Re: [Nolug] Who usually shows up for meetings?

On 12/08/08 12:32, Jeremy (mailing list box) wrote:
> B. Estrade wrote:
>>
>> Americans hold self reliance as a core virtue. This is not. "me, me,
>> me." It is rejecting the notion that we have a right to live in a
>> nanny state. That is not selfishness. I think you'll find most
>> Americans quite charitable and concerned for their fellow man.
>>
>
> There is a distinct point at which self reliance works to the detriment
> of everyone, include the self and morphs into absolute
> self-centeredness. And I'd argue that this country is fast marching to
> that point, and in some cases, has already crossed it (look at Enron and
> the more recent corporate scandals).
>
> The problem is for society to advance, you can't cling blindly to the
> self reliance dogma. Sometimes collective will and effort is required.
> In fact, much of what exists today was not accomplished through self
> reliance, including things like the Internet and the standards that we
> use every day in out jobs.
>
> When the concept of collective will and effort is blindly dismissed as
> promoting a "nanny state" or dismissed as being some socialistic or
> communist idea, then rational thought has left the building.

The problem is that it is impossible to define "collective will" in
the post-1960s "West".

-- 
Ron Johnson, Jr.
Jefferson LA  USA
How does being physically handicapped make me Differently-Abled?
What different abilities do I have?
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