Profound thought....

rufus

Electoral Member
Mar 7, 2009
934
14
18
Profound short paragraph

You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the
wealthy out of prosperity.

What one person receives without working for, another
person must work for without receiving.

The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work
because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other
half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is
going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of
the end of any nation.

You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."*

* Adrian Rogers, 1931*
 

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
44,850
192
63
Nakusp, BC
I was discussing with a friend this morning the signs of a decaying society and the end signs of empire. He was saying that a large percentage of new borns are ADHD and/or have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. I responded with, how is that any different than the Romans deteriorating health from lead poisoning? He said but the decline of Rome was also accompanied by great decadence. Again what is the difference from today here in America.

We are displaying all the signs of a decadent, decaying civilization. Every year more children are born with mental and physical handicaps, many are over weight or obese. Society in general are in poor health from poor diets and not enough exercise. In another generation or two there will be few who are fit enough to protect us from invasion.

Like all great civilizations before us we are on the brink of collapse and everybody seems to busy to notice.
 

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 14, 2006
19,576
113
63
Vancouver Island
It's quite horrifying to know that, we in this country and all wealthy countries, are
killing ourselves from obesity and poor diet, and far too much food, and in
the countries that have little food they are dieing from starvation, go figure.
It would be so easy to balance it all, but no one ever does that, we just get more
and more, and want more, and 'they' keep dieing from hunger.
 

Unforgiven

Force majeure
May 28, 2007
6,770
137
63
Nature finds a way. Consider those who will not be able to afford fruit and vegitables should all the bees die off. That ought to take some wind out of the sails of the human population juggernaught.

I don't see where anyone is having their wealth taken away so that it can be given to some morally decrepit lay about.

We live in a society of civilized thought and action. Exceptions aside, it's the reason for the "success" we have as a species. By taking from those who have more than enough, and distributing that to those who don't have enough, we close the gap on those falling through the cracks and those managing to get by. Probably one of the nobler things we do as a speices.

I submit the government gives you freedom in some aspect or another.
 

Niflmir

A modern nomad
Dec 18, 2006
3,460
58
48
Leiden, the Netherlands
There is a concept known as Pareto's principle which states that 80% of the goods in society are produced by 20% of its members. Similarly, 80% of the remaining goods are produced by 20% of the remaining members and so on.

Of course if you just stop at the first iteration, 80% of the people in this world aren't really doing any work.

The tools of mass production cause the lack of necessity of some individuals. Clearly if 20 people can feed, clothe and shelter 80 then 60 people are getting a free ride. Might as well let them sing some pretty songs.
 

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
22,832
7,780
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
I'm of two minds on this subject. It changes based upon my growing older
(& hopefully wiser) and what I'm doing for a living. Currently my opinion is
fairly close to Unforgiven's in that my current occupation insulates me from
dealing with this topic in an "in your face" sort of way. It wasn't always that
way though.

I spent a lot of years working in the "Rent to Own" industry back in the day,
and had a very different attitude as I chased people and product around &
around. People who didn't have to work, and could devote much of their
time not spent sleeping or breeding or party'n....to avoiding me.

I know people who still have the attitude I use to have, who are currently still
in the "Rent to Own" industry or work in the retail market (Grocery stores,
etc...) who just hate the treatment they're going to get (while scooping in $$$)
three banking days before the middle & end of the month, & Baby Bonus Day.

Though I'm out'a that rat race, to this day I still don't look forward to the 20th of
each month, 'cuz the stores fill with the two day millionaires, and the night is
loud and crazy with drunken idiots. This next 20th in August falls on warm
weather & a New Moon, and in the middle of a work week (a Wednesday)
for many of us. Oh well. It's the system that we have, and without it things
would be worse...
 

AnnaG

Hall of Fame Member
Jul 5, 2009
17,507
117
63
Me, too. We have water, good land tyo grow our food on, good land to gather food from, and we make some money to pay for a few things and contribute taxes to a society that does little for people like us. But we hope at least what we do pay in taxes (at least partially) does help others.
 

Cannuck

Time Out
Feb 2, 2006
30,245
99
48
Alberta
I hate to shine sunlight on people's drizzly day but I think things are getting much better. I do believe we are shifting away from an industrialized society and our desire to hang onto the status quo is what causes most of our grief. We will eventually make the complete turn and we'll look at the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries like people today look at the dark ages.
 

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
36,362
4,336
113
Vancouver Island
Profound short paragraph

You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the
wealthy out of prosperity.

What one person receives without working for, another
person must work for without receiving.

The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work
because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other
half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is
going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of
the end of any nation.

You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."*

* Adrian Rogers, 1931*
This is what happens whenever we are so unfortunate to get a socialist government. They insist on killing the goose that laid the golden egg and can not fathom why the goose quit laying.
 

bobnoorduyn

Council Member
Nov 26, 2008
2,262
28
48
Mountain Veiw County
I don't see where anyone is having their wealth taken away so that it can be given to some morally decrepit lay about.

Huh? You obviously haven't been paying attention in class. That has been the "Canadian way" since Trudeau got elected, you remember him, he drove across the country on a motorcycle wearing a German helmet protesting our involvement in WWII.

By taking from those who have more than enough, and distributing that to those who don't have enough, we close the gap on those falling through the cracks and those managing to get by.

And who decides who has more than enough? Oh, right, government, the guys with the German helmets. You really trust them don't you. Or worse yet, the Soviet sympathisers who greet you Здравствуйте Товарищ, Stalin had it down to an art. There will always those who have more, but in your case it will just be the ruling class, not the productive class.

I submit the government gives you freedom in some aspect or another.

Not on your life; governments may protect freedoms in the beginning, but they eventually retract and start to restrict freedoms in order to protect themselves, that is the nature of the beast. The people have to control government, not the other way around. It is a delicate balance, but to ensure freedom we do have to restrict not only government but our own desire for power over others.
 

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
41,035
201
63
RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia
There is a concept known as Pareto's principle which states that 80% of the goods in society are produced by 20% of its members. Similarly, 80% of the remaining goods are produced by 20% of the remaining members and so on.

Of course if you just stop at the first iteration, 80% of the people in this world aren't really doing any work.

The tools of mass production cause the lack of necessity of some individuals. Clearly if 20 people can feed, clothe and shelter 80 then 60 people are getting a free ride. Might as well let them sing some pretty songs.

Define work. And then define the purpose of life.
(You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the
wealthy out of prosperity.
) This is of course the wishful thinking of the rich who can most definitely be legislated out of prosperity-----on a regular basis if necessary.