Can one's belief in personal ownership be an attachment, a hindrance to the mind's freedom?
It looks to me like it is, but perhaps we shouldn't argue politics and tax policy here? Rather than share my partisan arguments, let me simply state that reasonable people do disagree about these issues. Personally I am grateful to have been born into a society that believes in vaccination public schools voting research moon missions and the like. the society finds it sensible to pay me for tasks which are enjoyable and allow me to learn and to master myself, and that seems fine. I didn't create the society nor more than a bit of its wealth, so I don't feel like much more than a temporary steward of the assets I control. I do know not everyone shares such a perspective, and there's no profit in arguing. I speak to offer the lurkers the data that the idea of capitalism without a fixed idea of a personal self can take many forms. Yours in praeteritio, --Chris On Dec 11, 2012 8:52 AM, "R A Fonda" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > On 12/11/2012 11:01 AM, Joe wrote: > > I disagree with your "simply" statement. I find it simplistic. > > > That is unsurprising, as most people accept the idea that if a MAJORITY of > your fellow inhabitants of a territory agree to rob you, and divide the > loot according to a "democratic" procedure that it is no longer a crime, as > it would be if the recipients directly assaulted you on the street. > Actually, I see it as WORSE, because so much of that loot no longer goes to > the life needs of your fellow inhabitants, but is dissipated on WARS and > the kleptocrat cronies of the political elites. > > I know that people directly connected with tax payments and takings often > feel ripped-off, and say they do, > > > Imagine that; and do you find that unenlightened of them? > > It's a small point, which I extract from your appreciative comment about > a small piece of Subhana's teisho, but I think it betrays a > mis-understanding of the social contract on your part > > > I think it is a MAJOR point, but first let me comment on your innuendo > that I lack the intellectual capacity to develop my own views of such > matters and am influenced by > > a lot of pot-boiler AM radio in daytime in USA? > > > I NEVER listen to radio or watch TV, but I do confess to having been > influenced by* some* of what Lysander Spooner wrote, among others who > have given the "social contract" a lot deeper thought than you appear to > have. > > Does hatred > > > So I am a 'hater' because I want to dispose of my earnings according to my > own priorities, which includes *personal* acts of charity toward those I > have the karma to encounter? > > and lack of understanding of the social contract > > > see above > > pollute all the *rest* of your "politics", too? > > > Oh, absolutely: my feelings about personal freedom and government tyranny > certainly do "pollute" my views on the "social contract", but I don't > really have any "politics", as I despair of any improvement in the > sociopolitical sphere (regarding it from the perspective of evolutionary > psychology and seeing it as the manifestation of the population's genetic > propensities and capacities) and only hope to leave my family able to > survive the predicable collapse of this dystopia. > > It's an important point, RAF. > > > Oh, I agree that it is important, but don't think there is anything that > can be done to ameliorate it, except through personal acts of providence. > You may recall that the Buddha said everything was unfolding as it must. > > RAF > > >
