tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post4172370486754109020..comments2023-10-17T08:19:58.196-04:00Comments on FreeThinke: FreeThinkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16682678301019952436noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-45287296306934522052014-03-27T16:59:08.699-04:002014-03-27T16:59:08.699-04:00Typo's, caused by the lack of thorough proof r...Typo's, caused by the lack of thorough proof reading have always been a problem for me.<br /><br />Try 32 years in manufacturing management. It ain't biblical times after all. :-)Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-64873983214000467462014-03-27T13:16:57.406-04:002014-03-27T13:16:57.406-04:00Mr. FreeThinke,
In acknowledging your high regard...Mr. FreeThinke,<br /><br />In acknowledging your high regard for my intellectual honesty and clarity I must say thank you.<br /><br />I must also admit to enjoying an intellectually honest and stimulating discussion in the issues of the day. There is nothing like it to get the brainwaves really activated. <br /><br />As a point of interest, I spent my entire adult life in the manufacturing arena, both as a technician (operator) and management. Management encompassed 320 years. So, my background is that of GETTING THINGS DONE EFFICIENTLY. <br /><br />It is unfortunate that so many, particularly on the far right (as well as the far left)seem incapable of reasoned and rational discussion. Must be the emotions getting in the way.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-65620980292094587532014-03-27T12:20:31.032-04:002014-03-27T12:20:31.032-04:00Les, I highly recommend that you apply for a Lect...Les, I highly recommend that you apply for a Lectureship in Sociology or the History of Western Civilization -- possibly both -- at one of the universities. I'm certain they'd welcome you with open arms, and you would really be in your element at last. You wouldn't have to do any preparation whatsoever, because it's obvious you already know it all.<br /><br />You and academia were made for each other.FreeThinkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16682678301019952436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-23396626405039643052014-03-27T09:59:08.409-04:002014-03-27T09:59:08.409-04:00Racism interestling enough is color and ethnicity ...Racism interestling enough is color and ethnicity blind. Racism is caused by the combination of ignorance, fear, hate all fueled by tribalism.<br /><br />There are liberal racists, consevative racists, white racists, black racists, yellow racists, and if there were purple people there would be purple racist<br /><br />Education, understanding, and tolerance of diverse attributes that exist among people is the cure for racism.<br /><br />As to segregated schools. Well, it is true that people tend to be drawn to those with similar attributes, race, culture, language, etc Thus we find pockets of such concentrations all around America. Sometimes things simply are what they are.<br /><br />Begin at the top, read again, repeat..<br /><br />Oh, one final word... Dump hyperbole, platitudes, rationalizations, and bullshit. Makes the intellectual picture clearer.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-76735295515673914912014-03-27T09:34:18.509-04:002014-03-27T09:34:18.509-04:00Perhaps FreeThinke sensible people "waste&quo...Perhaps FreeThinke sensible people "waste" time for the purposes of:<br /><br />1) Understanding<br />2) Debunking the myths<br />3) Stripping the boogeyman of power by honest argument exposing the pit falls.<br />4) Take and apply knowledge gained to ones advantage, or put another way, ones long term rational self interests. Something applicable to entire societies as well.<br /><br />Of course to achieve the above requires honest study, discussion, and the willingness to dispose of the platitudes, hyperbple, and bullshit. Far to many do not even make the attempt.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-49454834549477340102014-03-27T08:42:24.184-04:002014-03-27T08:42:24.184-04:00Sorry, Thersites, but that doesn't count as &q...Sorry, Thersites, but that doesn't count as "racism." It's only THEIR way of DEFENDING themselves against the racism WE have brutally imposed on "them." <br /><br />All good leftists, and self-styled "intellectuals" know that racism only comes from one direction -- i.e. The Evil White Man. <br /><br />It's the same with "anti-Semitism." We are never -- EvEr -- supposed to acknowledge the well-documented historical Talmudic hatred and resentment of Christianity, or the scheming machinations of Jewish intellectuals to undermine White Christian dominance by mocking, scorning, deriding, lampooning, seducing and bullying the young away from the beliefs and most cherished traditions of the dominant culture.