COLLECTIVE MADNESS
“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."
Well. What are we going to do about That?
ReplyDelete:)
ReplyDeleteWe're the greatest at sailing.
ReplyDeleteAnd bullshitting, if this place is any evidence.
DeleteOur economy is going through the greatest transformation in our history — even bigger than during the Industrial Revolution, according to researcher and author Richard Florida.
ReplyDelete...
For centuries, he said, wealth was created by gaining access to land, labor and capital, but that model has been shifting dramatically over the past two to three decades.
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Florida also addressed another misconception of the new economy: that the world is flat. “In fact, our world is not flat. It’s spiky and concentrated,” he said, adding that the cities that truly attract wealth are more concentrated than ever before.
On this day in 1981, the U.S. Supreme Court swore in Sandra Day O’Conner as the first female justice.
ReplyDeleteFord 460 ci
ReplyDeleteI want one of those, but Uncle Rufus won't let me have one. He takes all my money in taxes. :(
DeleteUncle Rufus says you don't need one of those Bob, and I know best.
We probably got a little carried away with that "world policeman" thing. As a result, while we were spending $Trillions on that, our "allies" were spending their money on their citizens' healthcare, education, etc.
ReplyDeleteWe, also, let the globalists sell us a fairy tale on "trade" policy, and tariffs.
Now, the same bunch is trying to blow diesel soot up our asses on "Energy." It may not work this time.
'The Capital of the World'
ReplyDeleteErnest Hemingway
http://archive.org/stream/firstfortyninest030256mbp/firstfortyninest030256mbp_djvu.txt
September 2008, the month that Lehman Brothers went bust, was the time which many of us realised we were in the midst of an international financial crisis. As dazed workers clutching cardboard boxes streamed out of offices in Wall Street and other financial centres, regulators and politicians rushed to stem the damage of a situation some seemed to barely understand.
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The fact that China is increasingly seen as leading the world, economically, is borne out by Pew Global's research. Of 20 countries surveyed in both 2008 and 2013, the median percentage asserting China as the "world's leading economic power" increased from 20% to 34%. At the same time, the figure for the United States has fallen from 47% to 41%.
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A broader reform needed is reducing the role of the central government, whose communications often lack legitimacy and credibility with foreign publics, in Chinese outreach efforts. Here, the country would benefit instead by expanding the role of non-state groups - including from civil society networks, Chinese diaspora communities, sporting groups, student, academic groups and business networks.
The Russians think Mother Russia is the best country in the world.
ReplyDeleteThe Chinese think China.
We all know Sweden is the best country in the world.
Many Mexicans must not think Mexico is the best country in the world given that many want to leave.
DeleteThough Mexico rates high on the international 'happiness scale'.
His infant mortality figure was bull shit.
DeleteOurs is 'high' cause we try to save them at about 4-5 months for God's sake.
You save a few, you lose a few, at that age.
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DeleteOurs is 'high' cause we try to save them at about 4-5 months for God's sake.
Do you have any statistics to back up this statement? I would be surprised if this affects out mortality rates in any significant way.
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The question is simple:
ReplyDeleteWho benefits from politicians and propagandists, repeating at every opportunity, “America is the greatest country in the World?”
Where did that come from? What is the purpose?
To understand the concept of the phrase, consider the opposite of making the boast. Put aside the possibility that is either true or bullshit. Consider that it is a claim that should not be made at all.
Most human societies respect the quality of “humility”.
The definition : the quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people : the quality or state of being humble.
What I consider interesting is that pointing out obvious faults is akin to high treason.
Simplistic claims are propaganda techniques. They only work if not specific. No one would believe that “Detroit is the greatest city in the world” or that the “Philadelphia school district is the greatest in the world” A complex society is composed of things that are great and things not so great, like drug addiction, prisons, job insecurity, growing poverty and corrupt politicians.
At the end of the day, during the darkness of night or while you are having a nice day, the phrase is an empty throw away political line, as profound as a bowl of mints next to the toothpick dispenser.