Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Friday, February 08, 2008
slavery: a capitalist parable
Hm-- http://tinyurl.com/2k8fp5
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 02/08 at 09:41 AMNatural laws in communion with each other are ignored...man invents concepts to enslave and control all life...ignoring all Natural Interactions...and here we are...lunatics destroying every Thing...Let’s be thankful we have the freedom to accept enslavement...Let’s have a cheer for our inner, suppressed tendencies to act on and want our humanity.
Posted by joe of maine on from 02/08 at 12:40 PMThis parable comes from Confucius (Chinese version posted here yesterday).
The Wikipedia article about him is very good: in sum he was a great humanist-- not the rigid conservative many think him to be. (I would like to read Gore Vidal’s Creation one day-- am curious about it now.)
This is it:
The Master said, “With sincere faith he unites the love of learning; holding firm to death, he is perfecting the excellence of his course. Such a one will not enter a tottering state, nor dwell in a disorganized one. When right principles of government prevail in the kingdom, he will show himself; when they are prostrated, he will keep concealed. When a country is well governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill governed, riches and honor are things to be ashamed of.”
A fuller translation:
I’ve enjoyed listening to the Analects courtesy of Librivox-- one of the very best resources on the web. http://librivox.org/
Confucius on the subject of statecraft is so deeply insightful and pertinent for one thinking about where our country is today… or trying to imagine where it could be.
At Librivox, I just began listening to DeTocqueville’s Democracy in America-- somehow it comes more alive to me when I listen to it rather than read it. So much wisdom!
Posted by Robert B. Livingston on from San Francisco, California 02/08 at 01:16 PMAnother good and memorable post, Cool Observer! No parable from me, but here’s wishing you, Mickey, James, Joe of Maine, Robert B. Livingston and anybody who might comment after me a great weekend.
“ ..When a country is well governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill governed, riches and honor are things to be ashamed of.” A quote to remember, Robert B. Livingston. The number of homeless has been going up steadily in Australia during the last few years - at least the new government is promising to tackle this.
Captcha: ‘food’. That is getting more and more expensive as well.
And the weather - a mere 66F yesterday. Our heating has given up its ghost, to make matters worse.
All best,
HelgaPosted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 02/08 at 03:48 PMHi Helga, Robert, joe, James, and all....
Mickey - CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR MARCH 10 presentation. I wish that I could be there. If anyone tapes it, I will have it played on our community TV channel.Posted by RMJ on from Mickey Z 4 Prez Hdqts 02/08 at 05:49 PMHello Expendables. RMJ, I’d love to have the event taped and/or filmed. If anyone out there has contacts, drop me a line.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/08 at 06:10 PMMickey...we need to get it on C-span !!!
Posted by RMJ on from Mickey Z 4 Prez Hdqts 02/08 at 06:53 PMI e-mailed my old contact at Book TV but I don’t even know if he’s still there.
Maybe I should wear a condom outfit:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BTLj_3R0-2gPosted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/08 at 06:56 PMRobert
I quite liked the Analects when I first used to read them, I liked the character of Yen Hui. Then later I read the Taoist Book Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu), which uses almost half it’s pages to mock both Confucius and Yen Hui with merciless satire. Those old Chinese philosophers really stuck it to each other.
I think I most identify with the pre-religion Taoist philosophy - before Taoism developed into a religion, that is.
From the Tao Te Ching:
It is because arms are instruments of ill omen that one who has the way does not abide by their use. There is no glory in victory and to glorify it despite this is to exult in the killing of men.
Posted by Andy on from Shanghai 02/09 at 05:45 AMTo follow up on Andy’s comment above, I offer this from Sartre: “Once you hear the details of victory, it is hard to distinguish it from a defeat.”
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/09 at 08:35 AMGood morning everyone...this morning my answering machine had 2 messages, telemarketing extended auto warranties and a very youthful sounding girl promoting hillary clinton...well...I simply don’t know what to think of this wretched country...why isn’t the vote simply bypassed, with all the theatrics, leading to the game of the wealthy and pretentious, at least clearly revealing, without doubt what kind of society we really have had for centuries...but, I guess the ‘game’ would be spoiled for those who entertain themselves with deception, fraud, corruption, murder.
