
Paine can be a goldmine for cherry pickers - just like the Bible and almost everything else. One quote I remember is "Every nation ought to have a debt."
DeleteLike a household and a business it ought remain manageable. It seems reasonable to carry debt during times of economic dislocations, national
Deletecrises, and during times of armed
conflict. During times of a growing economy, business expansion, and full employment (whatever that means), budgets should be balanced and debt reduced.
Wouldn't the Objectivist view be that the poor are responsible for their own happiness? Rand would reject this statement, I think.
ReplyDeleteWe're all responsible but still we put lifeguards on the beaches. People are fallible and isn't it bit harsh to let people die because they are responsible for that drunk driver or that waiter who didn't wash his hands? If this is Objectivism, perhaps it requires a perfect world and perfect people to be any kind of a guide.
ReplyDeleteRand and Objectivism has many positives, irrespective of what some would say. Rand and her Objectivism, like any other independent thinker and their philosophy is not perfect. Where Rand is lacking is she didn't take the concept of long term rational self
Deleteinterest far enough IMO. But that is a subject for a different day.
I might be an Objectivist if I think that it's in my rational self interest that the US adopt more Socialism?
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