[Mind's Eye] Re: The Greater Good

Or did I mean on-set? :-)

On Dec 16, 12:56 am, Don Johnson <daj...@gmail.com> wrote:
> This is true Allan. However, business is business. You can only lose
> what you invest so one should never invest more then they can afford
> to lose. Another way to put this is don't hate the player; hate the
> game. Don't sit at the table and ante up if you can't handle the loss.
> Stay outta the kitchen if you can't stand the heat. And so on. If a
> businessman is breaking the law then let's put him in jail and fine
> him. If he's done wrong by someone then let's sue his ass. Let a jury
> of his peers judge him. What frustrates me is how often I see
> government picking the winners and losers. Or powerful entities like
> the FED Reserve picking winners and losers. I'm still baffled why
> Lehman Bros. got the shaft back in 2008 when Washington and the Fed.
> couldn't pass out bail out money fast enough to just about every other
> bank begging. Must of been politics. The better course would have been
> to let them all go bankrupt. The vast majority of investors and owners
> would have been wealthy and they can withstand the loss. Instead, the
> tax payers are on the hook for billions in sub-prime mortgages.
> Shameful. Even more shameful is the new Regulations prop up these
> oligarchical banks even more while forcing me to pay fees I've never
> paid in my entire life. Bwankers indeed.
>
> dj
>
> On Dec 15, 10:09 am, Allan H <allanh1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Don you also have to take into account how that money is acquired.  When
> > others are harmed in the process of the gathering  of that wealth then you
> > have a question of morality and the violation of the ethics involved.
> > Allan
> >  On Dec 15, 2011 11:42 AM, "Don Johnson" <daj...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > No need to get all snippy Vam. My comment was honest and wasn't meant to
> > > be insulting. Human nature isn't going to change to fit anyone's ideal of
> > > how we should all get along. It's just not going to happen. Ever. There
> > > will always be winners and there will always be losers. The vast majority
> > > of us plod along somewhere in the middle. I believe in giving others
> > > opportunity and encouragement. I do not believe in hand outs and the
> > > perpetual Nanny State. Enabling, indeed, actually fostering a lifetime of
> > > dependance on other's blood, sweat and tears is degrading in the extreme.
> > > Both to the giver and the receiver.
>
> > > I think you understand how bad the world economy is. I think you're aware
> > > of the massive political chicanery known colloquially as "crony
> > > capitalism." When we are at the point where you must be in Government to
> > > succeed then that's where the sharks will gravitate. And us tax payers will
> > > give them our money and they will decide which monopolies to give it to so
> > > they can receive their kick backs. I mean campaign donations. Laws will be
> > > passed to protect the favored companies(such as GE) while rivals(energy
> > > companies) are punished with regulation and perpetual dragging of feet to
> > > get permission to run a pipeline or drill. Thus is the way of the world and
> > > wishing isn't going to change it. I'd rather instill in our youth a burning
> > > ambition to succeed. To become the next Steve Jobs or Carlos Slim or John
> > > D. Rockefeller. Telling them the government owes them a living probably
> > > isn't the best way to accomplish this.
>
> > > Not sure what you mean bringing up Africans and Indian aborigines. That is
> > > a problem for Africa and India, no? I would welcome them here, of course.
> > > We need all the immigrants we can get to help pay my social security in
> > > about 30 years. It's the only way I'll ever see a dime. Come on down but
> > > bring a healthy work ethic.  Freeloaders get the boot. Well, in my little
> > > fantasy world they do anyway. What, Capitalists can't dream? There are no
> > > race cards in my deck buddy.
>
> > > I have no objection to a people "growing as they will" either. I'm sure we
> > > have something they want. In fact, Vam, I wonder if that really isn't at
> > > the root of much of the trouble? Could it be......Envy? Everybody looooves
> > > to bash on the Big Bad USA but looking around I still see we seem to be
> > > doing......better then most. Even if the whole thing IS a house of cards.
> > > Where will your high-minded ideals come in when those cards come down?
> > > It'll be every man for himself and dog eat dog. Family and friends first.
>
> > > Oh my I think I may have gone off the reservation here. Morals. No,
> > > tithing doesn't necessarily equate to having a high moral standard.
> > > However, in the case of JD Sr. and Jr.  their largesse knew no bounds.
> > > Excessively frugal in their personal lives and excessively generous in
> > > their public lives. Honestly, with a simple look at history and current
> > > events I don't see how ANYONE could dislike or resent rich people as a
> > > class. They give more than anybody else. By a fairly large margin.
>
> > > dj
>
> > > On Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 10:07 AM, Vam <atewari2...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > >> " morals = tithe faithfully "
>
> > >> That's how pathetic the belief springs from :
> > >> " Without an avenue to create wealth people will be less productive
> > >> which means there will be less largess for the needy and helpless."
