Imperialism is Capitalism

[Heraclitus]

Originally posted by Sandman
I voted false. For every economically worthwhile empire, there's been an economically worthless one. German and Italian Africa, for example. You could argue that capitalists benefitted from these empires (armaments manufacters, rabble-rousing press barons), but the real beneficiaries were militarists who took some capitalists along for the ride. In any country with a halfway capitalist economy, some businessman is always going to benefit from economic misdirection.

But couldn’t your point be countered by saying that the economically less sound empires were failed attempts to create economically worthwhile empires? Just like there are companies that never take off and stay small before dissapearing rather quickly?

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Sandman
I voted false.

Stop validating invalid polls!

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Heraclitus


You completely missed what I said about emergent systems. And scales of complexity.

And you completely missed what I said about you being stupid.

[Sandman]

Originally posted by Heraclitus
But couldn't your point be countered by saying that the economically less sound empires were failed attempts to create economically worthwhile empires? Just like there are companies that never take off and stay small before dissapearing rather quickly?

But you can turn that around and say that economically worthwhile empires were simply part of an effort to create militarily glorious/religiously sound/racially pure empires. The only way to make a judgement is to see what was uppermost in the minds of the imperialists.

[KrazyHorse]

Signs that the person you're talking to is a buffoon:

1) His use of any of the following terms in a pseudoquantitative manner: entropy, chaos, complexity, order, fractal, phase

2) His assignment of a set of theories/systems/philosophies along a single axis, especially one invented by that person

3) His infatuation with useless ancient Greek dudes

[Heraclitus]

Originally posted by Sandman


But you can turn that around and say that economically worthwhile empires were simply part of an effort to create militarily glorious/religiously sound/racially pure empires. The only way to make a judgement is to see what was uppermost in the minds of the imperialists.

True, but that is motivation, I would not want to go into that right now, their behavior was consistent with someone who was pursuing such policies so it realy dosen't matter.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Blake
Yes, both are systems of power accumulation which lead to suffering for everyone.

But what about the suffering of people who've had the hair and eyebrows shaved? Surely that is the worst oppression of all.

[Heraclitus]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Signs that the person you're talking to is a buffoon:

1) His use of any of the following terms in a pseudoquantitative manner: entropy, chaos, complexity, order, fractal, phase

2) His assignment of a set of theories/systems/philosophies along a single axis, especially one invented by that person

3) His infatuation with useless ancient Greek dudes

1) His strong subconscious desire to prove that he is more intelligent than other people

2) His resolution of the conflict between point one and his self-doubt, as to whether he is more intelligent or not, is one of trying to reduce the perceived intelligence of all around him.

3) His employment of the following methods/tactics/ strategies: Horse Laugh, negative proof, Ad hominem attack, ignoratio elenchi, false dichotomy, ect.

4) His infatuation with useless ancient Native American dudes

[Darius871]

KH

[Ecthy]

But... but... he read GEB, it's impossible he'd use any false dichotomies!!!

[Aeson]

Capitalism is a tool.

Imperialism is an end.

[CrONoS]

Fixed:

Originally posted by Heraclitus
1) His strong conscious desire to prove that he is more intelligent than other people

[Kidlicious]

dp

[Ecthy]

That ain't true.

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by Heraclitus


1) His strong subconscious desire to prove that he is more intelligent than other people

SUBconscious?
Our KH here once made a thread in which he ranked intelligence of various forum posters...

In my opinion forum debates are more often about verbal brawling than searching for truth of the matter. But you have to be prepared for that (you seem surprised). There are probably specialized philosophical forums where that is frawned upon.