Isn’t it possible that there does not exist any form of government capable of providing protection and equality under the law to all its people?
Autocracy protects the autocrats. Democracy has actors that uses sophisticated Social Psychology research, statistical analyses and big money marketing to divide the average and less than average citizen against themselves. Communism is an idealism that possibly may be functional for small groups but not for counties as it always devolves into autocracy by those that lust for power.
So what is left? Maybe an enlightened dictator? Sure, that is a probable solution assuming one can find an enlightened person that acts within that enlightenment—one can be enlightened and still not act in enlightened manner—that remains enlightened throughout their reign and has an equally enlightened person to transfer power to at the end of their reign.
So what is the solution?
There is no solution as the problem is not a problem with politics but a problem with human nature.
I wrote the above as a comment on another substrack site dealing with dysfunctional political situation in the UK. I thought it may be relevant here.
I believe the construct of government grew out of the need to settle disputes in short. Land, property. Generally keep people from overwhelming others. Creation of a civilization or group of folks pulling the same direction. I think government and all laws are a brilliance of the human mind. An invisible net or structure of concepts to constrain and help. Even limiting the toils of war. They may not level the playing field but offer all sorts of protections. Protect the wealthy mostly.
Greeks did a good job and we still live in that world in many ways. There may have been civilizations before, all lost, all developed, all having some kind of government.
I think what I'm leaning towards is that people make the rules. The rules may over time become binding or need change but more troubling, there are problems within the society the rules aren't strong enough or thoughtful enough to fix, constrain individuals that are committed to destruction. We are there. What will happen as the infidels are banging at the gate or at gate from within to simply break it?
Change an entire durable working mode of government makes no sense when the problem is an individual or single smallish group. Especially when this group is funded and filed with passion from outside the country for outside the country benefit.
Changes to democracy might be considered in the more original form with votes being limited to certain class of folks with property and I think the idea really revolves around the notion of informed voters. Education being the difference in people rather than anything else. I'd rather see a deeper commitment to education of all a bigger priority.
Keep the democracy. Educate / change the uncooperative mind.
Sounds very controlling but the huge difference between a dictatorship and a true democracy is leadership choices made by one or small group and choices made by the majority of the citizens. Both however only work when there is agreement by overwhelmingly everyone.
What we're living through, again, isn't about civilization or government but about one group that is attacking the whole (civilization through the norms of our democracy, where the rules live) to break the whole. Presumably to then control the whole.
It's the infidels at the gate. Katie! Bar the door!
We are on the same side and I truly understand where you are coming from.
I’m currently watching a TV series called the GOOD WIFE which I missed when it came out and if you watched it you know one of its themes is political corruption. I confess to getting TOTALLY absorbed by what I watch and want to jump on my horse and charge windmills. Nevertheless, I have first hand experience with political corruption--IMO--on the national level. Remember The Keating Five? In addition, I have worked as an expert witness in the legal system for 25 years until retiring last year. I can make a good case that our legal system is broken and corrupt all the way down from the USA Supreme Court down to the various courts I have provided work in multiple states. Thus, my work and my experiences are not just opinions but actual experiences.
Some of my experience parallels what is going on now in the Trump Fraud case. What is being described as fraud in that case I have seen many times in Arizona but protected by government authorities.
I have done copious amounts of reading into the formations of civilization from the Ancient Sumerians, Akkadians, Egyptians, Greeks, and the creation of laws from the first codified Code of Hammurabi through the Magna Carter continuing through the American Constitution, though watching the corrupt, paid for decisions of US Supreme Court and various state courts.
My different attorney friends when questioned in depth will grudgingly admit that one can get as much “Justice” in this country as they can afford.
My point is I believe the system is rigged. However, where we most emphatically agree is that the MAGA types have leaders that are morally, ethically, financially corrupt to being an existential threat to this country.
I admit to being a little cynical but it has been said that inside every cynic is a burned idealist.
PPS. If you look look at the picture next to my name you will see I’m standing in front of Rodin’s THE THINKER at a museum in San Francisco. I’m very aware of his muse Camille Claudel who was probably the real genius--I hate how the word genius is corrupted--behind Rodin and was driven mad by her idealism. I share her Sagittarius fire--our birthdays are two days apart--but coming from a science background do not believe in astrology but find it useful for metaphor.
Have to say, I'm very impressed and intrigued about your work.
I tend to be an idealist thinking about how things should work in a vacuum and then there's the reality with people and their thoughts and what they want to get done.
I'd like to say, it's only fraud if you don't like the outcome and you have the reigns.
Trump could have walked away a hundred times. Keep the money. Keep lying. Stay out of politics and world affairs. He could still arguably walk away. But he won't stay out of politics, world affairs and so the courts are involved. There. That's how corruption and the wealthy works. Let the machine work. Be a crook, don't take too much. Be gone when your time is gone. But not with Trump. From the big letters across buildings he doesn't own to every lie he tells that puts his hand in America's functionally poor pockets. He must go.
Society is huge. The world is large and everything one can think of and more exists and some is repugnant. It's a balance.
One of the biggest lies in this country is “crime doesn’t pay.” For the wealthy it not only pays but for many provides and protects great wealth. It has even been known to protect killers.
Isn’t it possible that there does not exist any form of government capable of providing protection and equality under the law to all its people?
