Ashley Olsen Spotted Sporting $39,000 Backpack By The Row

[The Brain]

I don't think there's anything wrong with crocodile skin. I'd like to see more of it.

[Drakken]

Contrarian buggers. 

[garbon]

Of course they're good things. But health care for everyone would be even better, and giving away all your money won't make anything change large-scale or big picture anyway. Sorry, perhaps this was not helpful but either I don't understand the question or you don't understand the answer.

So the individual doesn't need to do anything because the state operating for all would be better?

[garbon]

[Drakken]

[The Brain]

I'd fuck me. I'd fuck me hard.

[Pat]

Of course they're good things. But health care for everyone would be even better, and giving away all your money won't make anything change large-scale or big picture anyway. Sorry, perhaps this was not helpful but either I don't understand the question or you don't understand the answer.

So the individual doesn't need to do anything because the state operating for all would be better?

No, I don't wish for that extreme. I'm taking dialectical positions in my arguments and they need to be understood in their context.

As for your morality, Pat, you are surely damned by the heinous act of forcing me into agreement with CC. 

Fire. Die. Etc.

Edit: What really gets me about you and yours, Pat, is that you swear by ideology and you would pretend to hold "good" values yet when given the chance to act in a righteous manner, you simply don't. Not because of any weakness of character, but because you're simply too selfish. You are the worst kind of filth.

Well, what can I say? I forgive you for you wanting me dead. I don't wish you anything bad, even though I disagree with you. I think you're at your core a good person that's gone bad. A bit like in the Bible, you know? The devil being a fallen angel, and all that. But I don't think the devil should be feared, he should be pitied.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je8MXiwmNIk

[Ed Anger]

That is pimpin'. 

[Neil]

I'm probably a rather average person morally.

I rather doubt it.  The average person isn't a rapist.

[Neil]

I disagree. For a stronger person, a rejection of violence is not really reciprocal, any more than for a rich person an agreement to share wealth with a poorer one is reciprocal.

The reciprocity comes from what I would call a hypothetical solidarity - I will share my wealth with those in a worse situation than I am, on the account that had the situation been reversed, they would do the same for me. A social welfare system guarantees that, not human "good heart". Just as a strong law enforcement system guarantees the strong do not kill the weak - they do not do it out of pure morality either.

The strongest man in the world is just as susceptible to a knife in the liver or bullet in the brain as the weakest.

I understand the argument about the vagaries of fortune and chances of birth (I've studied Rawls too).  It breaks down a bit in the national setting, where most countries have already experienced examples of recipients of social insurance who are not as eager as prophesied to view it as a reciprocal system of insurance against misfortune but rather as one-way transfer.  And it's completely useless in the international context, where the currently starving Somalis who would stand to benefit from Ashley Olsen's $39,000 backpack being diverted to improving their lives can not be coerced into reciprocating once their lives have improved.

So it seems to me without the ability to coerce reciprocity, you lose the argument for the original coerced transfer.

That's really well argued.

[Martinus]

I disagree. For a stronger person, a rejection of violence is not really reciprocal, any more than for a rich person an agreement to share wealth with a poorer one is reciprocal.

The reciprocity comes from what I would call a hypothetical solidarity - I will share my wealth with those in a worse situation than I am, on the account that had the situation been reversed, they would do the same for me. A social welfare system guarantees that, not human "good heart". Just as a strong law enforcement system guarantees the strong do not kill the weak - they do not do it out of pure morality either.

The strongest man in the world is just as susceptible to a knife in the liver or bullet in the brain as the weakest.

I understand the argument about the vagaries of fortune and chances of birth (I've studied Rawls too).  It breaks down a bit in the national setting, where most countries have already experienced examples of recipients of social insurance who are not as eager as prophesied to view it as a reciprocal system of insurance against misfortune but rather as one-way transfer.  And it's completely useless in the international context, where the currently starving Somalis who would stand to benefit from Ashley Olsen's $39,000 backpack being diverted to improving their lives can not be coerced into reciprocating once their lives have improved.

So it seems to me without the ability to coerce reciprocity, you lose the argument for the original coerced transfer.

Ok, Yi. If your argument against helping this child:



is that it is unlikely to repay you back, then I really see no point discussing anything with you any further.

[Martinus]

I don't think there's anything wrong with crocodile skin. I'd like to see more of it.

Same. I think the bag is rather pretty. i think crocodile skin is fine on accessories - stuff like suits and coats are a no-no, of course.

[crazy canuck]

I could say something about you and your morals, except I know pretty much nothing about you, so who am I to judge?

If you were to do so you would merely be speculating what my morals might be while on the other hand you have explicitly expressed yours.

You were quite right to remain silent on the subject.

[Slargos]

hey marti. how do you feel about the fact that your monthly payment on your flat could feed that kid's entire vilage.   

[Neil]

Ok, Yi. If your argument against helping this child:



is that it is unlikely to repay you back, then I really see no point discussing anything with you any further.

FYP.