>
> > >> The people " here " are less naive than you, Don. Much, much less, I
> > >> must point out.
>
> > >> It's not the absence of avenues of wealth creation they seek. They
> > >> seek people who can create wealth and disown its power of becoming a
> > >> weapon to enslave others, deny others, own others, influence public
> > >> policy, affect electoral outcomes, buy off common resources for
> > >> commercial and personal gains, acquire rights to do as one pleases
> > >> with the right to ownership of property, skew world world markets,
> > >> twists financial structures...
>
> > >> In short, stop creating lesser " dog-like " mercenary humans amongst
> > >> us, degrade environments, and actually reduce opportunities for
> > >> populations everywhere to grow, as they will, not as they are
> > >> commanded by the money bags for the latter's feudal interests.
>
> > >> They can keep all their wealth and splurge it in the luxury market.
> > >> But not in owning people, markets, finance structures and instruments,
> > >> land, natural resources, investing in electoral outcomes and public
> > >> policy, etc.
>
> > >> I hope you now understand the people " here " ...  they believe the
> > >> Rockfeller is no more or less than Indian aborigine you've denied or
> > >> the African native who is yet to learn to be as smart as the white
> > >> folk, or the homeless tramp closer home. If he can't be homeless,
> > >> because of his wealth, he at least can extend his understanding and
> > >> initiative for their benefit, being only as human and no more. If he
> > >> can't be as unsmart as the African, he can at least enable them and
> > >> not derive advantage. If he can't undo the fate if the Indian
> > >> American, he can at least stand with them and admit his wrong.
>
> > >> On Dec 14, 4:45 pm, Don Johnson <daj...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >> > I'm couldn't disagree more. The most successful people in the world
> > >> > are often driven by a high sense of morals. J.D. Rockefeller in
> > >> > particular was scrupulously honest and  even before
> > >> > he obtained success and could afford it. Without an avenue to create
> > >> > wealth people will be less productive which means there will be less
> > >> > largess for the needy and helpless. I wonder at the naivete I see
> > >> > here. Will everyone truly be more happy when we are all distitute? I
> > >> > think not.
>
> > >> > dj
>
> > >> > On Dec 6, 1:47 am, Allan H <allanh1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > >> > > Francis of Assisi  once said that it is better to understand than be
> > >> > > understood. there is a time to understand what the wise men of the
> > >> past had
> > >> > > to say and why they said it.
> > >> > > The world has a lot of problems today  and a great deal of double
> > >> talk and
> > >> > > little action or direction. Most and a lot of what is said is
> > >> irrelevant
> > >> > > and immaterial.
>
> > >> > > The changes  the world needs to escape from a market economy and back
> > >> more
> > >> > > to a traditional economy  where local value come into much greater
> > >> play,
> > >> > >  this is where the jobs are created,,   On the other hand in the
> > >> market
> > >> > > economy everything is driven by the profit. The profit concept and
> > >> the loss
> > >> > > or creation of jobs is entirely irrevelent,, all that is of
> > >> importance is
> > >> > > making a profit no matter the effect on the population. As I examine
> > >> the
> > >> > > problem looking for what has changed what seems to pop out is the
> > >> loss of
> > >> > > morality. Oddly what I do not see is the extreme protestant view
> > >> > > that morality was everything, Not that I think it was great or really
> > >> > > approve of it,,, it what I now see is it shifting to preachers out
> > >> > > screaming "Have you accepted jesus christ as your personal savior"
> > >>  leaving
> > >> > > a total vacancy in the importance of morality.
>
> > >> > > As I watch the news the focus is on the markets.. and the market
> > >> people
> > >> > > trying to control the world.. that gets into my opinion  which is of
> > >> little
> > >> > > value..I do think though that a direction of increasing morality..
> > >> > > Allan
>
> > >> > > On Tue, Dec 6, 2011 at 7:42 AM, Vam <atewari2...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >> > > > Perhaps... especially for you...
> > >> > > > the solution would be more effectively and compellingly projected on
> > >> > > > images of beauty. All the science in the world cannot match its
> > >> power
> > >> > > > to move us.
>
> > >> > > > Why ? Better, How ?
> > >> > > > By filling us with feeling, void of thought, and making us come
> > >> alive.
>
> > >> > > > On Dec 6, 3:12 am, archytas <nwte...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >> > > > > Camels make horrendous noise too rigsy.  The dried dung was once
> > >> used
> > >> > > > > to bake bread on.  We can no doubt any grand narrative but don't
> > >> seem
> > >> > > > > much good at using this to create new ones.  It's all
>
> ...
>
> read more »- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -