[thechat] "I guess we'll buy them"

Joe Crawford jcrawford at avencom.com
Tue Sep 18 16:49:30 CDT 2001


nate koechley wrote:
> Well, it comes off as a Novel Idea, but actually it's been (almost) exactly
> our Standard Operating Procedure for the last 50 years.
> 
> The West believes that western-style open-market societies are more stable,
> more predictable, more influenceable (and this mainly appears to be true).
> When you say "Buy Them", you are, in essence, suggesting that these
> problems would not exist if they were a free-market society. After all,
> it's not the Statehood that would be stabilizing, but rather the existence
> of Freedoms and Capitalism. Consumers are inevitable docile citizens. Just
> look at the political apathy in America. (well, look back 8 days at least)
> 
> It's not a bad idea, to be sure. (Many would say that it's that exact idea
> which defeated Communism.) We've been trying to do this to the world for
> decades. We've succeed in almost all cases. (Take a look at the worlds
> countries... many of them are, in essence, States. The West -- aka: the
> democratic, capitalist powers -- leads, supports, funds, and dictates to
> all these countries.)
> 
> But, don't forget that it's almost exactly these idea and pressures to
> which these forces are rebelling.

I have no illusions about the "wonders of the market" or any of that
bullshit. A country can be fucked up with democracy and capitalism (see
also: Russia) just as easily as it can fucked up with Muslim Radical
Theocracy or Communism. 

I don't particularly want freedom and democracy there, I just don't want
despots and injustice. I don't give a /shit/ whether there's a free
market. 

I just want to treat it like disneyland - a theme park with strict park
rules now allowing people to be assholes. No smoking in the shops. No
standing up on the rides. No religious repression. No subjugation of the
female populace. No engaging in terrorist activities. No guns. No shirt,
no service.

Stuff like that.

And I'd say, as I sit in what was once Mexico, and part of the Spanish
Empire, I'm quite pleased that I'm on the /US/ side of the border. 

No chemical weapons on the teacups.
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneylandresort/Disneyland/Lands/Attractions/index?id=1039

	- Joe (San Diego USA) <http://artlung.com/>




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