Politics ought be about the common wealth. When it is about the wealth of this or that group, we are doing it wrong. — Banno

:up: :100:

Good quote of Chomsky :up:

You are just surviving, not living. Stay strong!

Dirty dancing with the Prime Minister 23% — Hanover

They covered it up :lol: probably the percentage is even higher :eyes:

We'll need to dig up stats on what 36 yr old (Finnish) women do. — Agent Smith

I think @ssu can help us in this topic. Anyway, this is what I found in a quick search in Google: WHAT DO PEOPLE IN FINLAND DO IN THEIR FREE TIME?

These are the statistics of what adult Finnish people do in free time:

• Reading books 56%
• Walking 49%
• Exercising in nature 48%
• Travelling abroad 36%
• Solving crosswords/sudoku 32%
• Travelling within Finland 31%
• Spending time at summer cottages 28%
• Self-access learning 27%
• Cooking as a hobby 25%
• Gardening 24%

Congrats to Danes and Swedes who escaped the euro trap! — Alkis Piskas

Agreed. I am jealous of Nordics. They have a very profitable monetary system. They do not depend on euro and their currency is good. I think the UK has always been clever in this context. They kept the Pound even when they were part of the European Union.

What does the average 36 year old (Finnish) woman do after sunset? — Agent Smith

Stay at home... I guess.

who've been hauling her over the coals forget that she's a 36 year old woman — Agent Smith

Are you insinuating she is still young to act as a drunk teenager? Despite the important fact that she is the PM I don't see her as "little girl"

This is what I can call "Democracy". People deciding on important matters of their country. — Alkis Piskas

Yes, completely agree. Democracy really works when the citizens are allowed to take part in important decisions.

I don't know what the consequences were for you of the transition from pesetas to euros. For us, they were quite bad. For a very long time, people could not realize the value of one euro and think in terms of the new currency because the old currency, drachma, equaled 1/340 = 0.003 euros! But I guess the same happened to other countries with a similar old-currency-to-euro rate. — Alkis Piskas

The consequences are pretty bad too. Here happened similar because 1 € equals to 166.6 pesetas. So yes the people got confused at the beginning.
To be honest I personally think that in economical affairs only Germany really got a big win inside eurosystem. We are different nations and we see the economy in different ways. For example your country and mine tend to depend a lot on tourism and food products. But Germany is pure industry so does wins a lot of benefits in the modern era. The Euro is made just for those countries not the Mediterranean fellas

Yes, you are right and I see your point. But I was referring to the type of language implemented. If you check logic premises they tend to be pretty hard to follow. This is why I wonder if it is more difficult to me to reach "truth" because I can't follow the logic rules.

It is not clear at all because the language used in logic is very complex. I can explain it to myself but how can I know that I am not wrong? This is why I don't tend to take part in threads about logic. The Language used like

p≡q is by definition (p⊃q)&(q⊃p)

Is difficult to follow and understand if you do not have basic skills inside logic.

I don't know however if that helps and how much. For us it helped a lot! — Alkis Piskas

Yes, at least the Royal family achieve stability. No more civil wars because the king the chief of the Army. There are some sectors of society who are not happy to live in a monarchy. But they are not big enough.

The last referendum we had in Greece was in 1974, about keeping or abolishing the Royal Regime!! And, as a really stupid, low-IQ country, we selected the second option! — Alkis Piskas

Yes, same. Our last referendum was in 1978 when the Spaniards voted for "democracy" but we never had the opportunity to vote about joining NATO or European monetary system. I even think that our national chambers do not matter at all because the European Commission and the European Central Bank have a lot of power in our domestic issues.
Well, it is a complex world and our nations clearly lost sovereignty when they joined European Union.

Government jobs: Make yourself rich by any and all means available, legal and illegal. While you're at it ,,, can you also please build hospitals, schools, roads, etc

I couldn't have explained it better... That's how politicians work and interact with the citizenship.

I don't know what country do you live in, but in Greece, where I live, the quality-of-life of the citizens is the last thing our politicians think these days.

I know how you feel Mediterranean brother. Here in Spain we live exactly the same situation.

I only see politics as a complex ownership. Most of the people who reach powerful positions - such as a ministry - are there for private issues and affairs. I am laughing right now because the PM of my country just approved five laws and he said: more laws for the majority!... Jesus. I want to ask him what is the "majority" according to his reality.

Excellent choice! Enjoy it friend! :up: :ok:

What if someone's purpose is to (suffer &) die à la Jesus of Nazareth? — Agent Smith

I even think suffering is inherent to us. It is not a "purpose" but a state of mind or at least an important chain of the human evolution and progress.

Religion is imagination without verification. — Yohan

:up: :clap: I couldn't have said it better.

"Electric-blue" aurora on Jupiter!

Jupiter's auroras look radiant in new James Webb Space Telescope images

as well as release (leak) of Putin's Bitch's embarrassing & damning tax returns – also (I hope) before the midterm elections – along with the J6 Select Committee's Preliminary Report. :clap:

My
Ass
Got
Arrested! — 180 Proof

:rofl: :death: That was a clever rhythm!

We are never totally, absolutely or actually free, are we? Freedom is something relative. — Alkis Piskas

Agreed. Very good thought :up:

"sense of freedom" has indeed a meaning. — Alkis Piskas

Which kind of meaning? Are you referring to politics or democracy?

