A century ago, William James described the need for an occasional external (or internal) motivating threat to the Body Politic as the "moral equivalent of war", for reviving the spirit of national unity, and the discipline to weather the disrupting storms. Later, Jimmy Carter gave that same label to the impending climate & energy crisis. Perhaps the current Pandemic has served a similar purpose, by challenging our national political unity, and our communal resolve to repel the threat. Unfortunately, the economy seems to have come through the crisis in better shape than the union. :worry:Every time the economy slowed down the US went to war; — Book273
True. At least Trump didn't go to war.Certainly, the last far-right winger to hold office (Trump) being truly derelict in his duty of public safety, by downplaying the pandemic and covering-up the medical science associated with same, ( recommending/suggesting the ingesting of bleach, not wearing masks, downplaying its impacts/being over as soon as it gets warm, ad nauseum), was there any sense of "communal resolve" and "political unity" in lying to the American tax payer about this? — 3017amen
I don't know what he has studied, but I definitely have heard news stories that our shores have lots of stuff piled up in shipping containers that hasn't gone anywhere. — TiredThinker
A friend of mine told me the pandemic has actually helped the U.S. economy in the sense that for a number of years we have created more products faster than we can export them and the accumulation has become an issue. Is this cool down a benefit until we can catch up and clear some space? — TiredThinker
James was both a Pacifist and a Pragmatist. Which means that, if we can't change the warlike nature of humanity, we must learn to live with it. Perhaps by channeling our aggressive instincts into less destructive activities -- such as win-win businesses. Ironically, Steven Pinker attributes our "long peace" (since WWII) to global trade -- due in part to the inherent morality of Capitalism. It's only when win-lose capitalists (I won't mention a recent example) fail to respect their trading partners, that war becomes a plausible option. :cool:Great point! William James (aside from being one of my favorite psychologist-turned-philosopher's) was also a self proclaimed pacifist. In your view, how did he reconcile his pacifism with the so-called human need to fight wars? — 3017amen
True. At least Trump didn't go to war. — ssu
Yes. That's why I am a Militant Moderate.One obvious takeaway was the lessons in extremism (both sides). With few exceptions, we need more moderate's in both our political and religious institutions. I think Aristotle was right — 3017amen
I just noticed that, in The Moral Equivalent of War speech, William James came to the same conclusion, to explain why major wars are becoming fewer & farther between, that Steven Pinker discovered in his historical research, a century later. Human nature hasn't changed so much, but human culture has made war & conquest a less attractive way to obtain resources, than peaceful trade. :smile:Perhaps James was right, concerning the human condition, — 3017amen
Human nature hasn't changed so much, but human culture has made war & conquest a less attractive way to obtain resources, than peaceful trade. :smile: — Gnomon
That's why I am a Militant Moderate. — Gnomon
"Militant Moderate". Perhaps I should have used a smilie icon after that remark, to indicate that I was kidding. :joke:In layman's terms, are you saying you're an extremist? — 3017amen
Militant Moderate". Perhaps I should have used a smilie icon after that remark, to indicate that I was kidding. :joke: — Gnomon
As bruised & battered Rodney King plaintively pleaded : "why can't we all just get along". — Gnomon
Actually, I am mostly apathetic about polarized politics. That's because, in most cases, "I don't have a horse in that race". So, I don't have emotional attachments to the "things of this world". Ironically, my fundamentalist religious upbringing inadvertently gave me one philosophical meme useful for dealing with the chaos of the crazy world : "I am in the world, but not of the world". The image that suggests to me is of "hovering above the fray". — Gnomon
My position on most topics is vaguely somewhere in the middle of the range. I am OK with some Conservative positions and with some Liberal positions, but not with their polarized extreme end-states. Unfortunately, when the shooting starts, I get caught in the crossfire. :cool: — Gnomon
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