Does the power elite have a grain of ethics? One grain?

[redsamurai]

it really is staggering to get just a "hint" of what's been going on for the last 7 years........but honestly, the republicans were just the "mechanism" for the powerst that be to get done what they wanted. They'll use the democrats to get something else they want......they just ride the "political capital" swing from one party to the other. Unfortunately a good majority of us would have to "die", literally, to get something done to turn this country around. But it ain't gonna happen.....we're to comfortable, and comfortable people are dead people.

 

[GoldenDelicious]

ethics/morality are hinderances. the biggest rat wins. the end.

 

[Mr. dB]

To answer the thread title, no.

 

[blut wump]

I thought this was about the powers of Elite. Imagine my disappointment to discover that it was just more provincial American politics.

You can pretty much take it as given that if someone wants to be in power for any reason other than the focused attainment of a well-defined goal then it's unlikely to be in the best interests of those that person will have power over that he or she be granted such power.

 

[mrplunkey]

This is what I cannot get. I'm gonna rant a little, but just bear with me. This is not a Republican or Democratic thing. This is a human nature thing:

How many of us have ever gotten a "favor" from a friend? Maybe it was help getting a job. Maybe it was a discount on something you wanted to buy. Maybe it was an introduction to some guy/girl. Perhaps it was as subtle as a recommendation for school. Or a little free help fixing your car/computer/camera/home.

Anyway... if you have, then you have leveraged a relationship. Guess what? Human beings are social animals and social animals form networks. Within these networks, it isn't a level playing field because the more "connected" members will leverage relationships among other "connected" members to get extraordinary things done.

Now let's throw-in another factor: human nature. People will look-out for their own self interests. I'm not saying every single person will insure that every single decision always goes their way, but at the end of the day a person will convince themselves of what they "deserve" and take the appropriate measures to insure they get it. It's really not that complicated.

Now let's look at government. Who runs the government? People. The same people who leverage relationships and look-out for their own self interests. But here's the problem. We're not talking about $100 worth of computer repair favors anymore. We're not talking about getting help upgrading your job from working at Aeropostle to Wet Seal at the mall for the summer. Now we're talking about well over a TRILLION dollars. The government is working exactly as you'd expect it to -- with corruption, graft, misappropriation of funds and flat-out favoritism.

So how do you minimize the corruption? Its easy -- you minimize the government. Anytime someone proposes yet another big-government program in the name of "helping people", they are simply feeding the corruption and graft machine.

Anyway... /rant off.

Peace Out!

 

[Smurfy]

This is what I cannot get. I'm gonna rant a little, but just bear with me. This is not a Republican or Democratic thing. This is a human nature thing:

How many of us have ever gotten a "favor" from a friend? Maybe it was help getting a job. Maybe it was a discount on something you wanted to buy. Maybe it was an introduction to some guy/girl. Perhaps it was as subtle as a recommendation for school. Or a little free help fixing your car/computer/camera/home.

Anyway... if you have, then you have leveraged a relationship. Guess what? Human beings are social animals and social animals form networks. Within these networks, it isn't a level playing field because the more "connected" members will leverage relationships among other "connected" members to get extraordinary things done.

Now let's throw-in another factor: human nature. People will look-out for their own self interests. I'm not saying every single person will insure that every single decision always goes their way, but at the end of the day a person will convince themselves of what they "deserve" and take the appropriate measures to insure they get it. It's really not that complicated.

Now let's look at government. Who runs the government? People. The same people who leverage relationships and look-out for their own self interests. But here's the problem. We're not talking about $100 worth of computer repair favors anymore. We're not talking about getting help upgrading your job from working at Aeropostle to Wet Seal at the mall for the summer. Now we're talking about well over a TRILLION dollars. The government is working exactly as you'd expect it to -- with corruption, graft, misappropriation of funds and flat-out favoritism.

So how do you minimize the corruption? Its easy -- you minimize the government. Anytime someone proposes yet another big-government program in the name of "helping people", they are simply feeding the corruption and graft machine.

Anyway... /rant off.

Peace Out!

agreed!

 

[redguru]

 

[redsamurai]

what....is the free market run by automatons that are programmed to be ethical? No.......the free market runs exactly the same as a government. In the end, it's just another shade of shit. The free market can just as easily be subverted as a government can.......I really could care less anymore, humans are just corrupt beings at their very core......no way around it, simply no way....

This is what I cannot get. I'm gonna rant a little, but just bear with me. This is not a Republican or Democratic thing. This is a human nature thing:

How many of us have ever gotten a "favor" from a friend? Maybe it was help getting a job. Maybe it was a discount on something you wanted to buy. Maybe it was an introduction to some guy/girl. Perhaps it was as subtle as a recommendation for school. Or a little free help fixing your car/computer/camera/home.

Anyway... if you have, then you have leveraged a relationship. Guess what? Human beings are social animals and social animals form networks. Within these networks, it isn't a level playing field because the more "connected" members will leverage relationships among other "connected" members to get extraordinary things done.

Now let's throw-in another factor: human nature. People will look-out for their own self interests. I'm not saying every single person will insure that every single decision always goes their way, but at the end of the day a person will convince themselves of what they "deserve" and take the appropriate measures to insure they get it. It's really not that complicated.

Now let's look at government. Who runs the government? People. The same people who leverage relationships and look-out for their own self interests. But here's the problem. We're not talking about $100 worth of computer repair favors anymore. We're not talking about getting help upgrading your job from working at Aeropostle to Wet Seal at the mall for the summer. Now we're talking about well over a TRILLION dollars. The government is working exactly as you'd expect it to -- with corruption, graft, misappropriation of funds and flat-out favoritism.

So how do you minimize the corruption? Its easy -- you minimize the government. Anytime someone proposes yet another big-government program in the name of "helping people", they are simply feeding the corruption and graft machine.

Anyway... /rant off.

Peace Out!

 

[Raptorex]

Mod's please ban all the US haters on this thread please.

 

[mrplunkey]

what....is the free market run by automatons that are programmed to be ethical? No.......the free market runs exactly the same as a government. In the end, it's just another shade of shit. The free market can just as easily be subverted as a government can.......I really could care less anymore, humans are just corrupt beings at their very core......no way around it, simply no way....

I'm not willing to explain all this to you, but here's a good start:

Do some research on "The Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith. Here is a key concept to focus on:

The concept of The Invisible Hand

As every individual, therefore, endeavours as much as he can both to employ his capital in the support of domestic industry, and so to direct that industry that its produce may be of the greatest value; every individual necessarily labours to render the annual revenue of the society as great as he can. He generally, indeed, neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it. By preferring the support of domestic to that of foreign industry, he intends only his own security; and by directing that industry in such a manner as its produce may be of the greatest value, he intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention. Nor is it always the worse for the society that it was no part of it. By pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it. (Book 4, Chapter 2)

There are some big ideas there that will help you differentiate between government and the private sector.