Oil at $300

[whitetower]

Re: Oil at $300

I got stuck back when someone said that Europe is "more civilized" than the United States.

I can't help but wonder whether the poster means that it's Europe's relative impoverishment, lack of business opportunities, restrictions on speech and expression, intractable racial/ethnic politics, civil strife, recent history of totalitarianism, or rapid Islamization that make Europe "more civilized" than the U.S.

Anyone suggesting that contemporary Europe is genteel, cosmopolitan, and, for that matter, intelligent, is so far off base that they shouldn't be taken seriously in other pronouncements they make -- much less ones posted in a tone that presume other posters here are unenlightened.

[metalman]

Re: Oil at $300

I got stuck back when someone said that Europe is "more civilized" than the United States.

I can't help but wonder whether the poster means that it's Europe's relative impoverishment, lack of business opportunities, restrictions on speech and expression, intractable racial/ethnic politics, civil strife, recent history of totalitarianism, or rapid Islamization that make Europe "more civilized" than the U.S.

Anyone suggesting that contemporary Europe is genteel, cosmopolitan, and, for that matter, intelligent, is so far off base that they shouldn't be taken seriously in other pronouncements they make -- much less ones posted in a tone that presume other posters here are unenlightened.

well whaddaya know. the bouncer shows up and it's like someone opened a window and let some fresh air in. welcome back, whitetower.

europe is a museum, a tribal enclave civilized by the experience of a few tens of million dead. that said, america used to be about get it done, do the right thing, don't take bribes, uncouth but honest.

europe had gained a bit and america has lost some, do you think?

[jacobdcoates]

Re: Oil at $300

we_are_toast,

Here is the quote from politicalfootballfan about acorn:

"Originally Posted by politicalfootballfan
What a great question.... one that I think you already know the answer to but it was very wise to raise it.

While I would like to believe that individuals currently think for themselves, and therefore determine their own desires, I now know otherwise. I don't believe it was always like this, and I certainly believe that individual can be taught to once again employ independent thought. However, there are many forces at play now that are working against individuality and independent thought...it's a real struggle to regain this god-given privilege.


YES!

This is deliberate, and you will see it mostly from people on the far-left. I spoke of this in another post here, it is a technique that was used in Soviet Russia and is used to create "pressure from below" on the public. The recent injection of $5.2B into ACORN was a tactical move in this direction."


Personally I think most desires and wants are manufactured proxies for the primal needs of food, shelter,power and sex. Most products are marketed to reflect at least one of the 4 needs, and hence are false desire. All of these thing could be accomplished at a much lower material cost than they are today. On a side note I did engage in one of said desires - I bought a stainless steel 45acp.

[Guest]

Re: Oil at $300

This sort of breezy write-off generalization of an entire continent with 35 + nations as being "less dynamic'' really does not constitute much of a summation of what works and what doesn't on the old continent. Please take note, you are waving a declarative arm at a quite large and diverse place, with 450 million workers who are evolved out of 2000 years of industrial social organization in one form or another. Waving an arm at all this and suggesting "it's essentially a flawed economic model" is a "throw-away line".

That such sweeping remarks about "Europe's dynamism" comes from a couple of iTulip bloggers on a Monday night does not make it more compelling. "Europe is a museum, a tribal enclave civilized by the experience of a few tens of million dead". Right Metalman. If this is an opened window and a breath of fresh air, I'm not percieving any particularly revealing panorama of insights here. James Howard Kunstler does this sort of throwaway line thingy better, if that's what you were angling for.

well whaddaya know. the bouncer shows up and it's like someone opened a window and let some fresh air in. welcome back, whitetower.

europe is a museum, a tribal enclave civilized by the experience of a few tens of million dead. that said, america used to be about get it done, do the right thing, don't take bribes, uncouth but honest.

europe had gained a bit and america has lost some, do you think?

[Prazak]

Re: Oil at $300

Plenty of interesting commentary on this board; keeps me coming back for more. Lots of know-it-alls on every board; no point in engaging in much depth if one uses one's time more productively than self-exposition.

Having said that, it's sad to see otherwise seemingly intelligent people make such blanket assertions about an entire continent. That has always held true for my European friends, none of whom have ever shown restraint in savaging the United States to my face (although I would never dream of doing the same with respect to their homelands). Having repatriated to the U.S., which I still regard as the least xenophobic country on earth, it saddens me to see so many here increasingly doing the same in reverse.

Much to love about this country, much to loathe; must we always proclaim it the best and all others fatally flawed?

[metalman]

Re: Oil at $300

Plenty of interesting commentary on this board; keeps me coming back for more. Lots of know-it-alls on every board; no point in engaging in much depth if one uses one's time more productively than self-exposition.

Having said that, it's sad to see otherwise seemingly intelligent people make such blanket assertions about an entire continent. That has always held true for my European friends, none of whom have ever shown restraint in savaging the United States to my face (although I would never dream of doing the same with respect to their homelands). Having repatriated to the U.S., which I still regard as the least xenophobic country on earth, it saddens me to see so many here increasingly doing the same in reverse.

Much to love about this country, much to loathe; must we always proclaim it the best and all others fatally flawed?

here, here! all nations are flawed. but we are enter a new era of 'pick a side' of 'with me or against me' and of 'mine is good and yours is evil' and 'everything comes down to this one thing... the fed or the elite or what have you... what does ej call it, 'four legs good, two legs bad'.