Otherwise, we might as well start conversations about the color of the sky :s — Agustino

What’s wrong with that?

Not only morally just but also urgently required. The planet is severely overpopulated.

In your view, what is the key to this mental resilience & mental energy? — Agustino

A hyperinflated sense of self-importance mixed with total disregard for the feelings of others.

The idea is that, so many voters being relatively stupid, the better educated voters should get more votes — Cuthbert

Better educated doesn't necessarily mean less stupid.

I believe my point is in line with a Marxist view — frank

That doesn't make it any more valid.

The social upheaval that produced our norms was fueled by money. — frank

It was fuelled by complex socio-politico-economic factors. Science, dissemination of knowledge and technology also played an important role. Capitalism did not create us.

freedom to operate as they please, disobey the rules and pay little to no tax.

you'd have to argue against the protections afforded to corporations. — Benkei

Socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor.

actually, I'm not sure about orang-utans. Are they social? — andrewk

Very! Have you tried chatting them up?

How long does it take you to type all this crap stuff?

cuddly and factual

there is and you are in it

you’re so mean :gasp:

but I love this version :worry:

called the Fetish Priest — Sir2u

That explains the behaviour of many priests.

yes, that one.

Why is the poll so broad? — Purple Pond

Because this forum’s software allows only three categories.

box — CuddlyHedgehog

Circle rather

Please tick the box unless you’re in the first group where there’s no box. Don’t blame me, I didn’t design this thing!

I think you’ve added an extra 0 by mistake

How's this — T Clark

irrelevant

I thought you were referring to the almighty american "shopping mall".

I thought shopping malls were an all-American ethnic idiosyncrasy, no?

*sigh* genius.

A large proportion of tradition consists of ritualistic and ethnically idiosyncratiocratic routines that serve no practical purpose. They are merely a lazy, mindless, unquestioned adoption of regurgitated beliefs and conventions that get in the way of free thinking and innovation.

I see, the old tit for tat strategy.

Please elaborate on how you associate creativity with lack of standards and individualism with selfish narcissism. Harsh and inaccurate representation of both in my opinion.

But the ordered sequences are man-made and arbitrary, there is nothing different about them to any other sequence. Only we as humans see patterns in them. We only colour them red in our mind as we are used to them being in that order. They are all white to the number selection device.

Don't we then sacrifice creativity and individualism for the sake of social conformity and acceptance?

Stability, and also if something works, no need to change it. — Agustino

Something new and different might work better. Just because things have always been done one way it doesn't mean it is the right or best way.

Why do you think it's not? — T Clark

Because it's never happened.

How large does the sample need to be to become suspicious? I would have thought "all lottery draws ever" should be a large enough sample?

.

Let's play nicely, folks, or posts will start disappearing. And not supernaturally either. — Baden

.and that would be a great loss.

But then again, I assume that's just an opinion for you. — ssu

Which one? You mixed opinions with a sprinkle of facts to make it look more robust. Failed.

Questionable credentials. You cannot prove a point by quoting someone's opinion.

"Country X has done this bad thing" - "Meh. The US is responsible for far worse!" — ssu

This is not the argument. One wrong does not justify another. The argument is that the US cannot play the moral judge who steps in to put things right and restore order when its own track record is as despicable if not worse.