I've noticed that a significant part of what divides the Left and the Right is how they make certain assumptions about people based on status. The Left often stands up for the underdog regardless of whether the underdog is actually oppressed or deserving of his/her disadvantaged position. The Right often stands up for the successful regardless of how they attained that success. The reality is that people have to be evaluated as individuals to accurately guage whether they deserve your support or not. Some underdogs need help and are abused by authorities and the majority. Some underdogs are in their position because they're fringe elements with negative intentions. By the same token, some successful people earned their wealth and power in admirable ways by following the rules and being ambitious. Other successful people skirted the edge of legality (or even crossed that line) and acquired their wealth and power by nefarious or unethical means. In short, I guess what I'm getting at is that we need to stop viewing people as groups and more as individuals.
It's similar with organizations? Some trust private industry and mistrust govt. While for instance, I assume that my private insurance company is lying to me to avoid paying a claim and keep the money to lavish on their CEO, while I trust a govt. agency like Socal Security to be fully telling the truth.
That's a good analogy. It's why I'm wary of both. I prefer a balance of government and privatization. Both governments and corporations are prone to corruption and shortsighted self-interest, but each has its pros and cons.
A corrupt corporation cannot lock me in prison or punishtax me if I don't buy thier product. Government can and does. The fat lady at the bmv has far more power over you than the richest ceo of the most corrupt corporation on earth. Rich ppl are the engine of our economy, not labor, labor is cheap and plentiful, capital is not.
Well, it sounds like you're not making the inevitable connection here. More often than not, government is manipulated by the wealthy. Government is about the only thing that can counter the power of the elite, but at the same time, it's also a tool of the elite. Most oppressive actions by government serve a corporate agenda of some sort. We enter unnecessary wars because of the money made from war. We prosecute people for drug use because of the money made from having to build more jails and hire more prison guards. It also serves the interest of keeping out competitive products in pharmaceuticals or recreational markets like alcohol or tobacco. Government is also used to block public ISPs from being created in various states because private telecoms don't like public competition -- even in areas where the people have no private option. So, if you list out an oppressive policy, you most likely will be able to find a business interest behind it. More often than not, that interest is what drives the policy. Big business is much of what drives the economy, but it also needs to be viewed warily because of the ulterior motives it often has.
No they don't. Government acts in its own self interest and expands at the expense of the private sector. Government hates the private sector. This is such BS. The US does not engage in war for petty reasons. Whatever. You see conspiracy theories behind every corner. Everyone has an ulterior motive. Large power structures do not allow for true motives to be hidden. Someone always finds out the truth. I'm sick of this paranoid world view where everyone is out to "get the common man". it is BULL (*)(*)(*)(*) AND NOT TRUE. Life isn't a hollywood movie, the evil CEO doesn't control the world from his boardroom like Mr. Big.
Umm... I find these two much like cocaine and waffles. Unless we are talking about... "the man" as hollywood would put it? I generally agree with you... but you seem to be... somewhat contradictory here.
It does act in its own self-interest, but usually, that self-interest involves politicians and bureaucrats who get kickbacks from industry. It has a long history of warfare for business interests. So do a lot of other countries. War is big business. I'm not a full-on conspiracy theorist. I'm not a 9/11 truther, for example. However, it's pretty naive not to be wary of big business and big government.
