Welcome to the grand illusion

[David64]

No, although it was a fantastic album, we're not talking about Styx.

We're talking about the illusion of free stuff....and that's exactly what it is. An illusion. Smoke and mirrors to fool the masses into thinking you're getting something for nothing.

When you go to the bank with your kids or your dog, they give out free candy or dog treats right ? You think "Oh they're such nice people they gave my dog a free treat" lol. No. It wasn't. They could have given you the whole damn box and it still wasn't free. You already paid for it through banking and ATM fees.

You think you have free healthcare ? No. You have pre paid healthcare that you've paid in to from the day you got that first paycheck and Will Continue to pay for the rest of your life....or at least somebody will and as long as it's not you, everything's fine, innit ?

Free bus rides ? Nope. If you've paid taxes, that ride has already been paid for and you will keep paying for it as long as you work in that city.

Now, if you want truly free, get your government to abolish any form of taxes and just start printing money. That comes with a whole new set of problems, but who cares right ?

As long as it's free.

[PorkChop96]

No, although it was a fantastic album, we're not talking about Styx.

We're talking about the illusion of free stuff....and that's exactly what it is. An illusion. Smoke and mirrors to fool the masses into thinking you're getting something for nothing.

When you go to the bank with your kids or your dog, they give out free candy or dog treats right ? You think "Oh they're such nice people they gave my dog a free treat" lol. No. It wasn't. They could have given you the whole damn box and it still wasn't free. You already paid for it through banking and ATM fees.

You think you have free healthcare ? No. You have pre paid healthcare that you've paid in to from the day you got that first paycheck and Will Continue to pay for the rest of your life....or at least somebody will and as long as it's not you, everything's fine, innit ?

Free bus rides ? Nope. If you've paid taxes, that ride has already been paid for and you will keep paying for it as long as you work in that city.

Now, if you want truly free, get your government to abolish any form of taxes and just start printing money. That comes with a whole new set of problems, but who cares right ?

As long as it's free.

I read your entire post in the voice of Dennis DeYoung.......I am not ashamed of what I did  (Paradise Theatre still probably my favorite of their albums)



Same thing goes for the internet.  All of those "free" services on the internet are not free. They sell your data and information, and make millions off of all of the people who use them. 

If you are not the customer, you are the product.

[andy06shake]

No, although it was a fantastic album, we're not talking about Styx.

We're talking about the illusion of free stuff....and that's exactly what it is. An illusion. Smoke and mirrors to fool the masses into thinking you're getting something for nothing.

When you go to the bank with your kids or your dog, they give out free candy or dog treats right ? You think "Oh they're such nice people they gave my dog a free treat" lol. No. It wasn't. They could have given you the whole damn box and it still wasn't free. You already paid for it through banking and ATM fees.

You think you have free healthcare ? No. You have pre paid healthcare that you've paid in to from the day you got that first paycheck and Will Continue to pay for the rest of your life....or at least somebody will and as long as it's not you, everything's fine, innit ?

Free bus rides ? Nope. If you've paid taxes, that ride has already been paid for and you will keep paying for it as long as you work in that city.

Now, if you want truly free, get your government to abolish any form of taxes and just start printing money. That comes with a whole new set of problems, but who cares right ?

As long as it's free.

True freedom doesn't really exist because human existence is inherently social.

For us to live together, people must establish shared rules, laws, and norms.

Or at least adopt a semblance of moral code that limits individual actions.

Because without these constraints, chaos ensues, and survival of the fittest becomes the colour of the day.

It's all an illusion, and both freedom and security are illusory concepts.

Nonetheless, concepts humanity cannot live without, illusory or otherwise.

[midicon]

Our whole society is built on illusion. From UFO's to Jesus and entertainment via the goggle box. We are distracted from reality and choose that distraction rather than address fundamental issues.

[WallFlowerActive]

Or at least adopt a semblance of moral code that limits individual actions.

Like calling teenage girls neds.

I think hypocrites are some of the most socially blind.

