Insights, Snippets, Quotes, Epiphanies & All That Sort of Things

[Wakefield]

One should as a rule respect public opinion in so far as is necessary to avoid starvation and to keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny, and is likely to interfere with happiness in all kinds of way.

-- Bertrand Russell: The Conquest of Happiness, Routledge Classics, p. 92

Full agreement, Lord Russell. 

[asin]B00IED1WH0[/asin]

Bananas?

[Wakefield]

[after a wise advice, but opposed to Ted's intentions]

Ted (serious): I hate how you're always right.

Lily (charming): It's my best and most annoying trait.

-- How I Met Your Mother, Season 1, Ep. 18

[Wakefield]

The most elementary definition of ideology is probably the well-known phrase from Marx's 'Capital': "They do not know it, but they are doing it."

-- Slavoj Žižek, Žižek! (documentary)

[Wakefield]

Never play cards with a man called Doc. Never eat at a place called Mom's. Never sleep with a woman whose troubles are worse than your own.

-- Nelson Algren: 'Newsweek' 2 July 1956

[mn dave]

"In accordance with my conception of life, I have chosen not to bring children into the world. A coin is examined, and only after careful deliberation, given to a beggar, whereas a child is flung out into the cosmic brutality without hesitation."

The "cosmic brutality". Nice.

[Karl Henning]

"And the point is, you can deal with multiple problems with a single action. You can deal with gender equity, you can deal with school safety, you can deal with general relations with the unions – it was a smart move."

[mn dave]

"If you don't want my peaches, honey, please don't shake my tree."

[Ten thumbs]

Politicians are a necessary fact of life if we want any freedom. If we are not prepared to give up some freedom then not one of us will possess it.

[Florestan]

Politicians are a necessary fact of life if we want any freedom. If we are not prepared to give up some freedom then not one of us will possess it.

Says who? 

[Ten thumbs]

Says who? 

Try arguing against it. The idea seems far more sensible than some of the other quotations given so far.

[Florestan]

Try arguing against it.

It doesn't work this way, I'm afraid. You came up with it so the burden of proof it's on you. I was just curious who said that but now I begin to suspect who is the author. 

[Ten thumbs]

It doesn't work this way, I'm afraid. You came up with it so the burden of proof it's on you. I was just curious who said that but now I begin to suspect who is the author. 

Okay, for one, you accept no property rights: everything belongs to everybody. Sounds a little like communism. Accepting ownership is one example of yielding a little personal freedom.

[ibanezmonster]

Okay, for one, you accept no property rights: everything belongs to everybody. Sounds a little like communism. Accepting ownership is one example of yielding a little personal freedom.

Or your stuff will end up belonging to the person with the most power (whoever can get the most people to work for/protect them).

[Ten thumbs]

Or your stuff will end up belonging to the person with the most power (whoever can get the most people to work for/protect them).

Indeed, that is one reason we need an administration in which we have some say. I wonder who they are to whom we will trust that administration.

[Florestan]

Okay, for one, you accept no property rights: everything belongs to everybody. Sounds a little like communism. Accepting ownership is one example of yielding a little personal freedom.

Huh???

[Ten thumbs]

Huh???

I see you have no arguments.

[Florestan]

I see you have no arguments.

Arguments for / against what? I understood nothing at all from what you wrote. Please try to write in plain English.

[Ten thumbs]

Arguments for / against what? I understood nothing at all from what you wrote. Please try to write in plain English.

I appreciate you may not be English but maybe you need a better language master. Do you know the meaning of property rights?

[kishnevi]

I appreciate you may not be English but maybe you need a better language master. Do you know the meaning of property rights?

The fallacy is with your argument.  Property rights can exist and be enforced without a formal government.  Government is the most convenient way to protect rights,  but that does not mean it is the only way.  Are you familiar with anarchocapitalism?

[Karl Henning]

Just want to say (probably again) that I love the Sargent which is your av, Jeffrey.