<br /><br />Never never NEVER underestimate the power of the pen and the treacherous souls determined to make mischief practicing sophistry while perpetrating calumny.<br /><br />Thought is more powerful than The Bomb.FreeThinkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16682678301019952436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-48876513327477074092014-03-27T07:46:59.152-04:002014-03-27T07:46:59.152-04:00If Marxism could never work -- a position with whi...If Marxism could never work -- a position with which I agree entirely -- why in Heaven's name would any sensible person want to WASTE precious TIME trying to "understand" Marx's "true intentions." <br /><br />As Bitch Cassidy famously said years ago at FPM, when confronted with one of many instances of prissy over-intellectualization <i>[less politely known as Mental Masturbation]:</i> <br /><br /><b>"You Don't Have to Eat a Pound of Shit to Know it Don't Taste Good."</b><br /><br /><b>AMEN!</b><br /><br />And bless you, dear Bitch! I shall always remember you with fondness and deep gratitude for that sage observation. Truly you were a woman after my own heart.FreeThinkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16682678301019952436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-58954996527522907072014-03-26T20:08:53.630-04:002014-03-26T20:08:53.630-04:00Written by RN USA... "Marxism could never wor...Written by RN USA... "Marxism could never work because of the basic flaws in its assumptions. Capitalism, which by the way Marx actually admired, he just saw capitalism as a stepping stone to the next higher economic and social level, will fail if (its advocates) refuse to recognize and adjust to modern global economic realities."<br /><br />Choice is all yours people. Carry on...<br /><br />BTW FreeThinke, results is all that maters. How well I realize this, having spent the VAST majority of my adult life managing departments and entire plants.<br /><br />The question you need to ask yourself is exactly what is desirable "results."<br /><br />Star thinking outside the constraints of 18th and 19th century thinking.<br /><br />Ah, never mind, its too late.<br />Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-3397578333082117982014-03-26T19:53:04.955-04:002014-03-26T19:53:04.955-04:00..and Democrat's think that all the racists co.....and Democrat's think that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/26/new-york-schools-segregated_n_5034455.html" rel="nofollow">all the racists</a> come from Dixie. Thersiteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15751286903359745316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-50938540034698572002014-03-26T19:12:17.390-04:002014-03-26T19:12:17.390-04:00FT,
The POINT is not how much each WELFARE CLIENT ...FT,<br /><i>The POINT is not how much each WELFARE CLIENT actually RECEIVES, but rather how much each TAXPAYER is forced to GIVE. </i><br /><br />Of course, that is <b>THE POINT</b>!Always On Watchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08192688822955022541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-82082982512196992802014-03-26T18:22:39.012-04:002014-03-26T18:22:39.012-04:00Well put, Waylon. Whether destruction of Western C...Well put, Waylon. Whether destruction of Western Civilization was Marx's <i>intention</i> or not that, perforce, would be the inevitable result if his policies were fully implemented without a fight. We're drawing closer by the hour to that dreadful fate, because most are unaware of the danger they're in -- that frog-in-the-pot syndrome again -- and too many of those who have at least an inkling seem to prefer endless academic argument to taking a decisive stance foursquare against the deadly foe.FreeThinkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16682678301019952436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-91526609536988828162014-03-26T17:37:04.083-04:002014-03-26T17:37:04.083-04:00RN, I find it incongruous being a self identified ...RN, I find it incongruous being a self identified Randian, that you'd strain the dregs of Marxism looking for some redeeming feature in a steaming heap of manure that asserts that the "ideal" society would be one which denies the existence of personal property to the members of that society and believes that the society could exist with its members just taking whatever they need from the collective pile of goods that would be produced by that society, since money itself would not exist.<br /><br />The guiding principle of that Marxist world would be the ideal: "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need". Need being the ultimate requirement to make a claim on that society could only be made possible by the some unmentioned invisible power that would decide what would be produced and restrict the so-called demand of the needy on the enslaved toilers required to produce it.