You cannot predict if after the death of the dictator some other worse dictatorship could arise. — Babbeus

Well, this conjecture didn't even exist in the beginning. If we constantly wonder what would happen with the dictator we would end up in an infinite loop. I guess the debate goes further: is it worthy to kill a "dictator" because our negative thoughts on him would prevent a mass genocide?

Here I have seen that there are different opinions about whether you should consider
actual consequences
predictable consequences
intended consequences
likely consequences — Babbeus

Interesting, indeed. Thanks for sharing. :100:

One suffers doubly whenever one suffers without *purpose.
Thus, "value" manifest by habits (virtues) which reduce net suffering (disvalue). — 180 Proof

:100: :clap:

A glass half-empty kind of guy, eh? — noAxioms

No, just a hopelessness guy. I would see the glass completely empty.

It reduces one to being doped up on Heroin without end. — noAxioms

I think not. I always felt this feeling and I never had motivations to get some drugs. I just accept that is better to not make plans or "dreams". I try to survive not to live a life.

Nothingness is pure and poetic. Life tend to be fulfilled with unpleasantness. When an individual is aware of everything around him it has more chances of suffering pain due to conciousness.
But if you say to me that there is nothing after death I would take it as the pure freedom act. No more hate, disgrace, pain, disappointments, illnesses, etc...
For me nothingness after death is the real Nirvana. No more complaining about literally everything which "fulfilled" our lives.

Picture the nothingness is not scary at all. It gives a sense of freedom and rest. We have to face death and understand this natural process. Don't be scared and everything would be fine.
Mass suicide is worthless because suicide itself should be seen from an individualistic point of view. Killing myself could be a respectful and honourable act if I do not want keep living. I am not afraid of having this feeling when I become older.

that there is probably nothing in the afterlife, etc, and not feel bad about it, not lose motivation to live another day. — Skalidris

Why would we feel "bad" after thinking that there is nothing in the afterlife?

What would it mean to say Christianity is true? Is this a philosophical question or a historical/scientific one? Which version of Christianity would you want tested in this way? — Tom Storm

Good questions Tom :up: :100:

this isn't the ONLY time these partying videos have gotten out. I think last year was already was video of Sanna partying with artists (many the same group). — ssu

Wow she is recidivist... what a totally lost of hope towards her.

Some of Sanna's friends using the prime ministers residence information room to get cool photos. She first tried to say the pictures were taken at the toilet. Notice the same "Finland" sign and Sanna himself has acknowledged that they are genuine, which she regrets.) — ssu

Immature people having fun with Immature girl. Superb. If her "friends" get to easily to prime ministers residence... how can we know if a spy or enemy doesn't have the same chances?

But now we are here in the phase where she apologizes with nearly breaking up in tears ...and telling that Ukrainians have it worse. — ssu

Demagogy.

seppuku — Fooloso4

Nobody understands such honourable act. We live in another era. She doesn't fit in the way of Bushido. But it is ok and I respect it. Anyone is not able to maintain such level of loyalty and integrity.

How is she doing in that regard? — Fooloso4

We can be agree here in the fact that she is actually a good politician. But I personally think you are mixing some points. Being an "efficient" politician doesn't allow you to be immature or having private parties.
As I said previously: a public representative should not mixed their responsibility with private whims. I still think we have to expect from them more rectitude. If she doesn't want to be so "booooring" don't be a politician then

Arigato gozaimus — Agent Smith

ありがとうございます!

Philosophy is inherently critical. Any Christian philosopher worth their salt would put their efforts into disproving Christianity. — Banno

:up: :100:

The assumption by many seems to be 'politics is sober and serious, please don't have a life too.' — Tom Storm

I wonder who else is covered under this assumption, doctors, lawyers, Sunday school teachers? — Fooloso4

No, because those professionals tend to work in private institutions. They are paid by ownership fees or they are employed workers.
But a politician is a public representative of a state.. She is not an average lawyer or teacher she is de the damn Prime Minister of a country...

Then I hope you never gain any position of authority Javi.
I am glad Senna is a leader and you are not — universeness

Don't worry. I am confident with myself that modern society doesn't understand me.
I will never get to an authority position. I don't like politics

Are you typing that you would have fought for the Japanese in WWII? — universeness

Completely, yes. If the nation of Bushido ever required me to do so.

Or merely that you advocate for a society which promotes — universeness

This too.

Never forget how to dance Javi, — universeness

I hate dance and everything related to parties and music.

In the lead-up to World War II, and throughout the war, the Japanese government pushed an ideology called "imperial bushido" on the citizens of Japan. It emphasized Japanese military spirit, honor, self-sacrifice, and unwavering, unquestioning loyalty to the nation and to the emperor. — universeness

Completely beautiful. This is how a nation should move and progress. That text explains perfectly what I expect from a regular politician or public representative.

Do you wish to impose upon politician that which is imposed by such horrors as Sharia law, which also restricts woman in such ridiculous ways based on theistic nonsense. — universeness

Hmm... I guess I never quoted Sharia law or other "horrors" in this discussion. I only hope to have more decent and mature politicians. Simple.

I respect that, Javi, and I have read how important this is for you. Bushido - new word for me — Tom Storm

:up: :100:

:up: thanks Tom

I don't expect leaders to be perfect or to role play sober righteousness — Tom Storm

This is why I feel I was born in the wrong era. I see I am wrong but I literally expect from them righteousness, purity, honour, etc... more or less as samurai leaders were back then in Japan for example. The Bushido principle.

to be honest. — universeness

Completely. You are approaching to my point then