Hi Dave, thank you for your reply and comment. You stated.. . ".. and gave up mid-way. The analysis does not seem to help me in the understanding of realpolitik as practiced..." Well I do understand and agree, as the first half is identifying the universal essence of the problem irrespective of any political solutions. There is a reason …
Hi Dave, thank you for your reply and comment. You stated.. .
".. and gave up mid-way. The analysis does not seem to help me in the understanding of realpolitik as practiced..."
Well I do understand and agree, as the first half is identifying the universal essence of the problem irrespective of any political solutions. There is a reason 100 percent of every culture, every society has failed, and it is not political.
From the post...
" So in this sense we see that both the desire to have power, and the desire to achieve personal gain are not inherently evil. It is the desire to exercise tyrannical power over others in connection with the desire for personal gain (even if one portends it is only for the protection of the less fortunate) that may be fundamentally immoral or dishonest, and which is often evil and destructive to a society. “This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector." (Plato)"
"Almost always the manifestation of seeking power in an immoral way involves exercising a form of tyranny, however brutal or petty it may be, over someone else or some other group. Most all actions declared as illegal crimes which are common to societies, are a reflection of this fundamental abuse of power, which can manifest in either a personal or group expression." (The dark side of human nature, manifest in every culture)
Dispersed in the middle somewhere is a discussion on what system best limits this universal failure. (A return to our US foundational principles)
The second part of the post identifies some fundamental solutions that, regardless of the "social system" chosen, must happen to enable any culture to thrive.
And I agree, it is NOT an attempt to outline the many practical real-politic solutions, such as the legal system our host talks about, or election reform, or de-centralization, or state rights, or same day in person voting, etc... Instead it is an address articulating the cultural qualities and developed wisdom which are necessary if one hopes that any success derived from those real-politic enacted ideas, is to endure and thrive.
And, if you had read, you may also find that "philosophy" impractical, although I address that in the post here...
"This philosophy of happiness, is not impractical imagination. Everybody is a philosopher in that one’s ethos, emotions and desires, are inevitably and always one’s philosophy lived. What works can rightly be called wisdom. Giving in to undisciplined unwise desires, or “getting what you want”, has ruined countless lives and cultures." (“Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness.” ~~George Washington) "
Hi Dave, thank you for your reply and comment. You stated.. .
".. and gave up mid-way. The analysis does not seem to help me in the understanding of realpolitik as practiced..."
Well I do understand and agree, as the first half is identifying the universal essence of the problem irrespective of any political solutions. There is a reason 100 percent of every culture, every society has failed, and it is not political.
From the post...
" So in this sense we see that both the desire to have power, and the desire to achieve personal gain are not inherently evil. It is the desire to exercise tyrannical power over others in connection with the desire for personal gain (even if one portends it is only for the protection of the less fortunate) that may be fundamentally immoral or dishonest, and which is often evil and destructive to a society. “This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector." (Plato)"
"Almost always the manifestation of seeking power in an immoral way involves exercising a form of tyranny, however brutal or petty it may be, over someone else or some other group. Most all actions declared as illegal crimes which are common to societies, are a reflection of this fundamental abuse of power, which can manifest in either a personal or group expression." (The dark side of human nature, manifest in every culture)
Dispersed in the middle somewhere is a discussion on what system best limits this universal failure. (A return to our US foundational principles)
The second part of the post identifies some fundamental solutions that, regardless of the "social system" chosen, must happen to enable any culture to thrive.
And I agree, it is NOT an attempt to outline the many practical real-politic solutions, such as the legal system our host talks about, or election reform, or de-centralization, or state rights, or same day in person voting, etc... Instead it is an address articulating the cultural qualities and developed wisdom which are necessary if one hopes that any success derived from those real-politic enacted ideas, is to endure and thrive.
And, if you had read, you may also find that "philosophy" impractical, although I address that in the post here...
"This philosophy of happiness, is not impractical imagination. Everybody is a philosopher in that one’s ethos, emotions and desires, are inevitably and always one’s philosophy lived. What works can rightly be called wisdom. Giving in to undisciplined unwise desires, or “getting what you want”, has ruined countless lives and cultures." (“Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness.” ~~George Washington) "
All the Best...