4 ms·

Philippines is a corrupt mess at all levels of society. The electorate is desperate and has opted for a ruthless strongman after decades of disappointments. The

by guelo 10y ago

Philippines is a corrupt mess at all levels of society. The electorate is desperate and has opted for a ruthless strongman after decades of disappointments. They say Mussolini made the trains run on time.

kyledrake 10y ago
My college history professor used to postfix that saying with "...because if they weren't, they'd shoot the conductors." Never figured out if he was joking or not, actually. It's a great example of "be careful what you wish for". Trains on time, then 30 million people die in a war you helped forge, then your country becomes destroyed. I'll happily live with the late trains. RE this crazy drug policy: very, very bad things happen when rule of law breaks down and we go into vigilante justice. Moral arguments aside, how many innocent people have died because of this already? It's an absolutely horrible idea.
gozur88 10y ago
Yeah, about those trains: http://www.snopes.com/history/govern/trains.asp http://www.snopes.com/history/govern/trains.asp Strongmen don't usually make things more efficient by diktat. If you want to have a population that takes no risks and does the absolute minimum, just threaten to shoot them for screwing up.
jacquesm 10y ago
> He (the president) placed trust and confidence in friends and acquaintances who are outsiders of the traditional power and social blocs. It looks like that is not about to change.
etatoby 10y ago
In Japan they run on time too, because if they don't, the conductors commit Seppuku (or quit the job in shame) by their own choice. So progress and a functioning society is possible without coercing or scaring people into obedience. What is needed is a cultural shift and it can only start from the schools. If you look at the Japanese school system, every other aspect of their society becomes an obvious consequence.

4 ms·

Philippines is a corrupt mess at all levels of society. The electorate is desperate and has opted for a ruthless strongman after decades of disappointments. The

by guelo 10y ago

kyledrake 10y ago
My college history professor used to postfix that saying with "...because if they weren't, they'd shoot the conductors." Never figured out if he was joking or not, actually. It's a great example of "be careful what you wish for". Trains on time, then 30 million people die in a war you helped forge, then your country becomes destroyed. I'll happily live with the late trains. RE this crazy drug policy: very, very bad things happen when rule of law breaks down and we go into vigilante justice. Moral arguments aside, how many innocent people have died because of this already? It's an absolutely horrible idea.
gozur88 10y ago
Yeah, about those trains: http://www.snopes.com/history/govern/trains.asp http://www.snopes.com/history/govern/trains.asp Strongmen don't usually make things more efficient by diktat. If you want to have a population that takes no risks and does the absolute minimum, just threaten to shoot them for screwing up.
jacquesm 10y ago
> He (the president) placed trust and confidence in friends and acquaintances who are outsiders of the traditional power and social blocs. It looks like that is not about to change.
etatoby 10y ago
In Japan they run on time too, because if they don't, the conductors commit Seppuku (or quit the job in shame) by their own choice. So progress and a functioning society is possible without coercing or scaring people into obedience. What is needed is a cultural shift and it can only start from the schools. If you look at the Japanese school system, every other aspect of their society becomes an obvious consequence.