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31 March 2022

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scenes

Well jeez, collectivism is easy enough to achieve (let's say that collectivism is simply the coalescing of control into larger and larger units).

You simply have to provide enough incentives for people to benefit from the thing. They either think they'll get something for free (or low low cost), or, more importantly, provide a ladder for those who are unable or disinclined to do anything useful for a living.

I'm sure that our local non-profit chieftains would happily become part of a bigger machine if that machine provide advancement opportunities.

Remove the incentive, remove the tendency.

Our host might disagree, but I think the stage was set with the death of self-employment. At one time, practically everyone worked on a family farm or a very small business. The English who founded the country had a sense of individualism built around self sufficiency.

The minute you take the Queen's shilling in a truly large organization and (especially) become dependent on it, there's a chisel applied to a person's character that binds them to the wheel. There's a price to be paid for cutting back on fiscal uncertainty.

George Rebane

scenes 1238pm - Your host does indeed agree that "the death of self-employment" was and continues to be a major milestone of killing the entrepreneurial spirit on the road to collectivism. The collectivist despises small units of commerce that, in making a profit, illuminate the sloth and inefficiencies to which every large organization eventually succumbs - it's a law of nature, among which resides human nature.

scenes

" The collectivist despises small units of commerce"

I'd say that it's not just that, but that the collectivee (is that a word?) has his edges worn off through employeedom.

An employee, particularly of a large company or organization, becomes more accepting of the yoke generally.

But, ya know, you can get health insurance that way.

scenes

moi@1:51PM

So, just to finish up, the later stage industrial revolution leads to collectivism by reprogramming the workers.

Gregory

"We pretend to work and they pretend to pay us"

Late stage 20th century socialist saying.

scenes

"The DEI training will continue until morale improves"

Early stage Crazytown saying.

scenes

Speaking of Great Resets, I think we've got a problem.

https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/gazprom-halts-gas-shipments-europe-critical-pipeline

Yesterday, I was going to post up Gazprom shutting down Euro offices, but this is more interesting.

The news means nothing of course, there has to be a wild amount of behind-the-scenes negotiations going on. ..or it could simply be that the Russians spent a month getting their ducks in a row selling to China and will simply cut everyone else off at the knees.

scenes

Great Reset #3

https://www.bullionstar.com/blogs/ronan-manly/russian-ruble-relaunched-linked-to-gold-and-commodities-rt-com-q-and-a/

I like the theory, even if it's from a goldbug, but there are a lot of Unintended Consequences when you start messing with a country with little debt and a lot of raw materials to sell to the neighbors.

scenes

GR #3 leads me to a good theory that involves the original post.

Great Reset #4

" Western elites are exploiting the Ukraine conflict to lower the standard of living
It seems to be a continuation of the trend where you must sacrifice for the greater global good or be ostracized by the thought police "
https://www.rt.com/news/552626-ukraine-conflict-living-standard/

I guess it's just pure happenstance that the way to Defeat the Russkies is to have super-high gas prices and rampant inflation on food, etc.

It has nothing to do with the fact that the folks running the show have an interest in shelling the economy in order to either save the world (ie. global warming and the death of cars) or to redirect the public interest away from the men-in-dresses takeover of schools and illegal megaimmigration...or simply mismanagement.

Scott O

scenes 9:36 - "...when you start messing with a country with little debt and a lot of raw materials to sell to the neighbors."
Golly - that could have been us!
I asked my Kansas relatives last October what percentage of our corn goes for ethanol and they told me 1/2. Great to hear we throw 1/2 of our corn crop into our tanks instead of feeding humans. Have to keep our priorities straight. Sorry world. Sucks to be you!

scenes

"throw 1/2 of our corn crop into our tanks instead of feeding humans. "

Given that the EROI on corn-based ethanol is so bad (1.4 according to a meta-analysis I ran into), it's essentially a waste of time.

Therefore, the business of growing corn for fuel is the perfect mission for modern day America. I say they should carry on and appreciate the humor of the situation. The only thing better would be DEI training for Kansas corn farmers.

Gregory

Corn ethanol is an abomination used to dilute rye and malted barley ethanol.

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