<br /><br />And this is a "utopian ideal"? <br /><br />The only thing amazing to me in this is that so many allegedly intelligent people claim to be Marxists subscribing to the fantasies of a raving lunatic. It's more likely it was a driving passion of Marx that desired to see the entire structure of Western civilization razed and utterly destroyed, including the ideas upon which it rested. <br /><br />And Western civilization does rest upon the Christian religion. One could conclude that Marx sought to destroy that as a means of destroying Western civilization. And replacing it with Marxism since to him Christianity was only the "opiate of the masses".Waylonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533895509055020394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-978972511871525212014-03-26T17:12:48.808-04:002014-03-26T17:12:48.808-04:00"The 19th Century Poor Law reforms were inten...<i>"The 19th Century Poor Law reforms were intentionally punitive. What was the impact on the poverty rate?"</i><br /><br />I don't know enough about the history of England to answer intelligently, BUT in turn I feel I must ask in turn, <b>"What overall long range effect have The New Deal, The Civil Rights Act, The Voting Rights Act, The Great Society, Open Admissions, Obamacare, and now The Ravages Obama is daily visiting on our society with his pen and his phone had on the Poverty Rate and overall Quality of Life in the USA?</b><br />_________________________<br /><br />And Les, thanks for the lecture on Marxism, but I'm one of those terrible people who sincerely believes RESULTS are ALL that COUNT.<br />________________________<br /><br />And Jack, whether you like it -- or even KNOW it -- or not -- we are engaged in a Civil War not with conventional weapons but with competing ideologies. I can't see much-if-any value in quibbling over academic theories and intellectualized interpretations of reality. <br />feel I must repeat once again: <b>"<i>ALL</i> is FAIR in LOVE and WAR."</b>FreeThinkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16682678301019952436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-21558609730990450242014-03-26T16:52:43.009-04:002014-03-26T16:52:43.009-04:00___STALIN by STARLIGHT ___
The song a leftist s...<b>___STALIN by STARLIGHT ___<br /><br /><i>The song a leftist sings <br />Through years of endless springs -- <br />The gurgling cesspools make at eventide -- <br />The murmurs and the sighs <br />Masturbators hide -- <br />A great Collective Theme! <br />That's Stalin by Starlight. <br />My heart and I agree <br />The State is everything to me.</i></b><br /><br />~ Mala Propsky<br />FreeThinkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16682678301019952436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-34953129378766231832014-03-26T15:41:11.955-04:002014-03-26T15:41:11.955-04:00Marxism, (as opposed to 20th century communism) we...Marxism, (as opposed to 20th century communism) were it achievable by humans, which it is decidedly not, and history has indeed proven this so, would be an ideal society in which economic security and liberty would be achieved. Unfortunately Marx (and Engels) strayed into the netherland of utopian ideology of wealth transfer from the wealthy to the poor. <br /><br />The concept of a more equitable distribution of the total economic pie is not in and of itself a bad idea. If one thinks about it it should be self evident that the ideal society would be one with a VERY strong middle class (like the one that existed in America for a brief time). <br /><br />We no longer have a strong middle class and it is shrinking. We have a growing "marginal" class and a growing lower class. At the same time the nation's wealth distribution is continuing to consolidate and increase at the top echelons of the economic strata.<br /><br />Unless people in this nation begin to take off their rose colored glasses, start thinking a bit differently and outside the confines of conventional wisdom, we will Waylon experience sort of a "self fulfilling prophesy."<br /><br />The threat of social upheaval and violence grows when a significant portion of society feels they have been left out with little hope of getting in to the club.<br /><br />Marxism could never work because of the basic flaws in its assumptions. Capitalism, which by the way Marx actually admired, he just saw capitalism as a stepping stone to the next higher economic and social level, will fail if it refuses to recognize and adjust to modern global economic realities.<br /><br />As for me Waylon? I'm a capitalist with a Randian penchant for looking out for ones rational self interest. I just happen to think it needs to be functioning in a way that benefit the whole of American society. It is no longer 1776, 1890, 1950, or even 1980. Whatever that says to anyone.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-7650179374579324552014-03-26T15:38:58.433-04:002014-03-26T15:38:58.433-04:00Alfred E had a saying What me Worry
