tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post8064535120829782098..comments2024-03-28T03:00:07.229-04:00Comments on Rational Nation USA: Capitalism, A Forgotten ValueLes Carpenterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-28544114966984863082011-02-08T12:55:14.550-05:002011-02-08T12:55:14.550-05:00JMJ - Overall well articulated. As you presented a...JMJ - Overall well articulated. As you presented a salad I will dissect my way through the lettuce, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives in search of the meat.<br /><br />Perhaps it is a chef salad. I'm just not seeing it yet so after I have my lunch I shall ponder a response/rebuttal.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-67304548638813840522011-02-08T11:09:54.621-05:002011-02-08T11:09:54.621-05:00Les,
No. It is a common sleazy attaack on mascul...Les,<br /><br />No. It is a common sleazy attaack on masculinity. I've seen it perpetrated by bloggers all the way up to top pols and pundits all the time. It is designed to rile emotion and divert from the subject at hand. It is sleazy and shows a lack of intellectual accumen - an inability to argue a point.<br /><br />My avatar is a picture of me and has been for 4 1/2 years. Besides, why would any self-respecting woman put up such a ridiculous pic? Right at the top of my my profile it says I a man. Why would I lie about that?<br /><br />It's just stupid - and sleazy.<br /><br />The garden metaphor only varies from the capitalism concept in that the government does not actually create the private enterprises (although, in many cases, it does and in many of those cases, it should). We do, however, pick and choose which enterprises we allow - even libertarians want that. For example, I don't think any sane libertarian would abide the manufacture of heroine for over-the-counter sale to children.<br /><br />The variance between the metaphor and the garden is that we simply allow certain private industry to rise up on it's own. Every other aspect of the metaphor is right on track. <br /><br />Tending the soil? Building public physical and insitutional infrastructure, making it physically possible, safe, and potentially profitable to do business.<br /><br />Tending the plants? Enforcing contracts and fair practices. Trying to keep, to the best of our constitutional ability, actors from illegally gaming the system, or perpetrating fraud or other criminal activity. <br /><br />Asserting that I "don't understand economics" is yet another sleazy attack. Once again, we only differ by degree. Of course I understand economics. Anyone who reads any of my posts can see I do. I'm obviously not uneducated. Only a very poor judge of character would think otherwise. It's in <em>how</em> I understand economics that I differ from you guys. And remember, just as many if not more people understand economics the way I do as you guys do. Libertarians do not have a corner on the economic-understanding market.<br /><br />I often seriously question libertarians' grasp on economics. Do you guys simply ignore risk aversion theory, diseconomy of scale, decision isolation? Don't believe any of it? <br /><br />I think libertarians, like any one else, hear what they want to hear and disregard the rest, as Paul Simon would say.<br /><br />We should try to at least regard each others' points of view and examine them, not just willy-nilly brush them aside. I think you'd agree with that.<br /><br />JMJJersey McJoneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15426560061830038806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-48266866719273281742011-02-08T08:30:07.494-05:002011-02-08T08:30:07.494-05:00Bastiatarian - Thanks for the visit. Always do enj...Bastiatarian - Thanks for the visit. Always do enjoy your clarity on these pages.<br /><br />Go easy on JMJ ;)<br /><br />JMJ is a well meaning person who does actually, from time to time, tweak my clarity and thereby re confirm the validity of concepts we hold as valid. (ethically correct)Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-17268355685013344662011-02-08T08:24:06.536-05:002011-02-08T08:24:06.536-05:00JMJ - Glad you dabble in "salad making" ...JMJ - Glad you dabble in "salad making" as it is not only a metaphor, in this case it an example of the "anti concept" mentioned.<br /><br />As to Bastiatarian's comment, he merely stating the obvious, you do have a problem grasping complex subjects and concepts as proven by your "salad metaphor." <br /><br />You are simply "out of your league" in issues such as those contained in not only this post put in my prior on rational self interest.<br /><br />As to sleazy assault, well, Bastiatarian did not assault your masculinity or lack of it. He simply does not know with any certainty your sex. He has no visual or conceptual framework in which to make a concrete and valid determination. <br /><br />On the other hand referring to Bastiatarian as a "slob" {twice} has no basis in either a valid visual or conceptual frame of reference. IE: you are shooting from your obvious emotionalism. <br /><br />Now being the likable understanding type of man I am, I have given you the benefit of the doubt with respect to your stated masculinity. I shan't go to that length in regards to your ability to understand "complex" issues.<br /><br />Nuff said JMJ?Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-25715852381547554792011-02-08T00:19:23.086-05:002011-02-08T00:19:23.086-05:00Bastiat,
Sleazy assaults on my masculinity only p...Bastiat,<br /><br />Sleazy assaults on my masculinity only prove what a slob you are.<br /><br />Be a man and argue your point. Slob.<br /><br />JMJJersey McJoneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15426560061830038806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-21880051960288347922011-02-08T00:09:04.594-05:002011-02-08T00:09:04.594-05:00>Ayn Rand's simplistic answer for everythin...>Ayn Rand's simplistic answer for everything would lead to no salad for anyone but a few rich people who can afford to have it imported from somewhere else.<br /><br />Every time I think that Jersey can't understand economics less, he/she proves me wrong...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8549971354391868786.post-90779755200856870452011-02-07T22:34:01.699-05:002011-02-07T22:34:01.699-05:00This is a very interesting topic, but also extreme...This is a very interesting topic, but also extremely complex, difficult to wrap one's mind around.<br /><br />There's an important point I'd like to add via metaphor.<br /><br />Capitalism is a theoretically manageable, natural system, not an "ideal." <br /><br />Think of a salad garden.<br /><br />If you plant a garden without regard for what you plant, in all likelihood some of the plants will grow beyond control and overtake the other plants, until all you have is just one or two vegetables. Not much of a salad.<br /><br />If you do not tend the garden, weeds will grow, pests will eat your plants, and in all likelihood your garden will be overtaken by inedible weeds. No salad at all.<br /><br />If you tend one plant too much while ignoring the others, those plants you over-tend may well over-grow, or may well die, while those plants you ignore may well do the same. <br /><br />If the soil is properly tended, the right plants are sewn for the natural and artificial conditions, care is given and distibuted by what each plant needs to survive, and care is taken to control pests and weeds, you garden may well will grow just fine. You will enjoy a wonderful salad, with all the fixin's.<br /><br />Unfortunately, we have one hugely complex and dynamic garden. There's no quick-fix, easy, simple way of tending it.<br /><br />Back in Jefferson's day, we were an agro-export nation. Not any more. Ayn Rand's simplistic answer for everything would lead to no salad for anyone but a few rich people who can afford to have it imported from somewhere else.<br /><br />The method of tending our massive, complex, dynamic garden is not going to be quick, easy, or simple. It will require careful oversight and management, knowing when to leave well enough alone and when to act, how to leave well enough alone and how to act, when needed. <br /><br />No simple "ideal" is going to do the trick.<br /><br />JMJJersey McJoneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15426560061830038806noreply@blogger.com