nonlnear: What does this statement mean? Sure the rate of media content production is accelerating, but what is "development of human culture" exactly?
M: I want you to step out of your usual shoes and ask yourself if it isn't really obvious.
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n: Ah more pretentious condescension. I wouldn't have expected any different. I'll acknowledge that a few small "advances" have been made since the stoics, but about the only inkling of "progress" that happened in the twentieth century was the work of Ayn Rand. Other than that there are two sides of the statist coin selling
M: I wasn't being pretentious at all. I had no idea you couldn't think on such an elementary level or that you were so stuffed full of utter nonsense. I read Ayn Rand as a child and found her to be a total idiot. I understand why it must be difficult for you to see any progress because you yourself haven't made any. This, of course, is how it looks to me. I don't expect you will agree.
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M: Think of culture from the cave man to now. Has there been any progress?
n: PLEASE define the term first. On second thought I son't expect that you understand what a definition really is. The ace in the hole of post-modernism's iconoclastic derision of all definitions is they pretend they don't have to bother defining anything.
M: Here are some ideas you might play with:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_evolution
At least you will know, if nothing else, that a lot more is going on than Rand.
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n: Hmm...
Well you're obviously working hard to awaken love in this world. Keep up the good work you authoritarian lapdog.
M: You refer to a post in another thread you did not understand.
n: Cute. I actually agree with the original Biblical sentiment you were quoting in that thread. I am repulsed by your unjustified stretch from individual ethics to a government mandate, but that's par for the course for a collectivist.
M: Cute? Didn't I mention you didn't understand what I was saying? If you don't understand something you don't know whether it was cute. I even told Cyclo his idea that I was going from individual mandate to collectivism was wrong and now I am telling you. If you want some pretensions condescension here it is:
I was telling Cyclo I wanted to awaken his love, not so take his money and give it to others, not under government compunction, or religious for that matter, as in give add your cloak when somebody asks for your shirt, but to inspire him with proper action. You see, at that time I had to help him because he was the least among us. He was full of righteous indignation and bitterness of heart. He was full of ego and self promotion and the kingdom is entered only by children and the meek.
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n: Seriously, what do you even mean when you use such vacuous bullshit phrases as "cultural lead"? You rail on about these completely undefined bullshit phrases as if they are objective concepts. It is utterly laughable, especially in light of the fact that the "love" you apparently intend to spread throughout the world is simply putting an ideological bullet in the head of everyone who thinks differently from you.
M: I think a classically liberal society that values individual freedom and the sanctity of human life is superior to other cultures in the world today. You don't have to agree. And don't forget about tough love.
n: The irony is that you hold classical liberal society in total contempt, as you don't truly acknowledge the value of an effective freedom of conscience.
M: Do too.
n: Unconditional property rights are a necessary consequence of freedom of conscience.
M: You can call your own only that which you can take with you after a ship wreak.
n: Anything else is statist hypocrisy. I know that's a bold claim, so don't feel the need to refute it directly.
M: Refute it resmoot it. I would have everything you own in about two seconds owing to my enormous physical strength and fitness and combat training, were it not that you have united with other weak kneed assholes to create a state with law. Where the fuck is your mind?
n: I can lay it out in the context of a comprehensive political philosophy, but I'm only going to bother if you'll agree to do me the same courtesy in kind. I'll go first if you like. And yes, I mean a comprehensive political philosophy: from metaphysics to individual ethics to political philosophy, from axioms to case studies.
M: I'm all ears. Naturally, however, I can only imagine what you must mean by doing you the same courtesy. I, for my part, only act with the kind of courtesy I understand and if yours doesn't measure up to my standards I won't debase myself with a promise.
I already, with my first reply to you, decided to be courteous by entering into dialog. I found myself attracted to a certain something in your posts, not as in fly to shit, but as a bee to a rose. I only hope you're not too deeply programmed you can no longer be fertilized.