Generational Dynamics Forum - New Site

[quote='Guest']Everyone with half a brain has known that robots and AI are going to make many human jobs obsolete, meaning importing random 3rd worlders has never been more unnecessary. [/quote]

Improving technology does require less people working to get more done. Is that really the problem? If you want the same number of people employed, you have to shorten the work week and careers. Thing is, 40 hour work weeks and retiring at 65 have become so traditional as to be unchangeable. To solve a problem, does one have to occasionally be willing to change? What is a conservative but one who doesn’t want to change?

But this one problem is hardly alone. Colonial Imperialism has ended, but many former mother countries are allowing immigration of people whose countries they exploited. Global warming is threatening some land perhaps opening others. Some resources are heading towards depletion. Bigots and religious fanatics wish to continue old undesirable habits. Elites covet power, wealth and government influence.

We’re going to have to solve a bunch of problems all at once. The current crisis has dealt with a larger number of smaller issues than in the past. A big war over one problem used to be the norm. The next crisis?

Anyway, to solve a problem one has to force change. Conservatives would rather not change, but prefer to complain about the necessity.

The current trial of Trump seems to be going as the prosecution would have it, with support for him in the polls following. Few independents will support such a clearly criminal Trump, not even the racists or those who value their religious beliefs over democracy. The handwriting is on the wall. There might still be time for a Republican convention to nominate someone new. Thing is, with most candidates pledged to follow Trump, it would be someone pledged to be loyal to Trump. I do not see that going anywhere.

In the Middle East, neither the right wing Israeli government or Hamas seem willing to fight a conventional war for military objectives. Both are quite willing to go after civilians. They both seem quite racist, targeting the people rather than the nation. I for one see neither faction seeking such aims deserving US support. With the US college protests, I am not sure it should be different. The Jews and Arabs ought to be addressing the improper actions by their own fanatics in charge, but seem more focused on hating, oppressing and killing the different. Biden could be hurt if he continues supporting the right wing Israeli government, but I doubt that will ought weigh domestic concerns.

The recent Black Lives Matter protests stopped the occasional murders by police officers. This is not compatible with tilting at windmills. Some racists would like to believe it is so, but considerable progress is being made in race relationships. For example, Americans are no longer enslaving blacks. Someday the racists will acknowledge this as worthy progress.

Racism can be measured in many ways. Sure, you can cherrypick measurements that go against the trend, but who would go back before Lincoln’s time?

Abortion legislation exists. Proponents feature religious organizations. This counts as evidence?

I have heard that the downfall of Bronze Age civilization in the eastern Mediterranean resulted from climate change droughts caused by human slash and burn agriculture. Yes, we have been blind to the environment for far too long. Some care as to the results. Others know the worse effects won’t happen in their lifetime, so the don’t seem to care about the human race.

Killing the different is alas a human instinct, as is loving one’s neighbor. I would shun the former, encourage the latter.

As the esteemed African-American scholar Thomas Sowell pointed out, ""structural racism" is not something that can be quantified or measured, and therefore talking about it and "working against it" is every bit the equivalent of tilting at windmills. Some people don't like that reality, but it is reality, nonetheless, and eventually all will be forced to accept it.

Some may not have noticed (being colorblind as they are), but 75% of the prosecutors levying charges against Trump are black. White supremacy? Only in a fool's mind.

I've seen no evidence of anyone forcing their religious beliefs on others, but I have seen some people who very justifiably believe that "less fully developed" humans are humans, and should not be killed. Are they right? We can argue. Can their argument be dismissed out of hand? Of course not.

Are we harming the environment? Probably yes, ever since the megafauna were eliminated and fire was discovered. Are we harming it too much? It's a very valid question, worthy of discussion. Why is no one on the left willing to discuss it? Probably because it has become their religion, and in their worldview, this belief gives their lives value. Very simple cause to rally behind, absolutely no thought required, kill the dissenters.

But in America, the dissenters are not quite so easy to kill.
This will become evident in good time, unfortunately.

Doing some Youtube web surfing, they gave me a bunch of WW II videos. Several things stood out. One thing was how Hitler and the Axis made decisions based on ideology rather than strategic advantage. America was run by blacks and Jews, therefore it was safe and proper for Germany to declare war in 1941. The holocaust could also compete with the Allies for resources. There was just a different approach to making decisions. True Nazi thought differently.

Another bit was about how many Germans knew the war was lost in late 1942. Once they could not handle Britain and various Soviet cities, once the Battle of the Atlantic was lost and the air war turned around, it was clear to many in high command that the war was lost. They kept on fighting anyway. How many lives were lost by fighting to the end? They tell of one ranking member of the munitions manufacturing sector on hearing that Hitler had declared war on the US responded by committing suicide.

Another point made involved the Normandy invasion. Allegedly the Supreme Headquarters called the field marshal in charge of the western front and asked them what they should do. “Make peace, idiots!”

