If there are no prospective adulterers among the membership - people who can be encouraged or enabled to commit adultery - then it is very difficult to see who could be defrauded. — photographer
*facepalm* Yes let's see... what comparison is there between people who want to kill others because they have different beliefs, and I who want to punish those who do injustice unto others, who abuse others, and who deceive others? If protecting people from being swindled, decieved, and abused is what you call being similar to ISIS, then I feel sorry for you.On a side note, I'm having difficulty separating your caliphate from ISIS, except on the basis of tactics. — photographer
If you're so concerned about anti-social behaviour you might equally argue that prospective adulterers aren't deserving of protection from fraud. — photographer
Ashley Madison is headquartered here in Canada. I'm not sure what you're suggesting, but I don't see our current Liberal government prosecuting them or supporting extradition to the U.S. under what would be a law which would in essence be the legislation of morality (and directly contravening the first amendment and our charter of rights and freedoms). — photographer
What exactly does "live and let live" mean to you? — John
Yes - but it's also culturally dependent to at least a large degree - even though so far in this thread I've argued it's completely culturally dependent for philosophical ease of argument. Some things may not be culturally dependent such as torturing members of a minority just for fun is wrong, regardless of whether it is accepted by a large majority. But a lot of issues, (such as headscarves being mandatory for women) is culturally dependent and should be allowed to be so.Also, do you not agree that there is necessarily a limited range "of acceptable values" (when it comes to any kind of human intercourse at least) if the aim is to live together in a civil-ized fashion? — John
I agree, that has been my whole argument as well.What I think you are failing to see is that an oppressor is one whose ethics are enforced upon others. — John
I disagree that this is the base assumption of right-wing politics, at least in the manner I think of it. If it were - then I'd agree with you. I think the base assumption of right-wing politics is to live and let live, whereas left-wing politics attempts to force everyone in a single pattern of acceptable values.For me this is the essence of the right wing base assumption; that might makes right, that you may exploit others to your heart's content if you remain within the law — John
You make a claim, that is it ethical for a society to kill gay people if a culture happens to enforce it, but then do everything to deny that's what you are actually saying, even as you proudly continue asserting it. — TheWillowOfDarkness
Yes - also by definition that is not an "advantage". If me and a fellow worker should both be earning 5$ because that's what our work is worth, and I trick management to pay me 7$ while paying him 3$, then the resolution of this is not in him gaining an advantage - since a priori his salary should have been 5$, which is what it will become. In this case, he gains justice, and I lose my unfair advantage.What I mean is that, when one group has power over another, the removal of oppression takes this away. The oppressed group gains something they did not have before. By definition, the oppressed gain an "advantage" compared to be they had when oppression ends. — TheWillowOfDarkness
A process that is by its very nature oppressive and conflictual, as the working class is supposed to overthrow the capitalist class and impose its values on them - thus creating values which are universal, as Marx put it (that is in fact how Marx attributed universality to those values - a universality achieved by the fist). In the process, of course all family values will be overthrown - the family will be removed as a social structure - and we're all going to be forced to live in "free love", sharing our lovers with the whole rest of mankind, because we are now all equal. In the process we will all become like isolated islands, who sometimes touch, but never for long. Of course, I'm most certain that our nature will not interfere with us while we seek to achieve this - I mean how dare our instinct to exclusivity with our lovers interfere with our socialist dreams? And even if it does, it's easy - all those in whom such an instinct dares to manifest must certainly suffer from some type of mental illness, and thus they deserve our pity and "help". Afterall, our scientific studies, that we have done amongst our healthy-minded (which of course means socialist) circles, prove that such instincts and desires are most unnatural, and certainly an abnormality. People displaying them are simply the victims of capitalist oppression... After we "help" them, they will will surely realise the magnificence of the socialist dream. And on an economic level - how dare someone desire to have something his neighbour doesn't have? I mean isn't that the most selfish, and unnatural of desires, born out of capitalist oppression? On a cultural level - how dare someone want to play a game which has winners and losers? Surely such people deserve our pity and "help", then they will certainly see the glory of our socialist dreams. They will be dignified working and owning their own labour, and everyone will be satisfied with what they have - our games will have no winners and no losers, and now everyone will be entirely equal and will not be haunted by emotions of oppression.Socialism is a process: not an event, not a political party, not a person. What Marx was talking about was the self-liberation of the working class. Lots of amped up and impatient people want to skip over all sorts of necessary steps and jump-start the Revolution. The revolution of the working class can not begin until the working class is ready to do it en masse by and for themselves. — Bitter Crank
Yes, welcome to reality - this is what is required to achieve your socialist dream. You just do not have courage and do not want to be pragmatic about the issue. How else, if not through oppression, could the Marxist values ever become universal?Ghastly dictatorships, rule through violence, ruthless exploitation of human resources, genocidal drives (or, at the very least, ethnic cleansing) and so on all have many exemplars. Workers' self-liberation through revolution, not so much. — Bitter Crank
