Ethical Pragmatism = quest for the objectively desirable & possible
Or : What would Jesus cheer for today? Or : What would we support/oppose if we cared for everyone including future generations equally? Or : Golden rule applied in four dimensions.
Can we examine doctrines and paradigms of the socioeconomic dynamic based on experience, evidence, reason, modeling - without reference to authority or scripture or personal benefit?
Anxiety. I don't like it. Do society and economy need so much? How much reduction of anxiety is desirable, possible? By what policy, eg universal health coverage? Should public assistance be modified? How?
GDP growth, pros & cons. Effect on earth health? Is it sustainable? Any substitutes for social-stabilizing effect of high employment rate? Is there a happy societal adaptation to constant or diminishing GDP?
Population growth, pros & cons. Effect on earth health? Is it sustainable? Is there a happy societal adaptation to constant of diminishing population? Incentives?
Laissez-faire capitalism vs regulation. Regardez the SUV & Oxycontin!!!
Globalization vs protectionism. Obligation to our labor, consideration of foreign economies.
Latino immigration. Why is it? What would be preferable and how implemented?
Subsidies, cost/benefit for every kind of person affected, recipients, non-recipient Americans, international competitors.
Balanced budget amendment. Who promoted it? Who wanted it? Consequences of failure/success? How to implement? Exceptions?
Progressive taxation. What is purpose? Best formula? Grover Norquist doctrine.
If you break it you own it. Is this valid under all circumstances?
Finance-free politics?
Universal national service, one year, two years?
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Friday, May 11, 2007
Secretary of Vegetation
Just this morning the radio mentioned some decision by our Secretary of Vegetation. What do we need with a Secretary of Vegetation? Wouldn't vegetation be the responsibility of the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior? Has our government gone mad? Somebody needs to get Grover Norquist on this case.
(Whisper, whisper).....Oooooh! It's Secretary of Education, not Vegetation. That's different. Never mind.
(Whisper, whisper).....Oooooh! It's Secretary of Education, not Vegetation. That's different. Never mind.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Screaming Video
What's all this talk I hear about screaming video? Can screaming video spread peace, justice and happiness? It seems unlikely. I don't want it. As a grandparent with baby-sitting duties, I get all the screaming I need.
(Whisper, whisper.....) Ooooh, It's streaming video, not screaming video. That's different. Never mind.
(Whisper, whisper.....) Ooooh, It's streaming video, not screaming video. That's different. Never mind.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Socioeconomic model
Is there an ideal socioeconomic model to maximize peace, justice, satisfaction, progress, happiness, sustainability, goodwill? All models so far embraced across time fall short in various ways, owing to the wide spectrum of human characteristics, including intelligence, talent, physical prowess, imagination, desire, experience, opportunity, ambition, faith, gender, responsibility, luck, self restraint, compliance, cooperation, etc.
An ideal socioeconomic model would enable the vast majority of citizens to be gainfully and/or usefully employed. It would incentivize various kinds of responsible behavior, such as committed marriage, family planning, interest in current events and other knowledge, cultural involvement, respect for law, care for others, work at available jobs appropriate to education and skills. It would seek to insure agricultural reserve, which requires some restraint of population growth. It would maintain a spectrum of skills and capacities for self reliance.
Globalization of virtually all production and information industries undermines any advanced nation's attempt to implement an ideal socioeconomic model. Migrations from less advanced nations complicate such attempts similarly. Modern economists consider these trends desirable, as they result in expanding economic activity and increasing wealth for the majority of those affected. A few economists and others suspect that the associated job dislocation, loss of self respect and anxiety among an advanced nation's citizens are too great a price to pay for these results.
The western model results in too many throw-away people turning to recreational drugs and criminal life. It is fiscally irresponsible, heading for bankruptcy. It depends on immigration, resulting in demographic problems much greater than the economic problems solved by the immigration.
An ideal socioeconomic model would enable the vast majority of citizens to be gainfully and/or usefully employed. It would incentivize various kinds of responsible behavior, such as committed marriage, family planning, interest in current events and other knowledge, cultural involvement, respect for law, care for others, work at available jobs appropriate to education and skills. It would seek to insure agricultural reserve, which requires some restraint of population growth. It would maintain a spectrum of skills and capacities for self reliance.