Autocracy protects the autocrats. Democracy has actors that uses sophisticated Social Psychology research, statistical analyses and big money marketing to divide the average and less than average citizen against themselves. Communism is an idealism that possibly may be functional for small groups but not for counties as it always devolves into autocracy by those that lust for power.
So what is left? Maybe an enlightened dictator? Sure, that is a probable solution assuming one can find an enlightened person that acts within that enlightenment—one can be enlightened and still not act in enlightened manner—that remains enlightened throughout their reign and has an equally enlightened person to transfer power to at the end of their reign.
So what is the solution?
There is no solution as the problem is not a problem with politics but a problem with human nature.
I wrote the above as a comment on another substrack site dealing with dysfunctional political situation in the UK. I thought it may be relevant here.
I believe the construct of government grew out of the need to settle disputes in short. Land, property. Generally keep people from overwhelming others. Creation of a civilization or group of folks pulling the same direction. I think government and all laws are a brilliance of the human mind. An invisible net or structure of concepts to constrain and help. Even limiting the toils of war. They may not level the playing field but offer all sorts of protections. Protect the wealthy mostly.
Greeks did a good job and we still live in that world in many ways. There may have been civilizations before, all lost, all developed, all having some kind of government.
I think what I'm leaning towards is that people make the rules. The rules may over time become binding or need change but more troubling, there are problems within the society the rules aren't strong enough or thoughtful enough to fix, constrain individuals that are committed to destruction. We are there. What will happen as the infidels are banging at the gate or at gate from within to simply break it?
Change an entire durable working mode of government makes no sense when the problem is an individual or single smallish group. Especially when this group is funded and filed with passion from outside the country for outside the country benefit.
Changes to democracy might be considered in the more original form with votes being limited to certain class of folks with property and I think the idea really revolves around the notion of informed voters. Education being the difference in people rather than anything else. I'd rather see a deeper commitment to education of all a bigger priority.
Keep the democracy. Educate / change the uncooperative mind.
Sounds very controlling but the huge difference between a dictatorship and a true democracy is leadership choices made by one or small group and choices made by the majority of the citizens. Both however only work when there is agreement by overwhelmingly everyone.
What we're living through, again, isn't about civilization or government but about one group that is attacking the whole (civilization through the norms of our democracy, where the rules live) to break the whole. Presumably to then control the whole.
It's the infidels at the gate. Katie! Bar the door!
We are on the same side and I truly understand where you are coming from.
I’m currently watching a TV series called the GOOD WIFE which I missed when it came out and if you watched it you know one of its themes is political corruption. I confess to getting TOTALLY absorbed by what I watch and want to jump on my horse and charge windmills. Nevertheless, I have first hand experience with political corruption--IMO--on the national level. Remember The Keating Five? In addition, I have worked as an expert witness in the legal system for 25 years until retiring last year. I can make a good case that our legal system is broken and corrupt all the way down from the USA Supreme Court down to the various courts I have provided work in multiple states. Thus, my work and my experiences are not just opinions but actual experiences.
Some of my experience parallels what is going on now in the Trump Fraud case. What is being described as fraud in that case I have seen many times in Arizona but protected by government authorities.
I have done copious amounts of reading into the formations of civilization from the Ancient Sumerians, Akkadians, Egyptians, Greeks, and the creation of laws from the first codified Code of Hammurabi through the Magna Carter continuing through the American Constitution, though watching the corrupt, paid for decisions of US Supreme Court and various state courts.
My different attorney friends when questioned in depth will grudgingly admit that one can get as much “Justice” in this country as they can afford.
My point is I believe the system is rigged. However, where we most emphatically agree is that the MAGA types have leaders that are morally, ethically, financially corrupt to being an existential threat to this country.
I admit to being a little cynical but it has been said that inside every cynic is a burned idealist.
Back to THE GOOD WIFE.
PS, keep up the good work, sincerely.
PPS. If you look look at the picture next to my name you will see I’m standing in front of Rodin’s THE THINKER at a museum in San Francisco. I’m very aware of his muse Camille Claudel who was probably the real genius--I hate how the word genius is corrupted--behind Rodin and was driven mad by her idealism. I share her Sagittarius fire--our birthdays are two days apart--but coming from a science background do not believe in astrology but find it useful for metaphor.
Very kind. Thanks.
Have to say, I'm very impressed and intrigued about your work.
I tend to be an idealist thinking about how things should work in a vacuum and then there's the reality with people and their thoughts and what they want to get done.
I'd like to say, it's only fraud if you don't like the outcome and you have the reigns.
Trump could have walked away a hundred times. Keep the money. Keep lying. Stay out of politics and world affairs. He could still arguably walk away. But he won't stay out of politics, world affairs and so the courts are involved. There. That's how corruption and the wealthy works. Let the machine work. Be a crook, don't take too much. Be gone when your time is gone. But not with Trump. From the big letters across buildings he doesn't own to every lie he tells that puts his hand in America's functionally poor pockets. He must go.
Society is huge. The world is large and everything one can think of and more exists and some is repugnant. It's a balance.
One of the biggest lies in this country is “crime doesn’t pay.” For the wealthy it not only pays but for many provides and protects great wealth. It has even been known to protect killers.