Ask a Communist

Jun 11, 2007
21,095
20,214
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
...I have little time for 'good intentions' or naive and vague social justice. It's easy to say things should be better, things can always be better. The real test is how you will do that and what you plan on changing too...

I like the direct honesty in your post, but your aversion to 'good intentions' leaves me a bit confused. Surely good intent is the basis for every positive societal decision? 'Maybe it's 'informed good intent' that you mean. Naïve and vague social justice' I think I understand as an uninformed, one-sided approach to issues of social justice. I can agree with that because it serves no real purpose if you don't fully know what you're opposing, nor the grounds on which it can be fought. Why is it happening, and why is it wrong?

For sure, you've got to know what it is you're unhappy with, and you've got to know how you want to change it with a minimum of grief within the community at large. 'Things are s**t'. 'WHY are they s**t?' Answering that question of WHY is the first step towards finding solutions - and therein lies the challenge. The 'real test'. Far greater social thinkers than me have scratched their heads over it - I've had a go in this thread, and at least my thoughts are out there. The social engineering aspect of it, all the while being mindful of personal freedoms, will take time.

History tells us 'Everything must change at once. NOW' is the wrong way to go, though. That much we've learned.
 
Jul 19, 2005
14,271
10,466
Perth
AFL Club
West Coast
I like the direct honesty in your post, but your aversion to 'good intentions' leaves me a bit confused. Surely good intent is the basis for every positive societal decision? 'Maybe it's 'informed good intent' that you mean. Naïve and vague social justice' I think I understand as an uninformed, one-sided approach to issues of social justice. I can agree with that because it serves no real purpose if you don't fully know what you're opposing, nor the grounds on which it can be fought. Why is it happening, and why is it wrong?

For sure, you've got to know what it is you're unhappy with, and you've got to know how you want to change it with a minimum of grief within the community at large. 'Things are s**t'. 'WHY are they s**t?' Answering that question of WHY is the first step towards finding solutions - and therein lies the challenge. The 'real test'. Far greater social thinkers than me have scratched their heads over it - I've had a go in this thread, and at least my thoughts are out there. The social engineering aspect of it, all the while being mindful of personal freedoms, will take time.

History tells us 'Everything must change at once. NOW' is the wrong way to go, though. That much we've learned.

Its also been the source of a lot of terrible societal decision. What separates the good from the bad? The intentions were the same its the application that failed.

From the most naivest of students to the most extremist religious cleric each has the view that the changes they want to make to society will to the benefit of said society. They all have the 'best intentions.'

Hence why I don't value 'good intentions.' They are ultimately irrelevant its the application and outcomes that matter. So that's what I focus on.
 
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Aug 27, 2006
29,750
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Perth
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Other Teams
Royals & Subi
Good intentions are socially and historically relativistic, but that doesn't debase the value of positive decision making.

Humans measure outcomes of determinism and thus rely on whatever limited understandings we have at any one point in time, thus the value of hindsight is actually less useful than whatever positive actions we make (good intentions). What is undetermined is actually more important, because it's something that we as individuals and as a society haven't comprehended and often it won't be observed without those people changing the world on the back of "good intentions".
 
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CountryRace

Norm Smith Medallist
Suspended
Oct 25, 2014
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https://archive.org/details/WarIsARacket
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Fremantle
Why hasn't been successful?

Paris Commune? china? russia?

very loaded question

why has consumer-capitalism never been successful? perhaps it has for a select few, but for the majority? or the best well being of the earths resources and health?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutocracy

vPPHIHx.jpg
 
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The Coup

Premiership Player
Sep 4, 2014
3,641
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Capitalism is "more efficient" though
 

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Coup

Following up on the other thread. What is the difference between a state capitalist and a communist nation. Can you provide 3 communist entities in modern times? and why would state capitalists call themselves communist?
 
Nov 9, 2010
2,262
2,223
de_dust2
AFL Club
Gold Coast
Heading to Havana Cuba tomorrow for 4 nights. Field me some questions about the place and I'll endeavour to answer then based on my experience.

On a separate note I just had a chat with a lovely Canadian about the burning man festival which seems to have a strong socialist and community theme. Her impressions are that as it has grown over time more and more people have become 'selfish' and that it is slowly selling out. Just an interesting comparison to draw.
 

CountryRace

Norm Smith Medallist
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Oct 25, 2014
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Nov 9, 2010
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de_dust2
AFL Club
Gold Coast
Since you posted that video I don't recall disagreeing with you. In fact all I asked was whether you have a job. Funny how you're getting very defensive about it.
 
Nov 9, 2010
2,262
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de_dust2
AFL Club
Gold Coast
Not really no. I broached the subject on govt a few times initially but noone really wanted to talk about it. There was a local joke i heard from two separate people though which I found rather poignant.
They said to me something along the lines of " 14 million Cubans man, 10 million police."
 

not a warmonger

All Australian
Apr 27, 2015
861
193
AFL Club
Richmond
Not really no. I broached the subject on govt a few times initially but noone really wanted to talk about it. There was a local joke i heard from two separate people though which I found rather poignant.
They said to me something along the lines of " 14 million Cubans man, 10 million police."
what did they say about the embargo?
 
Nov 9, 2010
2,262
2,223
de_dust2
AFL Club
Gold Coast
The sentiment was that things would improve. There were no in depth conversations however and my Spanish is intermediate at best.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
 
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