A Failure of Democracy

[Immanuel Can]

So showing concern for the plight of the homeless is me having a "missing tile" syndrome? Should I not care about the homeless?

No, Gary...you. You. You. I sent the video because you've got the problem. Never mind the homeless, for the moment. Sort yourself out. Learn gratitude. Or get used to never being happy.

Those are your choices.

I'll try to remember that.

Don't just "remember," Gary. You need to figure this out for yourself. And it's actually way more important to you than any debate here, if only you would realize that.

[Gary Childress]

No, Gary...you. You. You. I sent the video because you've got the problem. Never mind the homeless, for the moment. Sort yourself out. Learn gratitude. Or get used to never being happy.

Those are your choices.

I'll try to remember that.

Don't just "remember," Gary. You need to figure this out for yourself. And it's actually way more important to you than any debate here, if only you would realize that.

So if I become happy, I won't believe in socialism anymore? I'm not understanding what relationship this has to socialism.

[Immanuel Can]

I'll try to remember that.

Don't just "remember," Gary. You need to figure this out for yourself. And it's actually way more important to you than any debate here, if only you would realize that.

So if I become happy, I won't believe in socialism anymore? I'm not understanding what relationship this has to socialism.

No, Gary. The reason you're unhappy is that you are forever looking at the missing ceiling tiles in your life. And it seems you want to keep doing that, so I've said what I've said, and you've have the insight you need to do differently, if you want to.

If you don't...well, that's up to you. But blame nobody but yourself.

[Gary Childress]

Don't just "remember," Gary. You need to figure this out for yourself. And it's actually way more important to you than any debate here, if only you would realize that.

So if I become happy, I won't believe in socialism anymore? I'm not understanding what relationship this has to socialism.

No, Gary. The reason you're unhappy is that you are forever looking at the missing ceiling tiles in your life. And it seems you want to keep doing that, so I've said what I've said, and you've have the insight you need to do differently, if you want to.

If you don't...well, that's up to you. But blame nobody but yourself.

Fair enough. So you have nothing else to say about socialism (such as whether there are such things as good socialists or not)?

[phyllo]

Strange that they don't realize that the US is so much better.

But it should be an easy case to make.

If averages are considered, and if the US is compared to everywhere I can think of, the US is obviously a better option. People arrive in the US, find work immediately, get ahead quickly, and if they play it right get nicely situated quickly. Even relatively skilled workers can form an LLC for $25, get a business bank account, and with accessible liability insurance start a business in a day. And if they show willingness to work and strive, that is quickly recognized and they can achieve much.

And this is why millions and millions desire, still, to come to the US.

One wonders how anyone in the US could be poor or living from paycheck to paycheck.

[Immanuel Can]

So if I become happy, I won't believe in socialism anymore? I'm not understanding what relationship this has to socialism.

No, Gary. The reason you're unhappy is that you are forever looking at the missing ceiling tiles in your life. And it seems you want to keep doing that, so I've said what I've said, and you've have the insight you need to do differently, if you want to.

If you don't...well, that's up to you. But blame nobody but yourself.

Fair enough. So you have nothing else to say about socialism (such as whether there are such things as good socialists or not)?

I have said plenty about Socialism, Gary, and you've read a lot of it. But we're talking about you. It's your life, your happiness. That's more important.

[Immanuel Can]

One wonders how anyone in the US could be poor or living from paycheck to paycheck.

"Poor" is relative.

"Poorest," for an individual in the US, is officially defined as "less than $14,600 US/year." (Official Poverty Measure, 2023-2025)

"Poorest" in the Developing World, is defined as "living on less than a dollar a day" ($365/year).

Those people have never even seen your "paycheck," let alone gotten to "live" from one to the next.

[Gary Childress]

No, Gary. The reason you're unhappy is that you are forever looking at the missing ceiling tiles in your life. And it seems you want to keep doing that, so I've said what I've said, and you've have the insight you need to do differently, if you want to.

If you don't...well, that's up to you. But blame nobody but yourself.

Fair enough. So you have nothing else to say about socialism (such as whether there are such things as good socialists or not)?

I have said plenty about Socialism, Gary, and you've read a lot of it. But we're talking about you. It's your life, your happiness. That's more important.

And most of it, I think, has been unfair toward socialism.

[Immanuel Can]

Fair enough. So you have nothing else to say about socialism (such as whether there are such things as good socialists or not)?

I have said plenty about Socialism, Gary, and you've read a lot of it. But we're talking about you. It's your life, your happiness. That's more important.

And most of it, I think, has been unfair toward socialism.

Yes, that's what you think.

But if you're smart, you'll pay attention to what's going on in your own life, and stop "making plans for Nigel."

[Gary Childress]

I have said plenty about Socialism, Gary, and you've read a lot of it. But we're talking about you. It's your life, your happiness. That's more important.

And most of it, I think, has been unfair toward socialism.

Yes, that's what you think.

But if you're smart, you'll pay attention to what's going on in your own life, and stop "making plans for Nigel."

Who is Nigel?

[Immanuel Can]

And most of it, I think, has been unfair toward socialism.

Yes, that's what you think.

But if you're smart, you'll pay attention to what's going on in your own life, and stop "making plans for Nigel."

Who is Nigel?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiIlcew-GVM

[Gary Childress]

Yes, that's what you think.

But if you're smart, you'll pay attention to what's going on in your own life, and stop "making plans for Nigel."

Who is Nigel?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiIlcew-GVM

Never heard that song. XTC's best song was this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p554R-Jq43A&t=35s

[Gary Childress]

I feel strangely happy now! Kicking at God is the greatest joy I know.

Another fav of mine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmrAcfoVKNI

[phyllo]

One wonders how anyone in the US could be poor or living from paycheck to paycheck.

"Poor" is relative.

"Poorest," for an individual in the US, is officially defined as "less than $14,600 US/year." (Official Poverty Measure, 2023-2025)

"Poorest" in the Developing World, is defined as "living on less than a dollar a day" ($365/year).

Those people have never even seen your "paycheck," let alone gotten to "live" from one to the next.

Sure, "poor" is relative. So compare the income and assets of the poor in the US to the average or above average in the US. That would be shocking wouldn't it? Because it would show the inequality in the US.

Comparing income in the US to income of the poorest in the developing world is not an answer as to why there are poor in the US.

It doesn't address any issues.

[Immanuel Can]

Comparing income in the US to income of the poorest in the developing world is not an answer as to why there are poor in the US.

But that wasn't the question. "Why," was not the issue. And I didn't propose to explain why Elon Musk has billions, and some people in the US, (minus government benefits, which are never included in these statistics, for some reason) live on only 14,000 and some a year. And that had nothing to do with the message of the video, either.

The question was whether on not anybody had anything to be grateful for, along with whatever "tiles" are missing in their lives that give them an incentive to feel discontentment.

If you live in the US AT ALL, as Gary does, you do unquestionably have some reasons for gratitude. You may not see them, because you're preoccupied with what you don't have. You may not see them because your eye is envious of others who have more. You may not see them because you don't care about the 2/3 of the world who live in much greater poverty than you know anything about. You may not see them because you're an ungrateful boor who has no idea how to be happy. But that you don't see them doesn't mean you don't have them -- and if you'd see them, you'd have a lot more joy in your self-pitying, self-absorbed, ungrateful life.

That's the point. That others around you may have more or less than you is neither here nor there in the question of your ability to recognize that you have some reasons for gratitude.