How Badly Does Modern Collectivism Hurt You?

Posted by CircuitGuy 11 years, 5 months ago to Culture
268 comments | Share | Best of... | Flag

How bad is collectivism today? Clearly the US is not Galt's Gulch or Stalin's USSR. We're somewhere in between.

I'm writing down some negative ways collectivism could affect individuals, from most innocuous to worst.

A) Collectivism is an annoyance at present. I usually find good ways to work around it.
B) If it weren't for poor gov't policies and collectivism, we might have fantastical things like a cure for cancer, affordable space travel, robots than can do most human tasks.
C) Collectivism keeps me from my dreams. (e.g. “A union or affirmative action is keeping me for being promoted out of turn, and there are no other options for me to do the work I love.” “A personal passion of mine is illegal.” “I can't get funding for my organization because of a sweetheart network around gov't, financial institutions, and my industry.”)
D) One or more Gail Wynands, Ellsworth Tooheys, or Wesley Mouchs are out to sabotage my life and are having some impact on me. We all agree these types exist. This item says your name personally is on their “list” of enemies or people to sabotage.
E) My business or career is failing because of collectivism and poor gov't policy (e.g. regulation, taxes, monetary policy).
F) We are on the cusp of totalitarianism and/or severe economic collapse similar to in Atlas Shrugged.

This is not an exclusive list, just the first six things that came to mind.

I'm curious which of these things are happening to Gulch members. Is it we're at A and B and just mindful of preventing the more severe items? Or we over halfway through a real-life Atlas Shrugged?

Note: I expect it varies depending on location, industry, interests, experiences, etc. Also, it could be a mix, say A and F but not B-E; they don't necessarily happen in order.


All Comments


Previous comments...   You are currently on page 2.
  • Comment hidden due to member score or comment score too low. View Comment
  • Posted by Hiraghm 11 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Propaganda, by definition, can be either true or untrue.
    ---
    capitalized : a congregation of the Roman curia having jurisdiction over missionary territories and related institutions
    2
    : the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person
    3
    : ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause; also : a public action having such an effect
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Posted by khalling 11 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    "Luis Raul Collazo-Medrano, 53, and his wife, Olivia Campos, may have returned to Mexico but also have ties to Texas, Louisiana and Ohio, "
    huh.
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Comment hidden due to member score or comment score too low. View Comment
  • -2
    Posted by Boborobdos 11 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    It is not a concern for voting: "Authorities have issued arrest warrants for a Mexican couple accused of leading a ring that fraudulently obtained New Mexico driver's licenses for hundreds of people living outside the United States"

    From the article cited, not a threat to our voting process.
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Posted by $ Mimi 11 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I think he use to be too low on points to be seen. I think that’s the same for Bambi. Somebody opened up their accounts by viewing the comments that were deleted. Vote them down across the board. Get them out of here, or yell for Scott, I guess.
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Posted by Rocky_Road 11 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    They are state issued...and can be used in our election process, for identification.

    Now you will be saying that once they are 'shipped' South of the Border, they would never see American daylight....

    The correct answer is, 'of course they will'...or they would serve no purpose whatsoever.

    Can I interest you in a Mexican driver's license? Cheap?
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Comment hidden due to member score or comment score too low. View Comment
  • -2
    Posted by Boborobdos 11 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    For people living outside the United States. Doesn't look like voter fraud to me.
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Comment hidden due to member score or comment score too low. View Comment
  • -1
    Posted by Boborobdos 11 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Doesn't excuse the need for a citation for something that sure looks like propaganda no matter what you claim to be.
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Posted by khalling 11 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    no, well the kids do-the parents have to have an ID. a social security number. by assistance, if you mean ER care, you do not have to provide SS info to be treated. There are many programs to serve illegals which are non-profit or profit but not welfare. I am not saying that millions of illegals are not ON welfare...
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Comment hidden due to member score or comment score too low. View Comment
  • -2
    Posted by Boborobdos 11 years, 5 months ago
    Got any evidence such has occurred or are just spouting right wing garbage again?
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Posted by khalling 11 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    even the illegals figure out how to get thousands of drivers licenses shipped to one address!
    Reply | Permalink  
    • Boborobdos replied 11 years, 5 months ago
    • Hiraghm replied 11 years, 5 months ago
  • Posted by khalling 11 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    how absurd. They make it to the welfare office to sign up-the democrats are experts at busing people thousands of miles for a campaign event but there's no way to get people in to get an ID? but more importantly-what the heck are they showing to get welfare in the first place?? An ID!
    Reply | Permalink  
    • LetsShrug replied 11 years, 5 months ago
  • Comment hidden due to member score or comment score too low. View Comment
  • -1
    Posted by Boborobdos 11 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Nope. Not everyone can afford or make it to a source for an ID. Only in your imaginary perfect world does everyone march in lockstep to Rush's wishes.
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Comment hidden due to member score or comment score too low. View Comment
  • Posted by Hiraghm 11 years, 5 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The 'right wing' in this case are conservatives, Tea Partiers, and/or, in the words of Wesley Mouch, "sticklers for the Constitution".

    Make up your mind; either there is no voter fraud, or "so many people" are committing voter fraud. You can't have it both ways.

    With a voter ID... NOBODY who is *eligible* to vote is disenfranchised. Only those not eligible.
    Reply | Permalink  

  • Comment hidden. Undo