Stalin was worse than Hitler. At least Hitler had an agenda - Stalin just ordered a certain percentage of the population from X region to be killed and signed the papers himself. For no reason, except his own paranoia. The difference between Hitler and Stalin is the difference between evil and insanity. Insanity is worse. But yes - poor Marx - he had always failed to realise the opposition that our nature has towards socialism - but Stalin knew it. He did what was required in order to change our nature and achieve socialism. He should be the hero of all socialists as he dared do the only thing that was necessary to achieve the socialist dream. Long live comrade Stalin!!Stalin was despicable. If he wasn't quite as bad as Hitler; even if he was a lot better than Hitler, he was still appallingly cruel, vicious, paranoid, ruthless, and drenched in blood. Maybe Soviet methods needed to be ruthless, cutting as many corners as they were on Karl Marx's idea for workers self-liberation. Russia scarcely had a working class when the Soviets opened up for business, so a lot of ground had to be skipped over (meaning, lots of people had to be forced to cooperate or be shot) — Bitter Crank
Political allegiances are like tastes for certain kinds of food, or aesthetic taste in general. When you 'argue' with a leftist you each valorize your own tastes. All philosophical positions of any kind are based on starting assumptions which are themselves not rationally justified; they are accepted as axioms. When it comes to what is accepted as axiomatic by political disputants, what is 'self evident' to each one is arrived at by 'what feels right' to them, in other words it is biased by their conditioned preferences; into which many complex influences feed. A persons taste in food, clothes, even art, is not much of a moral matter; we might find certain things others like in these areas distasteful, even disgusting, but when it comes to politics, including sexual politics, it is much more closely aligned with the ethics of human life in general. There are no serious discussions going on in this arena, just the usual mud and meme-flinging.
I don't have to justify my preference for left wing values; I simply have an emotional preference and consequent feelings of support for dispositions of compassionate concern and love of freedom as opposed to dispositions of malicious or indifferent exploitation and domination. For me it comes down to aestheticization of ethics, as it did for Nietzsche. — John
"Maslow described human needs as ordered in a prepotent hierarchy—a pressing need would need to be mostly satisfied before someone would give their attention to the next highest need." — Bitter Crank
There is room for conservative ideology to justify interference and harm on the grounds that the group being interfered with and harmed is not included in the group to which the rights apply (note: this is not exclusive to conservatism) — Soylent
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/hitler-and-the-socialist-dream-1186455.htmlHitler wasn't much of a socialist.
True, early on he took over a little German political group which maybe had some socialist-type intentions, but that was more opportunist than anything else. The neglect of socialist programming became a small issue in the National Socialist German Workers' Party (German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, abbreviated NSDAP), AKA, the Nazi Party. — Bitter Crank
This presupposes that there is a way not to harm anyone while resolving this problem. I argue that the majority of the people in that community feel harmed by homosexual practices because this goes against their cultural values. Therefore, such practices are outlawed. However, out of compassion for homosexuals, the only remedy is for a society which appreciates them, and can truly provide a satisfactory environment for such individuals to flourish to take them from the society which is incapable, due to other commitments, to do this for them.While this seems like a sensible response, it ignores a potential (and potent) harm of social and psychological displacement. It shouldn't be expected that a person is asked to leave friends and family in exchange for security. The two needs (social and safety) are basic needs, and a society that fails to meet the basic needs of individuals in that society loses legitimacy (from within). — Soylent
Again - this doesn't follow. I may have the ability to express myself freely right now, and therefore make use of it - but it doesn't follow that I necessarily must believe that I SHOULD have such an ability to begin with. In my previous post I was just saying that I agree with you - I value the ability to express myself, and I think others should have access to it - but I'm not in a position to impose this upon other communities, who decide on different values.is that the ability to freely express one's opinion either way would itself be made impossible in certain cultures/countries. Therefore, by merely expressing your opinion, you have rejected said cultures and so cannot be inclusive to all of them. Some of them must be destroyed in order for you and others like you to live. — Thorongil
This needs to be argued.Yes, but I'm not beholden to everything Socrates allegedly said. His cosmopolitanism is worth keeping, whereas his other positions can be argued over on their own terms. — Thorongil
I think free societies have an obligation to protect their citizens, and so to the extent that oppressive societies seek to increase their strength in order to subjugate them, etc. they have a right to take action to stop this from happening. So yes - by and large, I agree with you here.Yes, morally bankrupt societies usually don't survive long, but they often attempt to bring down everyone and everything with them when they implode. Free societies have an obligation to prevent atrocities and protect the people living under barbaric regimes. — Thorongil
What do you mean are historically speaking left? Could you provide some examples please? Thanks!I know in today's completely warped political discourse, those who would be in favor of greater military action are alleged to be on the right, but in fact, and historically speaking, this would be a leftist position. — Thorongil
Justify both statements please.There are only memes here; and the memes of the left are by far the more palatable. — John
Agreed."By their fruits you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" Matthew 7:16 — John
