tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post8399580387663744121..comments2023-10-18T16:25:13.593+01:00Comments on Famous for 15 megapixels: Apocalypse Clarkson - now with even more ApocalypseStefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01467757421113856218noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-27023312940135471082008-12-09T16:13:00.000+00:002008-12-09T16:13:00.000+00:00Marxism, Communism, Socialism - I find it hard to ...Marxism, Communism, Socialism - I find it hard to distinguish and draw lines. And quite frankly, I never cared and I still don't care what label it has.<BR/><BR/>Besides what many people have done based on his work (both good and bad, both right and wrong), there are so many things that Marx has written - and what areas: both economic science and philosophy! There is Marx the historian, the sociologist, the humanist, the newspaper editor, the political theorist and of course the revolutionary. Simply slap Marxism on it and call it a day? I think that is the biggest disservice one can do to Marx. At the moment, I fascinated with Marxist Analysis - to lay bare the principles that govern the world. And I try to have the same hope that Marx had, the world today is not "as good as it gets" and a that a better world is possible. Yet, I have a hard time at the moment to see such a future...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-62448347290447229582008-12-09T15:14:00.000+00:002008-12-09T15:14:00.000+00:00Well, Marx didn't think that Marxism is an alterna...<I><BR/>Well, Marx didn't think that Marxism is an alternative to Capitalism...</I><BR/><BR/>I've picked up this bad habit of using the terms Marxism and Communism interchangeably<BR/><BR/>sloppy...Stefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01467757421113856218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-25132593592706553602008-12-09T15:01:00.000+00:002008-12-09T15:01:00.000+00:00lollolStefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01467757421113856218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-19258181247123498492008-12-09T15:00:00.000+00:002008-12-09T15:00:00.000+00:00capitalsm bad. socialsm bttr. revolution now. kthx...capitalsm bad. socialsm bttr. revolution now. kthxbyeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-50113539046681485972008-12-09T14:58:00.001+00:002008-12-09T14:58:00.001+00:00invested == invented...invested == invented...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-7877519519908817372008-12-09T14:58:00.000+00:002008-12-09T14:58:00.000+00:00If Marx had been confined to the discipline of mod...If Marx had been confined to the discipline of modern text messaging things would definitely be a lot clearerStefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01467757421113856218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-60651189597661361282008-12-09T14:37:00.000+00:002008-12-09T14:37:00.000+00:00Two posts crossed :-)Well, Marx didn't think that ...Two posts crossed :-)<BR/><BR/>Well, Marx didn't think that Marxism is an alternative to Capitalism, he thought that like Capitalism grew out of Feudalism, that Socialism will grow out of Capitalism. For him, this was a natural consequence. I guess he was wrong about that (at least for now). But for him Socialism wasn't an alternative, but something which would come when its time would be right.<BR/><BR/>And in a sense, yes, he wasn't interested in what a single person does. What interested him is was that the individual actions of everybody, taken together, had consequences for each individual that would be perceived as unchangeable (while at the same time generated by one own actions).<BR/><BR/>I guess Marx wouldn't have disputed that individuals (and group of individuals) can and will screw the system in once favorable direction - but he wasn't interested in, because he wanted to lay bare the underlying principals of capitalism. The capitalist company owner, who has to lower the wages of his employees, while at the same time having to hope that the other company owners don't act like that, because then no one would have enough money to buy the products. Or the company owner who has to expand his market, no matter what. Stuff like that. And viewed like that, a capitalist has to act like he does. It is a natural consequence. Both the worker and the owner create the system, that forces them to do what they do. And if the logic dictates to manufacture a crisis, in order to bankrupt competitors and take a even larger share of the wealth generated by everybody - well then that has to be done and will be done. Because if you are in position to do it - and don't do it - well, then someone else will strive to be in that position and do it.<BR/><BR/>Simple Marxist analysis. (But then Marx might come and say: That's not what I meant. I don't know. The bugger just couldn't keep it short and simple when he has written his works - guess blogs weren't invested back then).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-1889447015563529712008-12-09T14:15:00.000+00:002008-12-09T14:15:00.000+00:00I really hope that your personal life is a bit mor...<I>I really hope that your personal life is a bit more, well, in order and settled - and less in conflict with the authorities</I><BR/><BR/>Is one out of two a decent score?Stefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01467757421113856218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-50944456837699894812008-12-09T14:13:00.000+00:002008-12-09T14:13:00.000+00:00Well, Marx has written a thorough scientific analy...Well, Marx has written a thorough scientific analysis of the national economy in a capitalistic system - besides being probably THE most important German philosopher. I would not go so far and compare that part with you (unless you are secretly writing away on some new chapters of "Das Kapital"). But then again Marx was a complete maniacal Nerd, rather indulging himself in the flame wars of that age, writing sharp critical letters to both fans and enemies of his instead of finishing his own works, he couldn't handle money, spend all of it for his work (and it was quite a sum for that time) only to see his wife and five of his children die in poverty while fleeing from one country to another. I really hope that your personal life is a bit more, well, in order and settled - and less in conflict with the authorities.