I am constantly amazed at the eloquent way that you write your posts and writing some of the things I would like to post myself. I dont agree with all your opinions and references but as I am much older I know that some world leaders have had their past white-washed. Having wrote that and looking at the dirty political washing being done in public perhaps I should have included all world leaders and politicians.
George Orwell in his parody of human relationships, Animal Farm, wrote “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” There will always be people that strive to be leaders. and others who will have leadership thrust upon them. (insert your favourite cliché here)
Its within the human being to be corrupted by power, and once tasted more power is wanted.
Unfortunately we must have rules and regulations, but often the makers of those rules become ambitious and a 'nanny state' emerges slowly and surely strangling the freedom of others. This is fairly typical of communist states and 'new left' organisations.
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Wow, thanks. I really appreciate that, it's especially nice to hear that others are pondering the same topics, makes it feel like i'm definitely doing what i'm supposed to be doing :-)
Any time someone says "always" with regards to human behavior, I have to disagree to some extent right off the bat, as the only thing humans always do is adapt. Everything that is referred to as "human nature" is actually just results of the society/environment is being adapted to.
The only way for rules to ever actually serve their desired purpose is for them to be voluntary, non-punitive, and apply equally to everyone who has agreed to them, versus the current model of a small group creating a rule, forcing others to obey it, and conveniently being immune to it themselves. Every form of statism operates in this same way.
You remind me of George Orwell AKA Eric Arthur Blair who went through many phases before realising that governments must exist to protect people from crime and injustice. He actually wrote in his book 'The Road to Wigan Pier', "I worked out an anarchistic theory that all government is evil, that the punishment always does more harm than the crime and the people can be trusted to behave decently if you will only let them alone." You have said that if you remember.
I was never a fan of Orwell, and personally believe that (whether intentionally or not) his book 1984 is part of the reason that the world is in the state that it is now.
Make up a story, make it seem possible from where we are now, then get MILLIONS of people to think those exact same thoughts, to visualize that same possible world... Guess what happens? It is manifested into reality.
There are plenty of ways to protect people and find justice that do not require theft, coercion, violence, and hierarchy (the most important one being healthy, nonviolent childhoods)
It may be required reading for the trainee dictator. Its amazing how many writers predicted (influenced?) the future. Chesley Bonestell managed to produce his idea of what the planets look like with astounding accuracy even before Sputnik was launched.
So very true. I remember reading some of Robert Heinlein's early work (30s & 40s) and being blown away by how accurately he described the functionality & appearance of the rockets that came 3 decades later.