dagblog - Comments for "A short statement of basic principles "

I don't think I'll ever live

David Seaton — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 05:41:50 +0000

In reply to David, just curious, do you

I don't think I'll ever live in the USA again. I have my life here. When I vote, I vote on an absentee ballot. As to why I live here, that is too long a story to get into now, it was brought about by a problem in the family ages ago.

David, just curious, do you

AmericanDreamer — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:24:30 +0000

In reply to A short statement of basic principles

David, just curious, do you plan on living, or see yourself coming back to live, in the US again? Do you vote in Spain, the US, or nowhere? What prompted you to move to Madrid?

You probably answered those questions at the cafe awhile back but I didn't see what you wrote on that.

They especially noted how

David Seaton — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:23:38 +0000

In reply to I'm going to do a post on

They especially noted how much worse white working class people looked than five years ago.

I'm going to do a post on

David Seaton — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:35:38 +0000

In reply to A short statement of basic principles

I'm going to do a post on this sometime soon, but just a note about two friends of mine who (separately, they don't know each other) have just returned from the USA, where they took commuter trains and shuttle flights and they said the conditionsof the planes and the delays were like the third world... and of course their impression was that Americans were even fatter than ever, if that were possible... whole families riding around on little electric scooters, eating from huge bags of junk food, too huge to walk. Depressing.

First of all those in the

cmaukonen — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:24:11 +0000

In reply to A short statement of basic principles

First of all those in the upper socio-economic strata as well as those more intelligent have always looked down their noses at those below them to one extent or another. Judging those beneath or above them is as common as a case of the sniffles.

Second I believe this phrase applies. Noblesse oblige

That those who are better off have an obligation to those who are not seems to gotten lost some how and even acquired a negative connotation in some circles.

Hi David, Orlando. Your

mageduley — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:00:50 +0000

In reply to Yes, taking good care of the

Hi David, Orlando. Your conversation reminds me of an email story I got a while back:

An American tourist was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.

Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The tourist complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, "Only a little while."

The tourist then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"

The Mexican said, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs."

The tourist then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life."

The tourist scoffed, " I can help you. You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat: With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You could leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually New York where you could run your ever-expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"

The tourist replied, "15 to 20 years."

"But what then?" asked the Mexican.

The tourist laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions?...Then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

Yes, taking good care of the

David Seaton — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:21:55 +0000

In reply to So are these ordinary people

Yes, taking good care of the ordinary people is at the heart of my basic political principals.

Haha. Good catch. I have to

Orlando — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:12:05 +0000

In reply to So are these ordinary people

Haha. Good catch. I have to think it was intended and is, therefore, very clever!

I should have said that I

Orlando — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:09:00 +0000

In reply to I should be perfectly clear

I should have said that I don't necessarily think there is anything wrong with being classed as "elite", especially when it comes to intellect and the ability to solve problems. I think elitism and paternalism are separate phenomenon. And, when you restate your point in terms of setting a standard for meeting basic needs which no individual is allowed to fall below, I agree with you absolutely and with no caveats.

As Beetlejuice mentions below, the winner/loser/everthing's a game mentality is as destructive as it is immature. There is something healthy in competition, but, as with most things, taken to extremes it becomes toxic. Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck are case in point.

So are these ordinary people

Donal — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:02:02 +0000

In reply to A short statement of basic principles

So are these ordinary people your "basic principals?"