<BR/><BR/>No need to hide your light under a bushel, I think you have a very good understanding how the world works for someone without a Marxist education - at least from the people I had somehow contact with :-) And as far a I know, Marxism is not about following a dogma, but instead of deciphering the world...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-17473357864456161032008-12-09T14:12:00.000+00:002008-12-09T14:12:00.000+00:00Some people (not on this blog but in the 'real' wo...Some people (not on this blog but in the 'real' world) have recently accused me of being a Marxist because of what they saw as my anti-capitalist prejudice<BR/><BR/>Marxism has always been presented as the logical alternative to capitalism<BR/><BR/>and Marxism (reportedly) failed<BR/><BR/>Which meant that Capitalism was the only game in town<BR/><BR/>The problem, of course, it that Capitalism has now failed <BR/><BR/>So, if the two competing fundamental economic philosophies have failed that must mean that our only choice is to embrace the least awful of the two, correct? <BR/><BR/>Nope<BR/><BR/>There are plenty of interesting, competing economic philosophies out there. We are not reminded of their existence by the mainstream media, because the controllers of the mainstream media prefer races with only two horses<BR/><BR/>And even if there really were only two horses, Marxism and Capitalism, I do not believe for a second that the versions of Capitalism or Marxism which failed, failed because of their theoretical flaws.<BR/><BR/>They failed because they were corrupted by criminals<BR/><BR/>First and foremost, I am more concerned that the people who manage our world are decent, honest, capable and accountable people. The system they manage is of secondary interest to me<BR/><BR/>I am certain that our world is currently run for the benefit of a small ruling class of people. However, just because I agree with that class analysis does not make me a Marxist<BR/><BR/>My single biggest issue with Marx is that, like Darwin and other 'illuminated' 19th century beardies, he thought in terms of natural forces and denied the significant impact of individuals and their conscious decisions on the flow of human history<BR/><BR/>In the context of the current crash Marx would argue that the crash was an inevitable consequence of Capitalism<BR/><BR/>I would argue that the crash is the result of consciousness decisions made by some right evil bastards. 'Casino' Capitalism is merely the tool they employed on this occasionStefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01467757421113856218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-25995076627171894812008-12-09T13:35:00.000+00:002008-12-09T13:35:00.000+00:00/ flattered/ flatteredStefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01467757421113856218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-46308646291952428362008-12-09T13:34:00.000+00:002008-12-09T13:34:00.000+00:00If anything is certain, it is that I myself am not...<A HREF="http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Karl_Marx" REL="nofollow">If anything is certain, it is that I myself am not a Marxist.</A><BR/><BR/>Stef, I am thinking more about a real exchange with Marx, the man himself. Marx - as I understand it - was not too happy about the ways of the world, tried to understand and explain them, bring enlightenment to the word and help to change it for the better. Which reminds me what you do here. So a exchange between the two of you would have been really insightful.<BR/><BR/>But as I said, the bugger is dead. But you could comment on the work of Marx, as you did with Klein and Taleb. Like where you agree and were not.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-27462841846804666262008-12-09T10:00:00.000+00:002008-12-09T10:00:00.000+00:00by all meansas long as you don't try and profit fr...by all means<BR/><BR/>as long as you don't try and profit from itStefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01467757421113856218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-30842599730118371462008-12-09T09:33:00.000+00:002008-12-09T09:33:00.000+00:00kleptocrapitalism!That's brilliant, can I use it?<B>kleptocrapitalism!</B><BR/><BR/>That's brilliant, can I use it?Wolfiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05820269114208456064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-4240900216350201482008-12-09T00:54:00.000+00:002008-12-09T00:54:00.000+00:00LoLI'm currently thinking about whether Georgism i...LoL<BR/><BR/>I'm currently thinking about whether <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgism" REL="nofollow">Georgism</A> is the way forward<BR/><BR/>Partly because I think it might be, in practice, a more libertarian system than Marxism<BR/><BR/>But mostly because virtually no-one knows what the f**k it is and so they wouldn't know if I was being serious or notStefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01467757421113856218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-78545921673374289692008-12-09T00:39:00.000+00:002008-12-09T00:39:00.000+00:00Stef, I would really like to see an exchange of th...Stef, I would really like to see an exchange of thoughts and ideas between you and Karl Marx. To bad that the old bugger is dead for a long time now...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-78153198229494984802008-12-08T22:06:00.000+00:002008-12-08T22:06:00.000+00:00Competence Theorist is an interesting concept, act...Competence Theorist is an interesting concept, actually.