Posted by joe of maine on from 02/09 at 11:09 AMHey Mickey,
I discovered that Outside the Ballot Box from a few years ago is now available streaming from C-Span.
-Nancy
Posted by Nancy on from 02/09 at 02:38 PM...now here’s an uplifting headline…
‘U.S. troops asked if they would shoot American citizens’ if you need an answer to this question, you can go to this website...better yet, meditate.
Posted by joe of maine on from 02/09 at 03:08 PMThanks for the link, Nancy. I’ll add it to a blog post soon.
And thanks (in a different way) for your link, Joe.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/09 at 03:45 PMHi all…
joe - I see that your gal pal Hillary is in Maine right now.A couple of days ago, I reported that our hospital has announced big lay-offs of nurses and also ER staff.
Today it is announced that our ONLY radio station is out of money and shutting down. The end of the Empire is near...just my luck it would happen while I’m still here. I can’t decide if I was born 100 years too early, or 100 years too late. Or maybe destiny is geography. Maybe we are all just in the wrong place.Posted by RMJ on from Mickey Z 4 Prez Hdqts 02/09 at 03:53 PMRMJ...hilary in Maine...this seems consistent with anything Monsanto sponsors...I’m sure she will be a big hit for those so easily entertained.
Posted by joe of maine on from 02/09 at 03:58 PMI just found this on Counterbias. It is a small excerpt from an article by Jason Miller.
“...To truly understand the depth of the damage Oprah inflicts on our society, we need to see her for what she truly represents. Manifesting the Horatio Alger Myth on steroids, Oprah is a wet dream come true for our criminal class of ruling
elites sometimes referred to as the plutocracy. She provides them with anecdotal evidence which ‘proves’ the delusion that America is a meritocracy where everyone has a realistic chance of getting rich, if they just work hard enough. The reality is that the richest 20% of US Americans own over 80% of the wealth and the long-term trend has been toward an ever increasing concentration of treasure into a smaller number of strong-boxes(1)....”Posted by RMJ on from Mickey Z 4 Prez Hdqts 02/09 at 04:05 PMI agree, re: Oprah. The same goes for Michael Jordan and Bill Cosby. If fact, Cosby buys into the bullshit so deeply, he sez: “Racism isn’t holding blacks back, it’s their own laziness!”
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/09 at 04:55 PM...yes...there’s equal opportunity except for those who won’t relinquish their humanity, won’t cheat, steal, stab, kill, lie...and Cosby would probably say..."you gotta do what you gotta do”
Rubbish ! I’m not interested...!
Posted by joe of maine on from 02/09 at 05:03 PMI think Oprah’s great, because she helps me make a lot of decisions. Anything she supports or promotes, like Obama or The Secret or just about anything on her book club, I know to avoid like the plague. It’s so convenient!
Saw this on (un?)commondreams.org just now:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/02/09/6944/Unsettling how many libertarian or whatever you call them sort of responses there were commenting seemingly in favor of tobacco companies. Fascism, I don’t care, just I don’t know, I really wouldn’t mind if tobacco just vanished from the face of the earth tomorrow.
I know I shouldn’t judge, my vice is soda, which I know if ten times worse in its own way.
And not sure why this comes to mind for some reason: http://tinyurl.com/ys3tydPosted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 02/09 at 08:17 PMEvery Sunday: http://postsecret.blogspot.com
Btw, a new post is up.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 02/10 at 07:50 AMWell it’s not really a stretch..in a a capitalist society someone HAS to be poorer than the next person. The only alternative is communism, but then the drive to “advance” is limited. Even hierarchy models can be seen at this mmo community where some users have more clout or power than others...incentives are used because they work.
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Posted by dwdqdrts on from xcedtxvn, tubuzgid 06/25 at 02:06 AM
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