[FoRK] Another one bites the dust

[Stephen D. Williams]

Jeff Bone wrote:
>
> On Feb 27, 2008, at 11:09 AM, J. Andrew Rogers wrote:
>
>> I'm having a really hard time getting worked up over the quote.
>
> Even in context this quote is an example of some of the most 
> pernicious right-thinking of the last several decades, namely: 
> security needs justify any excess, any tyranny, etc. At the end of the 
> day this may well be true, but this philosophy has been egregiously 
> abused over the years and is to blame for the rampant fearmongering of 
> the right.
And nanny-state on the Left, no?

Both sides of that fear mongering and implicit promise of zero risk 
through sacrifice of rights and freedom make me want to throw up.
Look, I can't run on the track at my typical local high school because 
the school is worried that I might hurt myself and sue them and the 
insurance company says they have to prohibit it. What kind of nanny 
idiot goes along with that?

We would all be better off teaching people math (statistics, 
probabilities, actuarials), comprehensively understanding risks and 
rewards, culturally and _evenly_ accepting risk as part of life / 
bravery / cost of benefits, valuing freedom greatly over risk (but not 
stupidity), and on a world-wide cultural basis creating an education and 
shame / honor system that combats extremism, terrorism, violence, 
ilreligion (i.e. bad religion, i.e. not purely positive and constructive 
religion).

If a suicide bomber knew that he and his family, friends, culture, 
religion, leaders, etc. would be clearly, publicly, permanently, and 
broadly associated with the shame, stupidity, horror, and lifelong 
destructiveness that they inflict, it would likely discourage converts. 
The US leadership is stupid for not having a totally aggressive and very 
well known campaign along these lines, while also totally outlawing any 
practice and teaching that runs counter. Just give a freaking survey and 
publicize the fact (I hope) that only a tiny fraction of "believers" 
believe in killing, let alone indiscriminant killing of children, etc. 
Broadcast CNN into Iraq and spice every news report about killers with 
pure invective, showing absolutely no respect for the insane, 
pig-loving, primitive, low-life, left-handed, scum they are. (Just to 
prime the pump there.) At the same time, you heap praise on those that 
show promise, modernism, and sanity.

On the right, at the neocon level at least, the draw of ability to 
increase power, grow budgets, and fund your buddy's redneck mercenaries 
seems to outweigh what should be an appeal to stoic individualism and 
"don't screw with us, don't even talk about screwing with us" level.

On the left, idealism and environmental simplism is conflicted with 
technocratic can-do creation of solutions. (Technocrat can-do's are 
found on both sides, with different spin and flavor.) Too often, there 
is a myopic fantasy of zero risk in some areas while ignoring risks or 
upsides in others.

What a mess.

sdw
>
> jb
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Stephen D. Williams 703-371-9362C 703-995-0407Fax 94043 AIM: sdw