Posts by FrightMare

I'm a fecund rich bastard that never had the need to go to college, although I would like to. My impetus is money, and if college isn't going to get me any more of it, I'd rather not go that route. I don't think that leaves me in a state of nullibicity, as I have made and continue to make many wise investment decisions. And although I may not be as educated as I could be, I pursue different areas of interest with gusto and passion, as I love to learn.

Unfortunately, Jw's in the past have equated college to a simulacrum of Satan or something, but in recent years they have modified their thinking. Were they afraid that college unleashed a merciless philippic against the Bible? I'm not sure, but it's nice to see that JW's are becoming as sinecure as other rich mofo's in this country. Equality for all!

42

Education idiot!

by FrightMare in

jw
friends

if most of you were jw's at one time, am i right in assuming that most of you are uneducated?

anyone here actually have a degree of some sort?

FrightMare

Well Cassiline, I guess that answers that, you have no degrees.

42

Education idiot!

by FrightMare in

jw
friends

if most of you were jw's at one time, am i right in assuming that most of you are uneducated?

anyone here actually have a degree of some sort?

FrightMare

$6 an hour is still better than the median $5.50 an hour that most JW's make, so at least you were a step ahead.

What's the average salary for an electrical engineer?

10

Ayn Rand and Objectivism

by mikepence in

jw
friends

my marijuana-induced short term memory loss won't let me read the various web sites about ayn rand and objectivism.. could someone give me a brief synopsis of what this is about?.

thanks,.

mike pence

FrightMare

Objectivism is a philosophy which does tie metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and politico-econmomics together. However, I think there are significant flaws at all levels. Some are...

Metaphysics - You can't prove there is no god
Epitimology - Man's behavior has emotional content
Ethics - Self interest is a reality but to assert the total righteousness of the belief is insufficient
Politico Economics - Laissez-faire capitalism in the past has typically required rule of law, respect for personal property and some form of representative government to function. By acknowledging the need of government you then may enter into a debate on public goods, civilizations and other communal entities which ofttimes subordinate the individual to the group. This is our reality but objectivism seems to want to move around it. Sometimes it is in the best interest of the future to sacrifice in the present.

I may be taking this out of context so would appreciate clarification from an Objectivist. These are passages briefly describing Ayn Rand's philosophy from http://www.objectivism.org/objectivism/essentials.html (my bold).

Ethics
“Reason is man's only proper judge of values and his only proper guide to action. The proper standard of ethics is: man's survival qua man — i.e., that which is required by man's nature for his survival as a rational being (not his momentary physical survival as a mindless brute). Rationality is man's basic virtue, and his three fundamental values are: reason, purpose, self-esteem. Man — every man — is an end in himself, not a means to the ends of others; he must live for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself; he must work for his rational self-interest, with the achievement of his own happiness as the highest moral purpose of his life.” Thus Objectivism rejects any form of altruism — the claim that morality consists in living for others or for society.

Politics
“The basic social principle of the Objectivist ethics is that no man has the right to seek values from others by means of physical force — i.e., no man or group has the right to initiate the use of physical force against others. Men have the right to use force only in self-defense and only against those who initiate its use. Men must deal with one another as traders, giving value for value, by free, mutual consent to mutual benefit. The only social system that bars physical force from human relationships is laissez-faire capitalism. Capitalism is a system based on the recognition of individual rights, including property rights, in which the only function of the government is to protect individual rights, i.e., to protect men from those who initiate the use of physical force.” Thus Objectivism rejects any form of collectivism, such as fascism or socialism. It also rejects the current “mixed economy” notion that the government should regulate the economy and redistribute wealth.
_____________________________________________________________________

As I understand these passages I gather that if one observes a group using physical force on someone else, the Objectivist morality would be to not intervene unless that intervention is in one's direct self-interest.

I also conclude that the Objectivist morality is against federal programs that assist those who for whatever reason are unsuccessful in a capitalist system (i.e., the poor).

Are these conclusions correct?

42

Education idiot!

by FrightMare in

jw
friends

if most of you were jw's at one time, am i right in assuming that most of you are uneducated?

anyone here actually have a degree of some sort?

FrightMare

If most of you were JW's at one time, am I right in assuming that most of you are uneducated? Anyone here actually have a degree of some sort?