(August 18, 2009 at 5:06 pm)bozo Wrote: I think charity is a cunning capitalist invention. Whatever the cause, it will never be a total solution.And you ask me why I think socialism is evil. Jebus Christ, you are a sick person. Hey, forget Cancer Research UK, forget all the AIDS foundations, forget helping out in poverty stricken countries (I thought socialism is all about helping the poor???). Screw charity, it's all a capitalist lie!
Quote:The people doing the charity thing get more out of it, in the sense that they feel they are " making a difference ". Plus they get the smug satisfaction that goes with it that they are somehow doing great things.Sure, and it is because of that smug satisfaction that charity works. People like feeling morally superior, and charity provides them with that option for a small (or heck, large) donation. The point is, the money given actually helps people. It doesn't matter that people get some kind of kick out of it (you could make the same argument that they do it for the little flag pins you get), it matters than people do it, and they give their money away freely.
Quote:In some case it eases consciences. I have attended charity do's in the past and witnessed known criminals flashing the cash in charity auctions.So? Does it really matter who gives? Surely it is about the money rather than the motives or the kind of person giving. The charity itself is run by good people, administered by the Charity Commission. It's not like they are letting known criminals start their own these days.
Quote:It also diverts people's attention and involvement from campaigning in the political arena for a fairer society where charity is a thing of the unlightened past.Maybe that's because people actually prefer charity rather than government control. I think especially here in the UK, nobody really feels that "political" feeling. Look at the US elections; people party in the streets, they hold so many gatherings, because at election time they can vote on propositions that are written by the people. A balance needs to be created, where people can feel like they have some control in government.
Quote:As for your rant that socialism is evil, well I lose it sometimes too.You can't be serious....can you?As far as I am concerned, your socialism idea would take one look at me and say "Well, he did pay for his degree, and he is working hard for a wealthy computer company, but fuck him...he earns waaaay too much." and then take money out of my pocket and give it to someone on welfare. Whilst I'm supportive of my taxes going to people who cannot help their situation, I'm not going to support an essentially evil system where my hard-earned money is taken from me and given to someone who just doesn't work. I'd much rather see a fair tax rate that has money going into creating jobs and opening up the markets.
(August 18, 2009 at 5:06 pm)Kyuuketsuki Wrote: Question Adrian ... do you really think that that many people having degrees (gnu-Labour reckons it wants 50% of all school leavers to get degrees) is a good thing? I know I don't ... I genuinely believe that 1 or 2% of degrees (when degrees were "blue sky") actually meant something as opposed to now.It's not an unknown fact that more and more "menial" jobs are going to technology rather than people. The reason? Technology doesn't come with a health risk (i.e. people dying in dangerous work), and it is much more efficient (factory machinery, etc). Even in a socialist system, this would be the case (unless you are going to put a halt on all progress). If there are no menial jobs left, people need specific skills. The technology will always need humans to support it. Computers need programmers to code their software, for example. With ever decreasing "menial job" opportunities, people without a decent education are going to lose out.
Who knows, maybe in some distant future, socialism will work, but in a "futurist" way that has robots and computers doing all of humanities work, whilst people relax and don't work at all. Until then, the skill-less become an ever increasing burden on the skilful, and we need more skilful people around.