Globalization of virtually all production and information industries undermines any advanced nation's attempt to implement an ideal socioeconomic model. Migrations from less advanced nations complicate such attempts similarly. Modern economists consider these trends desirable, as they result in expanding economic activity and increasing wealth for the majority of those affected. A few economists and others suspect that the associated job dislocation, loss of self respect and anxiety among an advanced nation's citizens are too great a price to pay for these results.
The western model results in too many throw-away people turning to recreational drugs and criminal life. It is fiscally irresponsible, heading for bankruptcy. It depends on immigration, resulting in demographic problems much greater than the economic problems solved by the immigration.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Latino Labor
Most US citizens are disturbed to some degree by the rate of immigration from Latin America. What are the ethical and practical implications of this socioeconomic stressor?
One might ask why so many are so desperate to leave their home countries. Is it overpopulation in relation to agricultural resources, lack of innovation-based industry, aristocratic/plutocratic/oligarchic control of power, means and wealth? If so, why is it so, how did it get that way, what could be done to make the source countries more hospitable to their peoples? Then behind those explanations more underlying whys & hows. Where is the US in this spectrum or evolution?
One might ask why so many jobs in the US are filled by illegal aliens. In essence, it is because they come and because employers find that they will work harder than available US citizens for lower wages. This process is self augmenting, in that, no employer can compete without adopting the practices of those who use the hardest-working lowest earning laborers. Beyond a critical point a job or trade can become culturally unwelcoming to non-latinos.
Clearly, this labor force, like outsourcing, keeps consumer prices down, presumably a benefit to consumers. But, also like outsourcing, it displaces US laborers from jobs. How should this affect our thinking? Does a government owe its citizens some job protection at the expense of non-citizens?
What about: 1) potential ethnic hostility, 2) the fact that the US stole its southwestern territories from Mexico, 3) overpopulation of several US regions, 4) effect of remittances on trade balance, 5) life in US without aliens, how the jobs would get done with education/culture teaching away from labor, 6) unsustainability of importing labor especially with amnesty, 7) unsustainability of economic growth on a limited earth, 8) the role of our welfare system on employment demographics, 9) etc???
One might ask why so many are so desperate to leave their home countries. Is it overpopulation in relation to agricultural resources, lack of innovation-based industry, aristocratic/plutocratic/oligarchic control of power, means and wealth? If so, why is it so, how did it get that way, what could be done to make the source countries more hospitable to their peoples? Then behind those explanations more underlying whys & hows. Where is the US in this spectrum or evolution?
One might ask why so many jobs in the US are filled by illegal aliens. In essence, it is because they come and because employers find that they will work harder than available US citizens for lower wages. This process is self augmenting, in that, no employer can compete without adopting the practices of those who use the hardest-working lowest earning laborers. Beyond a critical point a job or trade can become culturally unwelcoming to non-latinos.
Clearly, this labor force, like outsourcing, keeps consumer prices down, presumably a benefit to consumers. But, also like outsourcing, it displaces US laborers from jobs. How should this affect our thinking? Does a government owe its citizens some job protection at the expense of non-citizens?
What about: 1) potential ethnic hostility, 2) the fact that the US stole its southwestern territories from Mexico, 3) overpopulation of several US regions, 4) effect of remittances on trade balance, 5) life in US without aliens, how the jobs would get done with education/culture teaching away from labor, 6) unsustainability of importing labor especially with amnesty, 7) unsustainability of economic growth on a limited earth, 8) the role of our welfare system on employment demographics, 9) etc???
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Female oppression
* Among the more disturbing practices occurring in the 21st century are female genital mutilation and honor killing/mutilation. Female genital mutilation, as reported, involves restraint of a young girl by family members whereupon her labia minora and clitoris are cut off and her genital opening is sewn closed, all without anesthesia. The purpose is to increase the probability that she will be a virgin until marriage. Honor killing is the murder of a female by a family member as punishment for unchaperoned fraternizing with a male, especially with one of a rival group. Alternatively it can occur for a girl's failing to comply with her family's wishes with respect to an arranged marriage. A husband's family may kill or mutilate a wife because her dowry was insufficient. Concentrated sulfuric acid in the face is often the mutilation.
* In these patriarchal cultures, women are essentially chattel. It is difficult to extend respect to a culture where these practices are lawful or tolerated. In some countries where female genital mutilation and honor killing/mutilation are unlawful, the crimes go unpunished, and the practices continue.
