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The Political Thread

Started by The Legendary Shark, 09 April, 2010, 03:59:03 PM

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M.I.K.

You could try praying to Tharg instead. He doesn't exist either, but I got a Futurama DVD from him once.

Hawkmumbler

Foolish earthlet! Tharg exists! He recently hosted that advert for a Zombo toy, what more proof do you need??!!

The Legendary Shark

Tharg is a different kettle of fish altogether. Tharg definitely exists - and anyone who says otherwise deserves a fatal Rigellian Hotshot!
[move]~~~^~~~~~~~[/move]




M.I.K.

I did wonder how he managed to sign his name with a felt tip pen if he had incorporeal fingers.

Steven Denton

#8929
Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 10 September, 2015, 04:45:08 PM
Of course we have collective authority (and power). Any authorities we individually possess (the right to self-defence, the right to eat and drink, the right to speak and think as we please, as examples) can be passed on and delegated to  others. Any authorities we do not individually possess (the right to assault our neighbours, the right to deny other people food and drink, the right to limit another person's speech or thought, as examples) cannot be passed on or delegated to others.

What you have done there is confused your idea of morality with authority and then conflated authority with power. Groups have the authority that groups decide they have that they can then enforce. A group or individuals ability to enforce their rules or social structure is the limit their authority.

Dandontdare

Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 10 September, 2015, 04:45:08 PM
Any authorities we individually possess (the right to self-defence, the right to eat and drink, the right to speak and think as we please, as examples) can be passed on and delegated to  others.

And who gives us that authority?

Mikey

I'M WITH VOLCANO BLOCK! I'd certainly vote for/worship it in preference to the bunch of blurts in/out of Stormont.

Incidentally, you do know all volcanoes aren't mountains that can have their 'top blown off' don't you? Though I immediately had an image of an island nation worshipping said deity, which may well be part of a destructive plate boundary system, though obviously we must remember Hawaii as an example of intra plate effusive eruptions whose origin is still a reasonably controversial debate.

I'm not getting much chance to talk geology these days. Did I interrupt something?

M
To tell the truth, you can all get screwed.

Proudhuff

DDT did a job on me

JPMaybe

Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 10 September, 2015, 03:35:08 PM
No, JPM. I'm a blunt instrument.

Okay.  Yes or no, do you understand that:
(a) nobody in this thread actually thinks that government has some metaphysical existence independent of the people who compose it, and that when they use the word government, it's a synecdochic shorthand for that group of people?
(b) some people genuinely think that some form of government is necessary or desirable?

I'm asking whether you understand what other people actually think, not whether you agree with the sentiments themselves.
Quote from: Butch on 17 January, 2015, 04:47:33 PM
Judge Death is a serial killer who got turned into a zombie when he met two witches in the woods one day...Judge Death is his real name.
-Butch on Judge Death's powers of helmet generation

locustsofdeath!

Quote from: Hawkmonger on 10 September, 2015, 04:47:54 PM
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 10 September, 2015, 04:20:49 PM
If I worshipped the Volcano God I'd pray to Him to command His cult to throw this thread in the lava.
A) Where do I sign up.
B) Do you have complementary mugs?

Volcano mugs will be fun. They can get all fizzy at the top.

Yes, we'll have complimentary mugs.

Steven Denton

Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 10 September, 2015, 06:52:53 PM
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 10 September, 2015, 04:47:54 PM
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 10 September, 2015, 04:20:49 PM
If I worshipped the Volcano God I'd pray to Him to command His cult to throw this thread in the lava.
A) Where do I sign up.
B) Do you have complementary mugs?

Volcano mugs will be fun. They can get all fizzy at the top.

Yes, we'll have complimentary mugs.

Will the volcano be the god or are we to worship a god who controls the volcano? because I could totally get behind a volcano but I'm not sure I could worship some jerk who has a remote control volcano.

The Legendary Shark

#8936
"Groups have the authority that groups decide they have that they can then enforce. A group or individuals ability to enforce their rules or social structure is the limit their authority."
.
Good heavens! So, how many people does it take to form a group with the right to enforce their views on people outside that group? 2? 5? 17? And if the only means they have to apply their rules is enforcement, does that mean you believe that might makes right? Those with the biggest stick get the moral right to rule whomever they can, regardless of what the ruled think?
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There is a probably apocryphal story that Hitler, when told the Pope disagreed with his policies, snapped, 'and how many tanks does the Pope have?' Is that the only yardstick for the right to rule you can come up with? Really?
.
The latest ONS analysis shows that the population of the UK is 64,596,800. There are 650 UK MPs. So, 99.998994% of the population are ruled by 0.00100624% of the population (if my maths are correct, which they may not be because I'm shit at it).
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This forum has 24,295 members. This means that I (as 0.004116% of the forum population) could declare myself the Ruler of the Forum and have over four times more legitimacy than the UK "government." As your ruler, I could then demand you pay me money, to spend as I wish, and to do as I say. If anyone disobeys, I have the right to send my enforcers to your door to take your money and force you to act as I decree. If you still refuse, my enforcers have the right, given to them by me, to hurt you - but if you hurt them, even in self-defence, you'll be in deep shit. I can do this because I'm representing you and assuming your authority. That's how it works, right?
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DDD - That's exactly the correct question. Does someone have to give you a right (which makes it a privilege, not a right) or are we born with certain rights?
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JPM - A) yes. I have already said that it's people who call themselves "government" and not "government" that calls itself people. People can exist without a belief in "government" but "government" cannot exist without the belief of people. B) yes, I understand that most people believe some form of "government" is necessary. (I believe that organisation and cooperation are not dependent on "government".)
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TordelBack

#8937
Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 11 September, 2015, 01:57:57 AM
...I could declare myself the Ruler of the Forum and have over four times more legitimacy than the UK "government." As your ruler, I could then demand you pay me money, to spend as I wish, and to do as I say...

You could so declare, but we (or at least >50% of us) have already elected Thryllseekyr to this role, and chose not to assign him revenue gathering powers (fearing he would use them to buy more weirdstones and bring the Death Winter down on our world).  Does however hint at flaws in both our arguments, eh?

W. R. Logan

I feel a coup d'état approaching.
There is only one ruler of the board and that is King Trout.
All praise his royal Fishness!!

Hawkmumbler

Ming is the creator of life on this here board. He was given worthless yet mailable plastic gadgets and produced joyous wonders with them. Praise be Ming!