3 ms·

What makes you think that a society in a position of universal material wealth would be egalitarian? It's just as likely that the basis of social hierarchy woul

by olefoo 15y ago

What makes you think that a society in a position of universal material wealth would be egalitarian? It's just as likely that the basis of social hierarchy would shift even more towards connections, beauty, style and knowledge. And there would still be striving for limited resources; there are only so many people that this season's hottest media stars will sleep with, so many housebuilding plots available with a view of the Taj Mahal, a limited number of penthouses overlooking Central Park. Yes, you could live a physically comfortable life anywhere you choose, but admiration, acclaim, worship and respect would still have to be earned. A society where almost everyone was living at the level where self-actualization was their primary concern would not be boring, even if it contained boring people.

sophacles 15y ago
GP means (s)he derives pleasure and self-identity from having people to look down upon.
- bluekeybox 15y ago
  And how are you, sophacles, not doing the same right now by appealing to high-brow marxist morality? Oh, I know, marxist morality is convenient because it allows people to feel superior to others without experiencing remorse for having such feelings. How nice, isn't it?
  - sophacles 15y ago
    I'm not sure how you are getting that I am looking down on you, let alone deriving pleasure and self-identity from it. I simply was observing that your statements fit the pattern I mentioned. I think it is unfortunate that people try so hard to find ways to be superior at the expense of others, but I don't really take pleasure in the fact that I see others doing it, and I certainly don't derive my self-identity from who is my "better" or my "inferior". Nor do I think everyone is "equal" in the mathematical sense, but that is not really what egalitarian means; such accusations, and the equating of egalitarianism to Marxism, are merely strawmen.
    - bluekeybox 15y ago
      It is an unfortunate consequence of the Internet that people get to argue with each other without knowing who they really are. I don't need to see others worse off than myself in order to be happy. I just need to remember who I myself was two or five years ago. I am rapidly becoming someone else, a larva turning into a butterfly if you forgive the hackneyed expression. To you, the opinions I express signify contempt towards others. In reality, the only true contempt I experience is towards paths I almost took when I was growing up. Without that contempt there would be hardly any growth. By the way, there is a good movie by French director Godard called "Contempt". One of my favorite quotes is from that movie: "Oh, the gods... I know exactly how they feel."

by olefoo 15y ago

sophacles 15y ago

GP means (s)he derives pleasure and self-identity from having people to look down upon.

bluekeybox 15y ago
And how are you, sophacles, not doing the same right now by appealing to high-brow marxist morality? Oh, I know, marxist morality is convenient because it allows people to feel superior to others without experiencing remorse for having such feelings. How nice, isn't it?
- sophacles 15y ago
  I'm not sure how you are getting that I am looking down on you, let alone deriving pleasure and self-identity from it. I simply was observing that your statements fit the pattern I mentioned. I think it is unfortunate that people try so hard to find ways to be superior at the expense of others, but I don't really take pleasure in the fact that I see others doing it, and I certainly don't derive my self-identity from who is my "better" or my "inferior". Nor do I think everyone is "equal" in the mathematical sense, but that is not really what egalitarian means; such accusations, and the equating of egalitarianism to Marxism, are merely strawmen.
  - bluekeybox 15y ago
    It is an unfortunate consequence of the Internet that people get to argue with each other without knowing who they really are. I don't need to see others worse off than myself in order to be happy. I just need to remember who I myself was two or five years ago. I am rapidly becoming someone else, a larva turning into a butterfly if you forgive the hackneyed expression. To you, the opinions I express signify contempt towards others. In reality, the only true contempt I experience is towards paths I almost took when I was growing up. Without that contempt there would be hardly any growth. By the way, there is a good movie by French director Godard called "Contempt". One of my favorite quotes is from that movie: "Oh, the gods... I know exactly how they feel."