<BR/><BR/>Fanatic muslamiacs are indeed competent enough to do acrobatics with airliners, put together complex liquid explosives in the loo, and make anthrax from scratch in their bedsits...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-59297941145923483292008-12-08T21:19:00.000+00:002008-12-08T21:19:00.000+00:00^^^^^ Tragic-Schoolboy-Error-ists^^^^^ Tragic-Schoolboy-Error-istsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-84792636824291508402008-12-08T20:51:00.000+00:002008-12-08T20:51:00.000+00:00^ Competence Theorist ^^ Competence Theorist ^Stefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01467757421113856218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-60652504069367552062008-12-08T20:40:00.000+00:002008-12-08T20:40:00.000+00:0009:55Al-Qaeda is a front organization of CIA and M...<I>09:55<BR/>Al-Qaeda is a front organization of CIA and Mossad...</I><BR/><BR/>This is actually a <I>mainstream</I> opinion in the middle east and most countries outside Europe and the US.<BR/>That helps put in perspective Max Fleisher's utterances on AJ, btw.<BR/><BR/>Another hallmark of Al Qaeda is the manifest incompetence of the authorities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-3537856227089799182008-12-08T19:00:00.000+00:002008-12-08T19:00:00.000+00:00sorry, that would be its chilling lack of punctual...sorry, that would be its <I>chilling</I> lack of punctualityStefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01467757421113856218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-64794212486826562782008-12-08T18:58:00.000+00:002008-12-08T18:58:00.000+00:00these guys have obviously been watching the FKNews...<I>these guys have obviously been watching the FKNews.</I><BR/><BR/>obviously not closely enough as I distinctly remember FKNews reporting that the Mumbai slaughter was <A HREF="http://stefzucconi.blogspot.com/2008/11/exclusive-mumbai-not-mossad-cia-job.html" REL="nofollow">NOT</A> A MOSSAD CIA JOB!!<BR/><BR/>remember, the Mumbai attack bore all the distinctive hallmarks of Al-Qaeda including suicide bombings, hostage taking and deft use of the Internet to publicise the motivation for the attacks<BR/><BR/>er, OK, on second thoughts maybe the Mumbai attacks didn't feature those particular distinctive hallmarks of Al Qaeda but all the attackers did start killing people all at the same time which is definitely a distinctive hallmark of Al Qaeda<BR/><BR/>because, as we all know, prior to the inception of Al Qaeda, terrorism was characterised by its shocking lack of punctualityStefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01467757421113856218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-41169797401042389832008-12-08T18:43:00.000+00:002008-12-08T18:43:00.000+00:00That famous mental defective Michael Parenti expla...That famous mental defective Michael Parenti explains all about how it is that only poor people and wogs, especially poor wogs, engage in conspiracy here...<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.tucradio.org/081015_ConspiracyONE.mp3" REL="nofollow">Conspiracy and Class Power 1/2</A><BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.tucradio.org/081022_ConspiracyTWO.mp3" REL="nofollow">Conspiracy and Class Power 2/2</A>Stefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01467757421113856218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-59811323461571060252008-12-08T18:38:00.000+00:002008-12-08T18:38:00.000+00:00Obviously every bad event in history is the produc...<I>Obviously every bad event in history is the product of good intentions and flawed execution. Noone would ever do something bad on purpose!</I><BR/><BR/>I detect the faintest whiff of cynicism and implied criticism of what is a logically flawless position...<BR/><BR/>1. Only bad people conspire<BR/><BR/>2. Bad people do not achieve positions of power and influence<BR/><BR/>Therefore no-one in a position of power or influence ever conspires<BR/><BR/><BR/>Fact #1 Must be True otherwise Conspiracy wouldn't be a criminal offence<BR/><BR/>Fact #2. Must be True as our free press and democratic institutions guarantee that bad people would be identified and filtered out long before attaining any significant power or influence<BR/><BR/>Anyone who fails to comprehend something so palpably obvious is undoubtedly mentally unwell and should be incarcerated in a state run psychiatric institution for their own good<BR/><BR/>The fact that I personally find the labeling of anyone who disagrees with you as being mentally unwell just a teensy wee bit creepy and <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psikhushka" REL="nofollow">Stalinist</A> is no doubt merely the result of my own mental illnessStefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01467757421113856218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225855.post-35778313333216707032008-12-08T18:00:00.000+00:002008-12-08T18:00:00.000+00:00these guys have obviously been watching the FKNews...these guys have obviously been watching the FKNews.<BR/><BR/> 09:55<BR/>Al-Qaeda is a front organization of CIA and MOSSAD : Mumbai based group of intellectuals and human rights activists<BR/>http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/17121.asp<BR/><BR/>The Mumbai based group alleged that Al-Qaeda is a front organization of CIA and MOSSAD. "There is enough evidence that the Al-Qaeda is a front organization of the CIA and MOSSAD. The Bush junta has used the bogey of terror and of Al Qaeda to justify his unending and ever expanding Global War on Terror, which is only a means of capturing the resources of the world and of establishing the sole hegemony of Israel in West Asia," said the group of activists and intellectuals. The group is holding a press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday to "expose the links between Al-Qaeda and the CIA-MOSSAD".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com