Yes, because unlike you, many of the other Leftists here are willing to be rational and discuss this issue openly. You just want to impose your views. I'm going to stop addressing your posts until you bring in some real content. Thanks for whatever participation you could offer to the thread so far Landru. But I don't think it helps either of us to continue our discussion - you obviously have an extremist view thinking that the right is always evil and wrong, and, while I respect you and your view, I would kindly ask you not to impose this on me.I'm not aware of any "leftist" who does this but me, regrettably. — Landru Guide Us
This has been a long thread, so perhaps I have missed it, but how exactly are you defining who is a "leftist" and "rightist?" — Thorongil
Me too. Which is why this is the first (and probably the only) political thread that I'll engage in, in both PF and TPF.I loathe these discussions, as I said before, precisely because I find these categories woefully inadequate and rarely defined by the people who use them. — Thorongil
Ok.Nevertheless, I would probably categorize myself, in the very broadest sense, as a classical liberal in the vein of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Jefferson. — Thorongil
I disagree that Proudhon's ideas of socialism are practical. The vast majority of mankind can never ever achieve the moral perfection necessary to thrive under such freedom. Therefore, there must be rulers - preferably as Plato said - philosopher Kings. Sure - they will prevent them from ever reaching moral perfection - but then, the masses could never do it to begin with. At least this way, those who can achieve moral perfection, and who wish to strive for it, can do so, and are respected for so doing.Though I diverge economically from classical liberalism towards some form of socialism or mutualism (like Proudhon's idea) — Thorongil
I would call you right-wing. The only reason why I have some reservations is because of Proudhon and the fact you seem to, at least to me, think that the masses can achieve the wisdom of sages - otherwise there would be little debate about it.So based on all this, would you consider me a leftist? If so, why, and if not, why not? — Thorongil
↪Agustino But that's shown to be utterly wrong throughout history. We've had regimes, for example, that locked-up, murdered and otherwise ostracised gay people for fucking centuries. — TheWillowOfDarkness
If a an oppressed group doesn't gain "an advantage" they are still oppressed. — TheWillowOfDarkness
No, conservatism is fueled by wealthy oppressors, intent on exploiting others. They are pathological. — Landru Guide Us
In any case, the whole purpose of conservatism is to exploit others and enrich the rich - kind of like slave owners. — Landru Guide Us
Isn't it odd that of all the problems of the world, including the vast oppression of minorities and the poor by the rich, Agustino has decided the the most important issue for him is defending the right of oppressive regimes to discriminate against gays. Now that's a noble cause. — Landru Guide Us
This is another conservative trope: say something and then say you didn't say it, looping back over and over again. — Landru Guide Us
You defended the right of oppressive regimes to discriminate and bemoaned interference by goodgoody liberals in trying to stop them. You called this, amazingly, a "fundamental right". — Landru Guide Us
So stop pretending. It's clear you just don't like gays, and probably other minorities, and have hit upon the idea of noninterference with oppressive regimes (my that is so important!) as a justification. — Landru Guide Us
It's a matter of the logical expression of their understand an actions. The truth of how people are valuing and treating others is what matters. — TheWillowOfDarkness
So slaves can't expect the respect of slaveholder is they call them criminal and evil. — Landru Guide Us
In arguing it is right (i.e. moral) for certain society to lock them-up and kill them, just because those in power enforce such a rule. Even in the face of those living in the respective country expressing it is immoral. — TheWillowOfDarkness
but rather that their ideology is such that it advocates various minorities are of lesser value and that associate which does this is not of ethical concern (to the people living in it, I might add). — TheWillowOfDarkness
Just be honest and admit you hate and fear gays. Get it over with. You'll feel better. — Landru Guide Us
Yes, I can says conservatives are evil. Conservatives are pathological and hate the other. Eschew it before it consumes you. — Landru Guide Us
No, I don't. Hatred of peoples' condition is a sickness. Claiming discrimination against Jews is bad, but not against gays, is borderline pathological.
I'm glad you've exposed your ugly homophobic agenda. — Landru Guide Us
The students on the campus, many of them minorities, believe that. So I'm going to listen to them.
In addition to that I have heard enough of hateful conservative rhetoric to know it is all dog whistling intent on attacking minorities and inciting violence and discrimination. So bravo to those students for speaking out against the conservative bullies. — Landru Guide Us
Because people should be able to live in their own country without being persecuted for having gender preferences? History shows that when hatred and discrimination is allowed to hound people out of country, that country is probably going to find other people to oppress, even if that means going to war. — Landru Guide Us
Your post would have been well received by Nazis, who said the same thing about Jews. — Landru Guide Us
This is problematic. A nation's self-interest may not be sustainability at all costs - in other words, a nation may have certain desires regarding the form it wants to exist in which are more important than mere survival. For example, I can imagine an Islamic state having as prime goal the flourishing of an Islamic culture - this can mean a culture which upholds Islamic values and a measure they may want to implement is laws against homosexuality for example. So I suggest instead of disallowing them to do this, which can never be justified because no values are universal - other nations choose to help them in the following way: "We'll take your homosexuals and make them our citizens, and instead we want X reduction in tariffs on Y good". In this way, trade is helped, and both nations fulfill their values, instead of one nation imposing its values on the other. — Agustino
So now you're pretending to be reasonable after 30 posts dripping vitriol about the Left.
Won't work with me. — Landru Guide Us
Okay, give proof please, I'm willing to listen and give counter evidence to you.No you don't. That's a trope conservatives often use. — Landru Guide Us