This got me to thinking about the current crisis. Conservative autocratic cultures think differently. Today, some cling to white supremacy and prejudice. Some try to force their religious beliefs on others. Some disregard limited resources and the environment. The GOP used to value rule of law, containment and character, but no more.

Make peace, idiots?

Watching the blue MSM last night, they emphasized a couple of minor things. The first was sleeping babies. Apparently, just around the corner from the main entrance to the court, there was so little noise that it was easy to fall asleep. Turns out there were less than a few dozen each of Trump supporters and un supporters. They were significantly outnumbered by both media and security. Quite different from the indictments a year ago, when the security was geared up for a January 6 scale event. It seems that no one cares enough to show up. If there are violent people, they are in jail at the moment. Trump's lies are not worth it. No violence. Hardly any demonstration. It's over.

The other nothing was a bunch of warnings the judge has to give at every trial. You must appear. If you are disruptive, you might be removed from the court. If you do not show up, you can be tried in absentia and jailed for contempt. Usually, just a technicality. Insignificant. This time, the TV hosts seemed to make it a big deal.

I find China and the Republicans obsessed with forcing their culture on others. Sure, China is against Christianity and the Republicans for in letter if not in spirit. Either way, this is the opposite of freedom, of choice. For the Republicans the bigotry and religious fanaticism is entirely compatible with China's efforts. Each group believes in a One True Way, that the True culture should force itself on all the others.

I would disagree.

The democrats will never let us fight the Chinese, they desperately need the Chinese to guide them in subjugating the U.S. population and stifling all dissent. The U.S. has only just started to attack Christianity, China is far more advanced, as Christianity gives people hope and discourages blind allegiance to the state. Of course this will not happen quietly, there will be a huge civil war, but no matter what anyone says no one knows what it will be like and how it will play out. One thing is for sure, many democrats will second-guess their decisions as it unfolds, but it will be too late to take corrective action. Once the present order has been destroyed and people crave restoration of order, we can be sure that the values which have served humanity well for thousands of years will guide the restoration.

[quote=spottybrowncow post_id=86636 time=1713059375 user_id=3064]
[quote="Cool Breeze" post_id=86632 time=1713057729 user_id=3066]
Not now, so your sentiment is generally correct. Here's the thing, there's obviously only so much Mr. Trump can control (they did kick him out after all). I think he gets back in and then they sabotage him again - in 2026. That's my current prediction.
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Trump has been burned once, but I don't think he's anyone's fool. I think he's prepared to go scorched earth on entrenched deep state bureaucrats when he gets back in. There will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth, but that's a good thing. If there is to be a civil war, this will be the ideal time for it. We will have maximum control of the federal government, and can minimize the federal response as much as possible.
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Trump is everyone's fool. He practiced white collar crime under the assumption that nobody paid it attention, then did the one thing that guaranteed the most attention. I doubt he will get back in. Biden has decently done the job while the Republicans have shown no interest in governing. He will easily draw the votes of his cult, but has made no effort to pick up new votes over 2020. He is behind on funds and diverting what he has to legal defenses.

I am wondering about the Republican convention. He has locked up enough candidates to win, but will they really nominate a felon? How would they try to avoid it? Would Trump help? Is it possible to combine an insanity defense with running for president?

Again, after the peak of every crisis the conservative faction has collapsed. In the Revolution, colonial imperialism and noble privilege led to a value of independence. The Civil War led to an end to slavery and the industrial revolution. In FDR's time we got government regulation of the economy and containment. This time, with the abortion question giving the votes to the Democrats, I don't see how the dramatic improvement with the crisis won't happen.

The third Monday of April is traditionally celebrated in Massachusetts as Patriot's Day, commemorating the battles of Lexington and Concord which opened the Revolutionary War.

This year? Trump goes on trial in New York? Tax day?

Not sure it is in the right spirit. The Revolution was a fine crisis. Independence is a fine value. Well. Perhaps convicting Trump is a patriotic thing too.

[quote=Guest post_id=86411 time=1711701570]
[b]For a more detailed analysis of what Bob and the other leftist elites are really saying---> [/b]
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I wouldn’t say Republicans in general are criminal. The Nixon and Trump administrations had their moments, sure, but not in general.

We do have Republican efforts to promote European religious doctrines and prejudices. They are fighting equality and the will of the people. It is not the big college elites that are responsible. In the recent college controversies mentioned in the Zerohedge article, the universities were backing affirmative action, the Republicans were advancing the cause of racism.

It is possible from a blue perspective to see the universities to be trying to remove flaws while the Republicans are trying to emphasize them. European religious beliefs and bigotry were not initiated by the universities. The schools are trying to fight the effects. The flaws are left over from the Agricultural Age, and the Republicans would prefer that white supremacy not be impeded by affirmative action.