Funny AND affirms my worldview? How can I lose?

[evil_mr_tim]

While reading over some old articles in The Onion today, I couldn't help but chuckle relentlessly at this little gem.

"Skeptic Pitied"

I adore how it so clearly describes this astonishing (to me) and ubiquitous worldview, where people modularise their understanding of the world to such a degree that they will understand and embrace rational and

Comments

[soul_harvester]

The harder everyone works, the better life gets for everyone.

Simple. On paper.

[evil_mr_tim]

Even on paper, one is capable of speculating what motivations there may be for hard work on an individual level, and in a communist paradigm there is essentially none. Your equality of treatment is guaranteed regardless of doing much or doing little, and only very carefully crafted intervening indoctrinations will make a person work more for no contingent benefit.

It seems the central problem of communist theory is that it assumes the most useful level of organisation to 'correct' social problems on is the level of the nation, rather than the individual (or even sub-community or peer group). This is not, and never has been, the case.

[soul_harvester]

On paper, everyone wants a better life. If this is dangled in front of them, with a little prodding they'll work for it. Chuck in an iron fist, and you've got yourself a government.

On paper, this is a flawless theory. That people will only work for the benifit of themselves as individuals is conjecture...though it happens to be correct, so far as I'm concerned.

I maintain that the statement "Communism works on paper/in theory" is a sound one.

[soul_harvester]

Don't ask me WTF "benifit" is.

[volatil_e]

Of course there's contingent reinforcement. The feeling of unity, wanting to grow and understand and love together, working for a higher goal, an ideal, let's make it work, we the people are equal (apparently) and we don't need some higher being dictating our lives when we can all live in harmony by directing ourselves towards a better future, organisation is the key :3 ONE LOVE!

[evil_mr_tim]

Isn't it non-contingent in that you won't lose any of your community, unity, or idealism if you simply elect not to work very much?

[soul_harvester]

If you bring everyone down, you bring yourself down. AND them.

...in theory. Everyone wants a free ride, though.

[evil_mr_tim]

I would replace 'theory' with 'practice'. Or 'fact'.