The situation would improve if we succeed in abolishing the government school system, which is much more responsible for dumbing down that is prosperity.
For life and liberty, David Macko ----- Original Message ----- From: mark robert To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 11:39 AM Subject: RE: [Libertarian] "If you are explaining, you are losing" Jon, IMO, it's the old conundrum of prosperity in a high-tech society. Some of the results are counterintuitive and not so pretty. For those who wish, prosperity enables higher education; but for those who don't, prosperity enables a "dumbing down". In a large way, most people consist of the latter. Since technology improves the standard of living for everyone, including those who are less motivated, previous competence that was required for living in earlier times is no longer essential. In other words, as society progresses, more people can slack off without such severe negative consequences to them. A more prosperous society supports more incompetence because it can; OTOH, it is no longer "incompetence" since it's no longer essential. So there is nothing particularly wrong with most people no longer knowing how to milk a cow, but it might help explain a lot of frustrating social issues (esp political / constitutional ones). Some might call it an increase in "specialization" and "complexity". Others might call it an increase in "stupidity". The younger generation is generally dumber than the older, regarding basic knowledge and fundamental competence. Depending on how you look at it (or who you talk to), it's both the goal of civilization and its downfall. For most, the goal of the pursuit of happiness is NOT to work and study; it is to PARTY. It's one of those perfect dualities (if I'm using the word right), like the galactic black hole that is responsible for both "creating" and "destroying" everything. -Mark ************ {American jurors have complete Constitutional authority to vote "not guilty" based on nothing more than a disagreement with the case, no matter the evidence - despite the judge's instructions. There is absolutely no obligation to vote "guilty" to arrive at a unanimous verdict. Get on a jury, stand your ground, and fulfill its other main purpose: to counteract abusive government and unjust lawsuits. See www.fija.org [Please adopt this as your own signature.] } -------------------------- In a 2002 interview, retiring congressman J.C. Watts said, "Here's the problem with Washington: If you are explaining, you are losing." He was saying that public policy is being made on the basis of bumper-sticker slogans rather than careful, detailed deliberation, and not just among the electorate, but at the highest levels. If our survival ever depends on adopting complex solutions, we are doomed. This has an implication for candidates for public office. No one gets elected on platform planks that have to be explained, or that contain more an half a dozen words. People don't make their electoral decisions on the basis of issues, but on personalities or a sense of how the herd is moving. People don't want to have to think. -- Jon ---------------------------------------------------------- [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Home is just a click away. Make Yahoo! your home page now. http://us.click.yahoo.com/DHchtC/3FxNAA/yQLSAA/KlSolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> ForumWebSiteAt http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
