Comments for The Mind of Swordsage http://jedimythos.com/wordpress Wed, 17 Aug 2011 02:12:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on Why would I want servitude? by freedomthistime http://jedimythos.com/wordpress/?p=6&cpage=1#comment-93 freedomthistime Wed, 17 Aug 2011 02:12:22 +0000 http://jedimythos.com/wordpress/?p=6#comment-93 I think actually pretty similar arguments are used to justify various forms of social hierarchy as well. Many people seem to say to themselves “I was born smart, my underlings were born dumb, so it’s my natural right to order them around and get paid loads more for doing so – and in fact it’s for their own good.” I find it interesting that the argument that people should be master or slave based on differences in race is mostly abhorred today, whereas the (very similar IMO) argument that people should issue or follow workplace orders based on differences in class is almost universally accepted as self-evident! Why is that? I’d say racism and classism aren’t so different, nor are slavery and wage slavery. I hope people in the future will have the imagination to extend your “set of ethics which acknowledges that no human being should hold subservience under no other human, no matter what excuses they come up with” to their workplaces. I think actually pretty similar arguments are used to justify various forms of social hierarchy as well. Many people seem to say to themselves “I was born smart, my underlings were born dumb, so it’s my natural right to order them around and get paid loads more for doing so – and in fact it’s for their own good.” I find it interesting that the argument that people should be master or slave based on differences in race is mostly abhorred today, whereas the (very similar IMO) argument that people should issue or follow workplace orders based on differences in class is almost universally accepted as self-evident!

Why is that? I’d say racism and classism aren’t so different, nor are slavery and wage slavery. I hope people in the future will have the imagination to extend your “set of ethics which acknowledges that no human being should hold subservience under no other human, no matter what excuses they come up with” to their workplaces.

]]> Comment on About time I started putting stuff in. by freedomthistime http://jedimythos.com/wordpress/?p=1&cpage=1#comment-92 freedomthistime Wed, 17 Aug 2011 01:22:30 +0000 http://jedimythos.com/wordpress/?p=1#comment-92 Fair enough, it figures from your youtube vids :-) Seems like maybe a lot of us are digging Chomsky at the moment: I was reading "Hopes and Prospects" on the train today and the guy stood next to me saw it and got pretty excited, started telling me how that book was brilliant and Chomsky was a hero of his! Makes you wonder how many "dissidents" there are out there... Fair enough, it figures from your youtube vids :-) Seems like maybe a lot of us are digging Chomsky at the moment: I was reading “Hopes and Prospects” on the train today and the guy stood next to me saw it and got pretty excited, started telling me how that book was brilliant and Chomsky was a hero of his! Makes you wonder how many “dissidents” there are out there…

]]> Comment on About time I started putting stuff in. by swordsage http://jedimythos.com/wordpress/?p=1&cpage=1#comment-91 swordsage Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:30:07 +0000 http://jedimythos.com/wordpress/?p=1#comment-91 Noam Chomsky is probably my favorite author and commentator when it comes to the topic of US imperialism and the specifics of governments and power in general. I've always appreciated how well explained and precise his observations tend to be. I also agree with your point: that when looking into the history of the US, one must separate the rhetoric from the facts. Noam Chomsky is probably my favorite author and commentator when it comes to the topic of US imperialism and the specifics of governments and power in general. I’ve always appreciated how well explained and precise his observations tend to be.

I also agree with your point: that when looking into the history of the US, one must separate the rhetoric from the facts.

]]> Comment on About time I started putting stuff in. by freedomthistime http://jedimythos.com/wordpress/?p=1&cpage=1#comment-90 freedomthistime Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:11:45 +0000 http://jedimythos.com/wordpress/?p=1#comment-90 It’s important to separate any rhetoric about “the ultimate champion of freedom” from the reality of US empire. I don’t think the US can justify its “claim on the advancement, or safeguarding, of humanity at large”, either in theory or in practice. Many nations have already lived through “a dark age of pain and suffering”, thanks to the brutal dictatorships the US has both helped to power and backed over the years as part of its imperial project (examples here: http://friendlydictators.blogspot.com/ ). Most of the developing world’s people will probably welcome any collapse of US empire, under the justifiable expectation that their prospects for freedom improve without a self-appointed “caretaker for the human race” financing their oppressors. Have you read any of Noam Chomsky’s books? They’ll give you the full monty on US imperialism. It’s important to separate any rhetoric about “the ultimate champion of freedom” from the reality of US empire. I don’t think the US can justify its “claim on the advancement, or safeguarding, of humanity at large”, either in theory or in practice. Many nations have already lived through “a dark age of pain and suffering”, thanks to the brutal dictatorships the US has both helped to power and backed over the years as part of its imperial project (examples here: http://friendlydictators.blogspot.com/ ).

Most of the developing world’s people will probably welcome any collapse of US empire, under the justifiable expectation that their prospects for freedom improve without a self-appointed “caretaker for the human race” financing their oppressors. Have you read any of Noam Chomsky’s books? They’ll give you the full monty on US imperialism.

]]> Comment on About time I started putting stuff in. by Bamboo4tameshigiri http://jedimythos.com/wordpress/?p=1&cpage=1#comment-88 Bamboo4tameshigiri Sat, 13 Aug 2011 18:17:25 +0000 http://jedimythos.com/wordpress/?p=1#comment-88 All empires eventually collapse under their own weight. I have been saying that for years. They grow too large and then spread their military too thin. This time we are also in an economic war. China has the US by the balls and pretty much calls all of our financial shots. The day they made corporations legal human beings was the final nail in the coffin of the American experiment. All empires eventually collapse under their own weight. I have been saying that for years. They grow too large and then spread their military too thin. This time we are also in an economic war. China has the US by the balls and pretty much calls all of our financial shots. The day they made corporations legal human beings was the final nail in the coffin of the American experiment.

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