Philosophy Now Forum

Walker wrote: ↑Wed Aug 11, 2021 1:18 pm “And yet, historical and present-day experience shows that Marxism and its supposed “worker’s paradise” are responsible for the death of tens of millions of human beings, and the impoverishment and enslavement of over a billion more. Indeed, Marx was wrong about almost everything. The Industrial Revolution created a vast middle class unmatched at any time in world history, as opposed to an army of angry proletariat revolutionaries hell-bent on overthrowing the capitalist system. And despite the Marxist class warfare rhetoric of Democratic Party politicians and their surrogates, with technological and other advances capitalism has created unimaginable and unparalleled wealth for more people in all walks of life than any other economic system.”

- Mark Levin
American Marxism

(boldface added)

RCSaunders wrote: ↑Wed Aug 11, 2021 1:59 pm No! Supporting some political agenda is not work. It's what one does to evade having to work, that is, to actually produce a product or service others would willingly choose to pay for. All political programs are forms of oppression and theft.

henry quirk wrote: ↑Wed Aug 11, 2021 2:09 pm
I missed this earlier...all true...is his assessment of what needs doin' buried in there?

Walker wrote: ↑Wed Aug 11, 2021 8:26 pm

RCSaunders wrote: ↑Wed Aug 11, 2021 1:59 pm No! Supporting some political agenda is not work. It's what one does to evade having to work, that is, to actually produce a product or service others would willingly choose to pay for. All political programs are forms of oppression and theft.

Well, you can hardly object to the book without reading the book. He looks deeper than politics, into cultural movements, causes that permeate practically every institution in society, and what’s known of past cause and effect.

It’s a well-researched book, not just someone spouting off.

Walker wrote: ↑Wed Aug 11, 2021 8:28 pm

henry quirk wrote: ↑Wed Aug 11, 2021 2:09 pm
I missed this earlier...all true...is his assessment of what needs doin' buried in there?

Levin calls himself a conservative activist and he shares practical knowledge about how to pressure the system, and he's well-qualified. The first six chapters explain why this is a turning point in history.

Sculptor wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 3:57 pm The most powerful Marxians of the last century were the followers of Milton Firedman, such as Reagan, Pinochet, and Thatcher.
Because understanding what Marx was talking about does not mandate that you will want to redress the problems of inequality and exploitation; you can also use Marx as a playbook to create more inequality and to better understand how it is possible to convince your populace that their poverty is somehow their own fault. (ask any of the 17000 homeless on LA streets)
The last forty years or so has been characterised by the tendancy to increasing inequality, and the masking of those inequalities by the lie that "we are all in this together".
SO whilst captialism drags us all from one crisis to another those that have to pay the most for the economic disasters are generally the people who through thier toil, are the people who make the economy grow - the WORKERS. And whilst they pay again, and again, the rich just continue to exploit them and the situation to further enrich themselves.

... the world you think you are living in and the life you think you are leading is a construction that actually happens in side your head.

RCSaunders wrote: ↑Thu Aug 12, 2021 2:05 pm

Sculptor wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 3:57 pm The most powerful Marxians of the last century were the followers of Milton Firedman, such as Reagan, Pinochet, and Thatcher.
Because understanding what Marx was talking about does not mandate that you will want to redress the problems of inequality and exploitation; you can also use Marx as a playbook to create more inequality and to better understand how it is possible to convince your populace that their poverty is somehow their own fault. (ask any of the 17000 homeless on LA streets)
The last forty years or so has been characterised by the tendancy to increasing inequality, and the masking of those inequalities by the lie that "we are all in this together".
SO whilst captialism drags us all from one crisis to another those that have to pay the most for the economic disasters are generally the people who through thier toil, are the people who make the economy grow - the WORKERS. And whilst they pay again, and again, the rich just continue to exploit them and the situation to further enrich themselves.

How can any of that possibly matter?

As you pointed out elsewhere:

... the world you think you are living in and the life you think you are leading is a construction that actually happens in side your head.

Since all the terrible things "capitalism," is doing are only in your head, why should anyone else worry about them?

Sculptor wrote: ↑Thu Aug 12, 2021 3:53 pm

RCSaunders wrote: ↑Thu Aug 12, 2021 2:05 pm

Sculptor wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 3:57 pm The most powerful Marxians of the last century were the followers of Milton Firedman, such as Reagan, Pinochet, and Thatcher.
Because understanding what Marx was talking about does not mandate that you will want to redress the problems of inequality and exploitation; you can also use Marx as a playbook to create more inequality and to better understand how it is possible to convince your populace that their poverty is somehow their own fault. (ask any of the 17000 homeless on LA streets)
The last forty years or so has been characterised by the tendancy to increasing inequality, and the masking of those inequalities by the lie that "we are all in this together".
SO whilst captialism drags us all from one crisis to another those that have to pay the most for the economic disasters are generally the people who through thier toil, are the people who make the economy grow - the WORKERS. And whilst they pay again, and again, the rich just continue to exploit them and the situation to further enrich themselves.

How can any of that possibly matter?

As you pointed out elsewhere:

... the world you think you are living in and the life you think you are leading is a construction that actually happens in side your head.

Since all the terrible things "capitalism," is doing are only in your head, why should anyone else worry about them?

Don't be a stupid ****.
None of these things are the objects of perception.
All are conceptual.

RCSaunders wrote: ↑Thu Aug 12, 2021 9:44 pm

Sculptor wrote: ↑Thu Aug 12, 2021 3:53 pm

RCSaunders wrote: ↑Thu Aug 12, 2021 2:05 pm
How can any of that possibly matter?

As you pointed out elsewhere:


Since all the terrible things "capitalism," is doing are only in your head, why should anyone else worry about them?

Don't be a stupid ****.
None of these things are the objects of perception.
All are conceptual.

I know. That's what I mean. They're just things you made up in your head, out of "whole clothe," as they say, without any tangible evidence.

Walker wrote: ↑Mon Aug 02, 2021 4:44 pm American Marxism
by Mark R. Levin

Check it out.

He proves that a Marxist revolution is in process, American style.

Walker wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 2:48 pm Levin makes the point that Marx was not a philosopher.

Neither was he an economist.

He was a journalist.

DPMartin wrote: ↑Fri Aug 06, 2021 8:30 pm

Skepdick wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 2:46 pm

Walker wrote: ↑Mon Aug 02, 2021 4:44 pm American Marxism
by Mark R. Levin

Check it out.

He proves that a Marxist revolution is in process, American style.

Marx once said "The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it.".

If anybody who wants to change the world is a Marxist, then I don't think I have ever met any non-Marxists.

i don't think so, Gates changed the world, Ford changed the world, there are ways to change the world without trying to get everyone else to do it for you like a Marxist would.

Sculptor wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 4:00 pm

Walker wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 2:48 pm Levin makes the point that Marx was not a philosopher.

Neither was he an economist.

He was a journalist.

He was all three, and at levels way beyond the capacity for you or Levin (whever the fuck that is) to scratch the surface of understanding of half the ideas that Marx had.