* There are numerous reasons for failure to punish perpetrators of female-oppression acts in countries where they are crimes. If a government considers this to be shameful, it could adopt a policy of punishing such a crime by putting the likely perpetrating family's oldest male in prison for 20 years or until the actual perpetrator steps forward to take his place for 20 years. This would not always be just, but it wouldn't take many patriarchs in prison for the practices to stop.
* Governments of advanced countries should do what they can to improve the status of women everywhere. One could argue plausibly that gender equality worldwide might be the key to world peace and environmental sustainability.
* In these patriarchal cultures, women are essentially chattel. It is difficult to extend respect to a culture where these practices are lawful or tolerated. In some countries where female genital mutilation and honor killing/mutilation are unlawful, the crimes go unpunished, and the practices continue.
* There are numerous reasons for failure to punish perpetrators of female-oppression acts in countries where they are crimes. If a government considers this to be shameful, it could adopt a policy of punishing such a crime by putting the likely perpetrating family's oldest male in prison for 20 years or until the actual perpetrator steps forward to take his place for 20 years. This would not always be just, but it wouldn't take many patriarchs in prison for the practices to stop.
* Governments of advanced countries should do what they can to improve the status of women everywhere. One could argue plausibly that gender equality worldwide might be the key to world peace and environmental sustainability.
Monday, March 26, 2007
What about sex?
Sex may be the most pleasurable natural animal activity, at least among mammals and possibly among all animals, though eating when hungry, drinking when thirsty, warming when cold, cooling when hot, and scratching an itch aren't out of the running. Yet sex is a source of much human misery. Mating is one of the most important determinants of satisfaction in life. Parents give mating of their children much thought, worry and hope, often tacitly. We just don't have a formula for optimizing sex and mating. How can wisdom prevail in an arena where desire and impulse are so strong? Both love and the lack of it make people crazy.
How much delay is optimal? Most religious traditions teach abstinence until marriage, but that teaching has been ignored by many throughout history and has largely lost traction with the sexual revolution. This trend makes more sense as our culture encourages delayed marriage, incident to the perceived need for both spouses to be employed outside the home.
The youth culture today is a minefield of temptations and opportunities. Perhaps the biggest increase of danger is in the availability of pleasure drugs, but the danger of irresponsible sexual activity is much greater than it was in the 50s. Back then, unwanted pregnancy was the biggest worry and the likely STDs were curable; today there are several deadly STDs. Some happiness-diminishing and incurable STDs are now epidemic, afflicting more than half of young adults. Consider the inner conflict of an ethical person with an incurable STD. Thus, there is a practical downside to hooking up and friends with benefits. The upside might be the containment of depressing loneliness, fantasies, obsessions, compulsions and anxiety, and the development of comfort with the other gender, technique and sociability. Can the upside be maximized and the downside be minimized?
In today's environment, can a young person be guided toward a happy mating outcome without cynical motives? Would advice about goodwill, good intentions, long-term hopes about life be valuable along with that about protection? The internet once promised to help in identifying compatible mates, but abuse of that system presents some dangers. Examples of beneficial life choices might help.
How much delay is optimal? Most religious traditions teach abstinence until marriage, but that teaching has been ignored by many throughout history and has largely lost traction with the sexual revolution. This trend makes more sense as our culture encourages delayed marriage, incident to the perceived need for both spouses to be employed outside the home.
The youth culture today is a minefield of temptations and opportunities. Perhaps the biggest increase of danger is in the availability of pleasure drugs, but the danger of irresponsible sexual activity is much greater than it was in the 50s. Back then, unwanted pregnancy was the biggest worry and the likely STDs were curable; today there are several deadly STDs. Some happiness-diminishing and incurable STDs are now epidemic, afflicting more than half of young adults. Consider the inner conflict of an ethical person with an incurable STD. Thus, there is a practical downside to hooking up and friends with benefits. The upside might be the containment of depressing loneliness, fantasies, obsessions, compulsions and anxiety, and the development of comfort with the other gender, technique and sociability. Can the upside be maximized and the downside be minimized?
In today's environment, can a young person be guided toward a happy mating outcome without cynical motives? Would advice about goodwill, good intentions, long-term hopes about life be valuable along with that about protection? The internet once promised to help in identifying compatible mates, but abuse of that system presents some dangers. Examples of beneficial life choices might help.
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