Now Obama H ha...Alfred E had a saying What me Worry<br />Now Obama H has changed that to "What Me Work"<br /><br />Why would someone work at Walmart when they can get just as much by not working. Welfare was intended to be a assistance not a living.<br /><br />He who taketh away doesn't get elected or a Mitt said It's all about the Free Stuff.skudrunnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07610092853412481236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-47789214226256628242014-03-26T14:33:51.183-04:002014-03-26T14:33:51.183-04:00Not having consulted the exalted higher minds of M...Not having consulted the exalted higher minds of Marxism, and being unable to understand how anything but tyranny could be the end result of a Marxist system that does not recognize property rights, that the means of production is to be governed by an association of all for all—bureaucrats on steroids—I suppose, and the end result would be anything but absolute power concentrated in the hands of the "elect" or the "elite", I'll defer any embrace of Marx or the psychosis of Marxism.<br /><br />The best example of the product of his thinking would be the man himself, who in the eyes of many was a barking mad lunatic. But that could be the attraction since one could always say they haven't sunk to the level of psychosis and hatred of Karl Marx, himself. <br /><br />And we all know when the state of absolute Marxist paradise is finally achieved on Earth, the state will wither away.<br /><br />Calling all committed Marxists to defend the god of Marxism. Waylonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533895509055020394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-45892409785820952482014-03-26T10:49:58.405-04:002014-03-26T10:49:58.405-04:00Has anyone here ACTUALLY studied Karl Marx, his li...Has anyone here ACTUALLY studied Karl Marx, his life as well as his works?<br /><br />Does anyone realize that Marx was not a totalitarian, that he in fact abhorred totalitarian methodology of governing? The individuals who took Marx's economic theories and used them to oppress people an achieve their ultimate ends, POWER over the masses (Lenin, Stalin, et all) are not representative of Karl Marx.<br /><br />Modern Totalitarian Communism is not Marxism. Marx one said, and I paraphrase... as for me I'm not a Marxist.<br /><br />I do not hold the TRUE Marxist philosophy which would NOT be the totalitarianism of 20th century communism. Why? Because ultimately it creates DEPENDENCY and the desire and will to achieve and maintain independence through ones own efforts is diminished.<br /><br />However, the concern we all should have is this, when people are unable to find and maintain employment that provides a reasonable level of economic security for themselves and their family bad things can and usually do happen. Sometimes thinking outside the constraining parameters of the model we grew up solidly believing in and supporting is required to meet the new realities of a changing nation and world.<br /><br />Fearing the boogeyman, is one thing, refusing to respond to and resolve issues in a way that corrects the root cause is the real enemy we face.<br /><br />But hey, some of us are neither a Marxist, Communist, Totalitarian, Anarchist, Socialist, Capitalist, or any other one pure ideology. We merely want to find solutions to very real and complex problems that face the nation and its people.Les Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01120280762698472496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-69822686676083581922014-03-26T10:14:33.770-04:002014-03-26T10:14:33.770-04:00FT,
This is what I find frustrating. You present...FT,<br /><br />This is what I find frustrating. You present an argument, and then you present facts for the purpose of supporting your argument.<br /><br />Then, when someone like Ducky, jez, or myself call into question the veracity and the context of your facts, you immediately retreat to "well, let's not quibble about facts. This isn't about facts!"<br /><br />And just to be clear, the reason we're all calling this into question is because your post seems to be griping about how much money welfare recipients are receiving. You didn't mention anything about whether or not welfare should even exist.<br /><br />So when you come out and say "well, that's not the point! The point is something else entirely," it looks like you're simply trying to change the argument entirely because you can't offer a rebuttal to my refutation.<br /><br />In my responses, I address what you say in your articles. It's your blog, and you can do whatever you want, but I would appreciate it if in turn you address what I actually say.<br /><br />If the facts are irrelevant to your argument, then why did you bring up the facts in the first place?