7 ms·

If you recast your civilization as simply the sum total of the economic activity generated by fungible worker-units, that's the sort of thing you get. A giant.

If you recast your civilization as simply the sum total of the economic activity generated by fungible worker-units, that's the sort of thing you get. A giant. somewhat dilapidated luxury shopping mall with a military attached.

noduerme 5y ago
I suppose you also get lazy cultural analysis like this from armchair patriots...
- linksnapzz 5y ago
  Concise, not lazy. Brevity is the soul of wit.
orzig 5y ago
There are a lot of negative things that one can imply about America, so I'm surprised that you reached for 'boring'. I don't even know what source to cite, but it seems self-evident that Americans care passionately about causes besides economic efficiency, for better or worse. Trying to find some objective ground for discussion, I'll take the bait on your specific analogy: Americans are spending progressively less time in shopping malls[1] and the military[2]. [1] https://www.jeremykisner.com/shopping-malls-will-they-become-extinct/ https://www.jeremykisner.com/shopping-malls-will-they-become... [2] https://www.newsmax.com/us/army-recruitment-reduction-military/2022/03/28/id/1063243/ https://www.newsmax.com/us/army-recruitment-reduction-milita...
- harry8 5y ago
  >Americans are spending progressively less time in shopping malls[1] and the military[2]. [1] Are Amazon, ebay et al shopping malls? Given healthcare and college tuition being paid by the state I think you might see [2] drop very, very fast and far. I've heard the argument made that this was why the establishment corrupt of Washington united so cohesively against Bernie.
  - JackFr 5y ago
    > I've heard the argument made Weasel words from which my immediate instinct is to recoil. Do you believe the argument? Then simply make the argument. Are you skeptical of it? Then do not repeat it. If indeed you heard someone special make the argument, tell us who. But saying “I’ve heard the argument made” typically means it’s your opinion and your trying to lend the argument more weight than it has.
    - harry8 5y ago
      Now don't smear, it's against house rules around here and @dang will get very cross. I've heard the argument, I repeat it because I take it seriously and it seems plausible to me. I am not sufficiently expert to know with /certainty/ so I don't claim certainty because that would be silly. Moreover when you point out an argument that appears to have some merit but you have not yet made up your mind about, someone here frequently responds with a well-reasoned perspective that is different and based on evidence. Such things make conversation here worthwhile like this particular one basically isn't. Best.
      - Dylan16807 5y ago
        > Now don't smear What part of that comment are you calling a smear?
        harry8 5y ago
        "Weasel words from which my immediate instinct is to recoil." Obviously is not engaging with an argument, idea or evidence and isn't much more than abuse. Also completely wrong in every way as I politely outlined.
        Dylan16807 5y ago
        "Weasel words" is a term and it's correctly used here. I don't understand how you think it's "completely wrong"; it's not. It's also not abuse at all to object like that. And engaging with an argument requires understanding it, and their post is a pretty good way to get an understanding of your actual argument. Unless you mean they needed to engage with your quote independently of what your argument is, which I would disagree with.
- linksnapzz 5y ago
  I didn't mean to imply boring; don't know how you got that. It's more of a metaphor.
faangiq 5y ago
Very accurate description of America.

noduerme 5y ago

I suppose you also get lazy cultural analysis like this from armchair patriots...

linksnapzz 5y ago
Concise, not lazy. Brevity is the soul of wit.

orzig 5y ago

There are a lot of negative things that one can imply about America, so I'm surprised that you reached for 'boring'. I don't even know what source to cite, but it seems self-evident that Americans care passionately about causes besides economic efficiency, for better or worse. Trying to find some objective ground for discussion, I'll take the bait on your specific analogy: Americans are spending progressively less time in shopping malls[1] and the military[2]. [1] https://www.jeremykisner.com/shopping-malls-will-they-become-extinct/ https://www.jeremykisner.com/shopping-malls-will-they-become... [2] https://www.newsmax.com/us/army-recruitment-reduction-military/2022/03/28/id/1063243/ https://www.newsmax.com/us/army-recruitment-reduction-milita...

harry8 5y ago
>Americans are spending progressively less time in shopping malls[1] and the military[2]. [1] Are Amazon, ebay et al shopping malls? Given healthcare and college tuition being paid by the state I think you might see [2] drop very, very fast and far. I've heard the argument made that this was why the establishment corrupt of Washington united so cohesively against Bernie.
- JackFr 5y ago
  > I've heard the argument made Weasel words from which my immediate instinct is to recoil. Do you believe the argument? Then simply make the argument. Are you skeptical of it? Then do not repeat it. If indeed you heard someone special make the argument, tell us who. But saying “I’ve heard the argument made” typically means it’s your opinion and your trying to lend the argument more weight than it has.
  - harry8 5y ago
    Now don't smear, it's against house rules around here and @dang will get very cross. I've heard the argument, I repeat it because I take it seriously and it seems plausible to me. I am not sufficiently expert to know with /certainty/ so I don't claim certainty because that would be silly. Moreover when you point out an argument that appears to have some merit but you have not yet made up your mind about, someone here frequently responds with a well-reasoned perspective that is different and based on evidence. Such things make conversation here worthwhile like this particular one basically isn't. Best.
    - Dylan16807 5y ago
      > Now don't smear What part of that comment are you calling a smear?
      - harry8 5y ago
        "Weasel words from which my immediate instinct is to recoil." Obviously is not engaging with an argument, idea or evidence and isn't much more than abuse. Also completely wrong in every way as I politely outlined.
        Dylan16807 5y ago
        "Weasel words" is a term and it's correctly used here. I don't understand how you think it's "completely wrong"; it's not. It's also not abuse at all to object like that. And engaging with an argument requires understanding it, and their post is a pretty good way to get an understanding of your actual argument. Unless you mean they needed to engage with your quote independently of what your argument is, which I would disagree with.
linksnapzz 5y ago
I didn't mean to imply boring; don't know how you got that. It's more of a metaphor.

faangiq 5y ago

Very accurate description of America.