Anyway.  Doesn’t mean you get to force me into being an indentured servant to the state and make the state ran by corruption my religion.


The problem with communism, the currency becomes the party.  Oh, I see you don’t like the state so your social score puts you at the bottom of the list to get that heart transplant.  While the glorious leader is at the top.  Capitalism is just more honest about the haves and the have nots while communism shrouds the elite in state servant propaganda.

[andy06shake]

Like calling teenage girls neds.

I think hypocrites are some of the most socially blind.

Anyway.  Doesn’t mean you get to force me into being an indentured servant to the state and make the state ran by corruption my religion.


The problem with communism, the currency becomes the party.  Oh, I see you don’t like the state so your social score puts you at the bottom of the list to get that heart transplant.  While the glorious leader is at the top.  Capitalism is just more honest about the haves and the have nots while communism shrouds the elite in state servant propaganda.

A ned is exactly what she was, and probably still is.

Same with any other children running around with blades and axes, threatening people in parks. 

But i can't be bothered educating you on those facts again.

Or the laws of the land, which you obviously fail to comprehend or accept. 

The topic is "Welcome to the grand illusion", stick to it, please.

If you have an issue with me or wish to discuss what you obviously have stuck in your mind on repeat.

Let's do it in DM and not derail the thread. 

The problem with Communism is that it works perfectly on paper, but in practice, not so much. 

Because people are corruptible. 

Capitalism's problem is that wealth becomes power.

"Oh, you can’t afford healthcare or housing? Too bad, the market says you don't deserve it."

Capitalism rewards greed and disguises exploitation as freedom.

It pretty much lets profit dictate morality.

Capitalism sells dreams, then charges you interest on them.

Nonetheless, it's desirable to the alternatives on offer.

[David64]

Ned.

I had to look that one up.
 

Ned is a Scottish term for ruffian or hooligan, akin to the word yob.

[UltraBudgie]

Ned.

I had to look that one up.
 

It's basically the Scottish version of calling someone "trailer-park white trash". Some might claim that it isn't a slur, that it stands for "Non-Educated Delinquent", but that is likely a contrived backronym used to justify classism.

https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/histo...h-24599607

[andy06shake]

It's basically the Scottish version of calling someone "trailer-park white trash". Some might claim that it isn't a slur, that it stands for "Non-Educated Delinquent", but that is likely a contrived backronym used to justify classism.

https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/histo...h-24599607

Like a dictionary, for instance.

Oxford in this case. 

ned
/nɛd/
noun
derogatory•informal

1. a hooligan or petty criminal.
   • a stupid or loutish boy or man.
     

It certainly does not donate grace or intelligence.

Hooligans pretty much covers it.

Again, not wishing to derail the thread with Scottish slang. 

But if anyone is interested in the acronym, i seem to recall they made a movie back in 2010.  

[UltraBudgie]

When you go to the bank with your kids or your dog, they give out free candy or dog treats right ? You think "Oh they're such nice people they gave my dog a free treat" lol. No. It wasn't. They could have given you the whole damn box and it still wasn't free. You already paid for it through banking and ATM fees.

You are thinking in terms of a closed economy. Imagine if your bank made tons of money by providing services for overseas drug cartels (not at all like HSBC; use your imagination). That would bring money into the economy, which they could partially use to splurge on free candy and bribes to maintain a friendly public image, domestically.

Or consider a popular product like the iPhone, which is sold worldwide. That bring in billions of dollars in tax revenue each year, much of which is siphoned from foreign economies. There's thousands of American products like that!

And consider foreign business ventures. Our economic and military might give a distinct advantage to favoured business entities, and much of that profit makes its way back to the coffers of the US Government in tax revenue. It's called extractionism, although it doesn't have to be considered a zero-sum game.

So, the US economy is not a "closed system". You have to look not only at the domestic economy, but also the portion of the world economy that the US holds sway and advantage over. Without that, what you're describing is indeed correct, but there are very good reasons why $1T a year to ensure the position of the US in the world is a good investment.