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-45017905454363251512014-03-26T09:22:16.586-04:002014-03-26T09:22:16.586-04:00Interesting observing the "progressive" ...Interesting observing the "progressive" mind in high dudgeon over your pulling the evident weeds out of the post here with the accusatory admonition to not only clean out the bull shit but to shit can the post entirely.<br /><br />How astute are these "progressive" minds in scraping the bull shit off the current fetish of the News" of the so-called free world and free minds of the West. I'm speaking specifically about the ongoing demonization of Russia and Vladimir Putin by the likes of say Zbigniew Brzezinski, who's one of the leading mind benders of the Western world, and currently asserting that Putin is acting like Hitler. As if "Zbig Daddy", himself, isn't one of the leading powers behind the idea to create a One World State tyranny. <br /><br />But conveniently omitted from this demonization is the act which preceded the annexation of the Crimea: The American State Department assisting in the destabilization of the elected President of the country and replacing him with a hand-picked stooge of the State Department. Nary a peep is heard in the West about the putsch installing Yatsynuk.<br /><br />Not much doubt that the big lies today are preparing the sheeple for another big surprise, another "world changing event" perhaps. <br /><br />Waylonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533895509055020394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-86120013886624522402014-03-26T09:01:56.795-04:002014-03-26T09:01:56.795-04:00FT: Your observation that it's not about the m...FT: Your observation that it's not about the money that's provided to the welfare recipient but more importantly the intrusion of the state apparatus of coercion and physical force to extract the product of the effort of the producer to give to the welfare recipient is astute and absolutely true. <br /><br />Robbing Peter to pay Paul as your man, GBS, would say.<br /><br />RE: your question above. <br /><br />IMO, Marxism is a tool used by those who would rule us. Whether one calls them "Our Betters — Who Know Better", the Oligarchs, or The Capstone Committee, or whatever,it is Marxism that has been tried and proven to be the most effective system of total control of a country and its population, so it would likely be the choice of those that would impose a One World Government to create an all encompassing tyranny exceeding any that has been yet imposed on a smaller geographic test ares, such as the USSR and eastern Europe after WWII. That's my humble opinion anyway.Waylonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533895509055020394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-54310440626871979602014-03-26T08:55:33.639-04:002014-03-26T08:55:33.639-04:00Private charity?Private charity?jeznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-55215135429862096752014-03-26T08:33:44.945-04:002014-03-26T08:33:44.945-04:00The POINT is not how much each WELFARE CLIENT act...The POINT is not how much each WELFARE CLIENT actually RECEIVES, but rather how much each TAXPAYER is forced to GIVE.<br /><br />That government bureaucracy almost invariably<br />tends to be wasteful, inefficient, and primarily self-serving should be regarded as a GIVEN.<br /><br />It is the SYSTEM, ITSELF, that is innately corrupt and therefore reprehensible.<br /><br />We could quibble about 'facts and figures, dollars and cents, comparative amounts, etc. all day every day and never get anywhere. It is my contention -- and that of every other true Libertarian-Cinservative that very CONCEPT of "The Welfare State" is inherently undesirable -- in other words NO DAMNED GOOD -- PERIOD!<br /><br />It is not a matter of "IMPROVING the EFFICIENCY" of the Welfare State, or making the amounts received more generous, and the salaries of administrators less so at all.<br /><br />The object is to DISMANTLE, and ELIMINATE the very IDEA of Welfare Statism altogether.<br /><br />There are MUCH better ways of being kind, generous, just and merciful to the unfortunate and ill-favored. <br /><br />FreeThinkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16682678301019952436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-330157204487343902014-03-26T08:19:58.694-04:002014-03-26T08:19:58.694-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145653764764266444.post-24922983552354848202014-03-26T08:06:19.920-04:002014-03-26T08:06:19.920-04:00Jack,
I'm not complaining, but I should say th...Jack,<br />I'm not complaining, but I should say that, compared to those with a comfortable middle class living conditions, I actually live a lifestyle which is quite Spartan.Always On Watchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08192688822955022541noreply@blogger.com