[quote]John S. wrote:
[quote]Nominal Prospect wrote:
No they are’t and won’t, my friend. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that what you see on the internet corresponds to real world opinions and trends. Most people in the real world are still firmly stuck in the dark ages. They get their news from the pleasant, mixed-race news anchors on the tube, in between 30-second prescription drug commercials. As for young people, they don’t give a shit about news to begin with, unless it’s disseminated by “hip” counter-culture sources. The latter is practically synonymous with “left-wing”, of course.
Journalism is the most disgusting profession. The people involved with it are utter parasites who are far removed from the chain of productive labor which drives society. Moreover, listening to “the news” encourages masses of asses to develop opinions on matters which they are wholly unqualified to speak of. Monarchs in the old times were absolutely right to censor the presses. The common rabble ought to stick to their own affairs, which they are hardly capable of managing in the first place.
Democracy too, is repugnant. Under that system, miserable cretins are given equal voice and representation as productive citizens, to the great detriment of the nation.
Putting your hopes in the plebes - or the youth - is a surefire way to end up disappointed.
Most people in this country still don’t know who Ron Paul is. And they aren’t going to wake up tomorrow and find out. In an age of media over-saturation, it is very difficult to get noticed, harder still to be remembered.
It’s nice to see people like RP and Glenn Beck getting air time and mentioning the gold standard on major networks, but you have to keep in mind that media coverage doesn’t mean as much now as it did in 1996, or 1975. Practically anyone can get on TV now. That fact, rather than any ideological breakthrough achieved by the right, is responsible for the increased airtime given to such political dissidents.
Will this generation have front row seats to the second fall of Rome? I certainly believe it so. But will living through the disaster make them wise? Absolutely not, in my opinion. Our leaders wouldn’t have cause to push us over the brink, otherwise.
Here is how you break it down:
What is the consequence of disasters? Emotions are heightened. Negative emotions, that is.
Now consider that capitalism requires some degree of intellect to be understood and appreciated. It is not intuitive for most people. Even under the best of circumstances, most people on the street would be hard pressed to understand the basics of micro-economics in a laissez faire society.
So what happens when times are bad? As stated above, you get fear, panic, general malaise, as we’ve witness throughout this past year and will probably continue into the next. Not an environment conducive to fostering the intellect required to rediscover capitalistic virtues.
Another political maxim is that people will always vote for their own self interest over high minded principles, particularly in a democratic system (i.e. mob rule).
When things go downhill in this country we’ll get bona fide socialism, not capitalism. The latter system will, in fact, be blamed for the downfall, as it always is.
Look at public sentiment in Europe: People over there are far more educated than in the US, yet liberal and anti-capitalist to the core. And so are American liberals in the Northeast, where I reside. If the only people who support capitalism are uneducated, then that ideology is in trouble. Ivy Leaguers set governmental policy, not rural farmers from the Midwest.
Young people long to rebel but they inevitably do so in the stupidest ways imaginable. They are easy targets for manipulation by the establishment. When the fall comes they will be like sheep led to slaughter.[/quote]
First off I would like to say I do not believe the people in Europe have better education. Having had a few discussions on WW2 with people over in that area I can tell you that I am shocked at just how wrong they where.
We are going to watch all these entitlements fall apart. When social security really begins to die in 2015 or so, you really think this Generation of ME is going to just sit back and watch all that money taken out. Once they get affected by this trust me they will turn around. You talk about eliminating taxes and they will listen. And with the currency crisis that’s about to happen, there is no way to blame that on anyone but the Government.
Give us some time, we are coming around.[/quote]
More people have a decent education in Europe due to better public schools. That being said there are obviously private schools in the US that are equally good as the private ones in Europe. If you have a family with money it’s really not such a bad deal in the US, but if you don’t it is. It’s a great way to keep poor people poor and to lower the social mobility in a country. Most European countries have a lot better social mobility than the US, partly due to this.