Decisions, decisions...

In the midst of ranting about the US Senate, I got sidetracked.

This morning The Angler made a comment, and I want to explain my straw pioneer or caveman. The other day Voyaging brought up the fish issue, and I have more to say about that, too.

I was going to post my replies in the Group for that purpose, where we could continue discussing things, but I can't find it. Perhaps it was removed for lack of activity. I wonder where we could do this, or if there's any interest in it. Threads in the comment areas of blogs may or may not be the best way of addressing this, but much of what I read in other blogs has a lot that's ripe for discussion.

In short, I'm conflicted. "Wild Caught" seafood, and I think there's some law now that insists on the labeling, is probably healthier, but more cruel. Farmed fish is manufactured, with all those attendant problems.

And, yes, I was simplistic in my description of earlier life in the US. I don't have the benefit of knowing much at all of my family's history, but (in my defense), when I think of the old times I usually restrict my thoughts to crossing the Rockies on foot or trudging across the plains. Not so much about the life when they settle, only the settling.

Similarly, when I think of cave men (and I'm sorry, but I love that term), I think of them huddled around a fire, burning meat and soiling their beards. It's a very restricted, unnatural and romantic view, to be sure.

I agree, though, about us doing too much work. It may be idealistic of me, but I'd like to think with all the productivity increases we'd have more leisure time. When the Soviet Union collapsed, one of my first thoughts was that now that the US had "won," maybe we could quit all this racing ahead nonsense. As I saw it, but can't correctly explain, there's little need for it: there's no real winner as long as we're all in the same boat, on the same planet. It's not as if we need to beat the rest of the galaxy.

I was never convinced by the Executive Officers' exhortations to "beat the competition." I'd prefer doing one thing well, very well, over slapping together products because "they" had it. We had our business, they had theirs. I know humans are descended from predators and have all those competitive / predatory instincts, but just as we've learned to use forks instead of fingers, I'd expected more as far as thrashing the competition.

Two remaining problems: revenge and over-population.

2 comments:

The Angler said...

So where do we do our discussing? Seems like a central place would be good for all. Maybe one of us should install a commercial free discussion board. I also need a new mailing list cgi. Know of any good ones?

Anyway, our whole system is structured around corporations getting what they need. A few people (the elites?) glean what they can from the corporations, but they aren't any more free that we are; they just suffer a different kind of bondage. The pioneer and the caveman are the most free.

russ said...

I know nothing about mailing lists, but I can look into it this weekend. If you were asking about message boards I like the php one (I use it here, at www.half-dozen.net/rob)

Or ... perhaps I could set up a second WordPress blog thing and give everyone the rights to post. It wouldn't be threaded, but could be fun.

Among the things that cause me to have no respect for corporations is their neutrality on all things political. They don't care under what govt the people have, what their rights are or anything like that, but as long as the economic model permits them to exist, they're content. As long as the bombers and activists are wearing Nike shoes, Nike considers its job done.