Oddbean

Congrats to you and your future wife! I noticed the yard-sign, got me thinking, please, don't get offended by post, no need to take action or read, it's thoughts and questions to the general community... a rant? It's... hard to see... Is it socialism, has to be, It's Any after all. Experience is; Understanding of, nuances, differences, gaps, rifts and canyons between various social learning philosophies on the left side of the pond is disheartening. But it's also a very difficult subject to discuss due to misunderstandings, prejudice and poor definitions. I just typed socialism into Google and Google gave The American Heritage® Dictionary as first/top answer. Their definition is of course completely skewed, incomplete and hence incorrect. Their definition is akin to "Bitcoin is used in crime, hence all bitcoiners are criminals, there is no other use for bitcoin". I suggest looking at the Wikipedia page instead. A subdued down to the point definition of socialism could be; forced economic altruism, usually implemented though redistribution of wealth using taxation and executed through various state services such as free education, free healthcare, subsidized student loans, subsidized housing loans, social security nets, labor laws etc. But yes, there is the "Soviet Union" communist version of socialism as well. Any Rand was an Ethical egoist (it's an ethical must to be an egoist) and Liberian, but what is "Any Libertarian-ism"? What is the Utopian idea? Keep in mind, Ethical egoist. Excellent concept to understand. Using this definition, when boiled down; The difference between the left and right leaning ideologies is the amount of forced, allowed and forcefully denied altruism (executed through taxation and implemented by law). Any's opinion was that economic altruism is immoral. Hence taxation is immoral, same as the memes here on Bitocin Nostr. This would imply's no free education, all infrastructure privately owned, pay to use, private Police, Army, Justice system etc. Personally find that deeply problematic. I don't think it would work for most people. Yes, after boiling down "Ethical egoism", I'm using the shared financing of common/communal expenses through wealth distribution using taxes as the definition of socialism. This is one of few solid commonalities between all socialistic ideologies. So what are ethics and what is Morality? - A complex subject, and? I believe; fundamentally, it's our decisions making framework grounded in both hardware and software for a certain type of complex social interactions. Akin to feelings? Maybe to rain-in or help correct outlet of feelings? It is needed by the cognitive abilities. It helps making good complex decisions that relate to others in a group, in a quick and cheap manner. It's a left or right thing, layered architecture and all that... Basically, I believe a huge part of morality is hardware and genetics but primed by nurture. So, Morality is nature and nurture. This begs (hat of) the question, is morality relevant as an argument and if so, why? Why do Any and others even take the word in her mouths? I don't think she was using my stated context and she was an atheist. Of course, she could have had a yet different understanding of what moral and morality is, even in the classical sense. Any Rand and her thinking does however fully explain all the Trump worshiping, he is after all, one of the poster boys for the no hinges "cut throat" egocentric connoisseur of economical politics. I'm doubtful it is his political achievements is what he is worshiped for.. my verdict regarding him is "A cut throat, economical and a political failure in all regards except one, and that one is no boon for the USA". But that is a different topic. The fact that Trump created his own crypto currency should not have come as a surprise to anyone. The man already did similar stuff over and over before, he does anything for money and would do anything to get away with a scam. You guys explained to him how profitable it would be. And the Ethical Egoist begs for this, everything else would be immoral. The reasons, the why and what's of the contemporary situation in USA have never been more clear to me. It's not only the cousin syndrome, there are prophets as well! Maybe I should turn my attention to theorized root causes instead... Don't think it's for Nostr. Regarding Any, and religion. Whether you are a straight hardcore atheist or have any type of religious leaning inclination including "new age stuff or/and magic" there is plenty of "reason" and "philosophy" one can induce into that subject. The well known? quote after a "near" death experience "I have been in heaven, it exists but it's empty! There is no god!" comes to mind. Believe the chap was and remained an atheist... As strange as it sounds, You can be a hardcore atheist and a believer in a afterlife. You can have a true religious conviction, get into heaven and not meet any god. You can be right and wrong at the same time. Maybe it's more like what is hinted at in "Men in Black" particularly the end scene? Note: Not suggesting the "Simulation theory" in a religious context, I say test tube? It would explain a lot, does answer the 42 question *fully*, enables the atheist an afterlife and gives the believer a heaven but never kills nor proves or disproves the belief in god. It's simple, but different. Sounds bonkers? It is a firm framework, makes sense! Any makes me remember all my left anarchist friends over the years. I always struggled with the fact I had to explain that they are libertarians. They talk about "the missing piece" of the horseshoe. But no, there is no missing piece, there is nothing wrong with the horseshoe, it's something else. I am yet to see anarchy, economic fortune and liberties united in a working theory or practice. What I see is the Middle Ages or "the dark times", Viking's "trading", colonialism and "the black trade", feudalism, list goes on... Is this Bitcoin? Is this what Bitcoiner's want? Is bitcoin the savior that shall re-enable it? Is this Libertarian-ism? To me this sounds a lot like Elmo Musk approach to free speech: I'm all for free speech! YES! MY free speech! The bonkers existential "religion" theory stuff I mentioned I get, but Any I don't. It's all bonkers to me. Anyone want's to explain?