| ??? 05/02/07 08:08 Read: times |
#138438 - Where you sit determines what you see ... Responding to: ???'s previous message |
Craig Steiner said:
Craig Steiner said:
Huh? What makes me "so important?" Nothing. Did I say I was important? No, I didn't. My opinion on this matter is no more or less important than yours, but you seem to have no qualms about sharing your opinions. Is there some reason I shouldn't do the same? I'm sorry. Based on the above comment alone, I think I just "won" the exchange. Richard Erlacher said:
Based on your prior comments, one might conclude that you consider yourself above the "deer and antelope" in importance and, for that matter, above all other humans present and future as well. Ah, I misunderstood you. Yes, I think that I and every other human being on this planet is more important than deer and antelope. No, I don't think I'm more important than any other human being, present or future. OK, but why do you believe that? What is it you've done that makes YOU better than those deer or antelope, or that fly on the wall? Why is does that have more value than what these other "critters" do? Why, also, do you believe that your comfort and convenience is more important that that of those "critters?" Why is your comfort and convenience more important than that of countless other humans who will have to suffer becuase of the reckless abandon with which you and other squander the collective resources of the planet? Craig Steiner said:
I don't have 100 stamps in my passport. But the stamps that I do have are more than enough to tell me you're completely out in left field on this one. Richard Erlacher said:
If you're referring to your time in Mexico, you should probably consider that you were not part of the "mainstream" with 1000x the typical net worth of the citizenry. You lost me there. Corruption here (I happen to be on business in Mexico so "here" is Mexico right now) effects everyone at all levels. Not just the rich, not just the poor. Everyone complains about it and no-one can do anything about it. It´s systemic and pervasive. You don't escape it because you're rich. Net worth has nothing to do with it--though if you have a higher net worth, you'll be expected to pony up more for the bribe because you can afford it. I's suggesting that, sequestered among the top 5% in net-worth you really have no clue what the impact of corruption in a country is, since you only see the things the ultra-rich see. Endemic corruption in a country such as Mexico is accepted as reality because it's built into everything. As I said before, what's evil about corruption in the U.S. is that it's claimed to be nonexistent, so most people are not aware of it until you have a Chernobyl or an Enron. People in Mexico know it is everywhere so they're prepared for it. Here in the U.S. everyone denies it exists, and nobody prepares. Craig Steiner said:
Richard, I think you expect and look for the worst in everything, and that's exactly what you find--real or imagined. Richard Erlacher said:
I only expect humans to be as they are, which is incapable of doing "good" for the planet. The planet is a rock in space and it will continue to be a rock in space no matter what we do. I know "pet rocks" were a popular fad for awhile, but no-one was forced to buy a pet rock if they didn't want to. Now the environmentalists want us to treat this rock like it was something other than a rock. Yes, it's where I live. I'm more concerned about people doing good for other people, and that's something I do see often in every country I've been in.
Regards, Craig Steiner Sadly, everywhere you, or I, have been, what does good for one person or group generally does ill for another. It's not possible for man to do good, because there IS no good. There's evil and greater evil, though. I don't lose much sleep over such things. I try not to do things that adversely affect others, but it probably happens. I drive my car very little, and I try to generate a minimum of trash. I really don't worry that my excessive consumption and wasteful use of energy and reckless generation of pollutants, will ultimately prevent the existence of millions, or hundreds of millions of people. They're not that important. The people should prepare. They know what's coming. The folks who worked at Enron "must have known" something was amiss, yet they kept their savings in Enron stock. They got what they deserved, I think. Sadly, the guys who caused the problem "got away" with what they did and, even after they get out of jail, those who went, they'll still be phenomenally rich at the expense of the little folks who just tried to earn their pay. It's the same way with the folks who are messing with the CO2 content and heat content of the rock we live on. Sadly, the pigeons won't come home to roost soon enough to let them enjoy the fruits of their evil doings. That's what they're counting on. RE |
