What Makes A Country 'Great'?
Aquaheal said:Ahavati, your definition of greed intrigues me. The idea of power, control and dominance over others reminds me of something out of Star Wars where the Force was used to manipulate the weak minded. Something tells me that is not what you are talking about. Perhaps you are referring to legal power. Maybe you are referring to blackmail or death threats or threats of violence. The drug lord Pablo Escobar had a very effective method called silver or lead which means you get paid or you die. There may be other forms of manipulation that fit your definition of greed.
I don't know why my definition of greed, which includes power, intrigues you. It's the definition the dictionary includes ( which I provided in an earlier post ). And I hardly think it's in a Star Wars library.
I am assuming that you believe MAGA is greedy. Maybe what you are referring to is the idea that people from the extreme religious right are looking to get control of the government and pass laws that somehow benefit Christianity. Do you have any idea what those laws would be or what a Christian America would look like?
I don't believe; I know MAGA is greedy in the sense of being power hungry to the point of breaking the law and overturning an election to obtain that power. What would it look like? That's an easy answer. The Church of England in 1620 prior to those seeking religious freedom got the hell out.
Aquaheal said:Ahavati, your instincts are pretty good. I go by instinct a lot too. I think we could learn a lot from each other. I’m definitely conservative but I try to keep an open mind about Trump. It appears I have been deceptive. I appreciate you calling me out on it. I try not to lie or be deceptive but I can be misleading. I learned that if you want to get along in society you have to hide the truth a little bit. I left you some clues but I probably need to tell you that I am on the spectrum. You may find that I do some things that appear strange.
Oh, I know you're on the spectrum and weren't being straight up. That plays right along with MAGA's tactics. Not only have you left me clues, but you've also been not-so-subtly gaslighting me along the way as well with inferences that my posts are incoherent, and my statements resemble something out of Star Wars. When neither is the truth.
I guess you should know that for quite a while I was a Bible thumping evangelical Christian, or at least I thought I was. Some “Christians” think I’m a Christian, some don’t. I don’t know if you know this or not but not all “Christians” agree on how to get to heaven or how to become a Christian. There are a lot of misconceptions out there about Christianity. When I was really into the Bible I realized that you could make it say just about anything you wanted it to if you knew it well enough. Being raised Christian, the Protestant mindset is like a native mindset.
As previously stated, I was a third-world missionary. I've read the bible cover-to-cover over half a dozen times. I used to teach it. I graduated from a bible college. My former husband was a pastor. I know Christianity like the back of my hand and am fluent in its language and hypocrisy by certain followers.
The divine feminine is a foreign concept. What salvation it has for humanity I can’t tell at the moment. I would have to understand it before I could legitimately accept it or reject it. I get that you have a strange feeling about me, I kind of have a strange feeling about you too. I have a feeling though that if we talk we will take down each other’s misconceptions and see a clearer picture of reality. I know to learn I have to realize that there is more to learn. I think you know that too.
You should have a strange feeling, because I'm on to you. And honestly have no intentions of furthering a discussion with someone who has not been honest and thinks they are a master at the art of gaslighting.
Now play innocent.
I don't know why my definition of greed, which includes power, intrigues you. It's the definition the dictionary includes ( which I provided in an earlier post ). And I hardly think it's in a Star Wars library.
I am assuming that you believe MAGA is greedy. Maybe what you are referring to is the idea that people from the extreme religious right are looking to get control of the government and pass laws that somehow benefit Christianity. Do you have any idea what those laws would be or what a Christian America would look like?
I don't believe; I know MAGA is greedy in the sense of being power hungry to the point of breaking the law and overturning an election to obtain that power. What would it look like? That's an easy answer. The Church of England in 1620 prior to those seeking religious freedom got the hell out.
Aquaheal said:Ahavati, your instincts are pretty good. I go by instinct a lot too. I think we could learn a lot from each other. I’m definitely conservative but I try to keep an open mind about Trump. It appears I have been deceptive. I appreciate you calling me out on it. I try not to lie or be deceptive but I can be misleading. I learned that if you want to get along in society you have to hide the truth a little bit. I left you some clues but I probably need to tell you that I am on the spectrum. You may find that I do some things that appear strange.
Oh, I know you're on the spectrum and weren't being straight up. That plays right along with MAGA's tactics. Not only have you left me clues, but you've also been not-so-subtly gaslighting me along the way as well with inferences that my posts are incoherent, and my statements resemble something out of Star Wars. When neither is the truth.
I guess you should know that for quite a while I was a Bible thumping evangelical Christian, or at least I thought I was. Some “Christians” think I’m a Christian, some don’t. I don’t know if you know this or not but not all “Christians” agree on how to get to heaven or how to become a Christian. There are a lot of misconceptions out there about Christianity. When I was really into the Bible I realized that you could make it say just about anything you wanted it to if you knew it well enough. Being raised Christian, the Protestant mindset is like a native mindset.
As previously stated, I was a third-world missionary. I've read the bible cover-to-cover over half a dozen times. I used to teach it. I graduated from a bible college. My former husband was a pastor. I know Christianity like the back of my hand and am fluent in its language and hypocrisy by certain followers.
The divine feminine is a foreign concept. What salvation it has for humanity I can’t tell at the moment. I would have to understand it before I could legitimately accept it or reject it. I get that you have a strange feeling about me, I kind of have a strange feeling about you too. I have a feeling though that if we talk we will take down each other’s misconceptions and see a clearer picture of reality. I know to learn I have to realize that there is more to learn. I think you know that too.
You should have a strange feeling, because I'm on to you. And honestly have no intentions of furthering a discussion with someone who has not been honest and thinks they are a master at the art of gaslighting.
Now play innocent.
I would say that what makes a modern country 'great' can boil down to the average citizen having a good life in a country that pretty much ticks along, where there is some sense of the country; "this is X".
The problem however, is that in chasing such an ideal, in a country which isn't 'great' or doesn't feel 'great' is that it can all turn away from a sense of greatness towards a hunger for the past and nationalism.
A slippery slope of pointing fingers at 'others' and 'minorities' or other countries as the fault for why the country isn't great; rather than admit a weakness in the country's spirit but aiming to make it better.
- Investing in a country's infrastructure, justice system, social mobility, equality, regional importance, cultural history, capacity for cultural change: all these are hard, whereas blame and hatred can be easy.
I would say that a 'great' country also has to be better than it's neighbours and peers in some form or manner. This can be anything from a strong economy, to outstanding and maintained natural beauty, to a moral high ground, or as a pioneer in science and engineering, or a cultural powerhouse with renown art.
However, such things are not simple to generate, and often rely on many people and a certain zeitgeist; a drive towards greatness through many acts.
A problem with being 'great' in the modern age is that the world is global and not as focussed on spheres of empire as it once was. This means that being 'great' is not as feasible as it once was, because more countries are on an equal footing or have the capacity to excel in various fields. With the option of exploiting a resource or people, a past method to make the home country 'great', is not an option. It is especially not an option when there multi-national companies that exploit internally and externally in a constant flux, so that achieving greatness has a stupid amount of factors to complicate it.
There is also the idea that 'great' does not necessarily equal 'good', and that it is a an act of the good to be selfless and aim towards global uplifting rather than just one country at the top and the rest scrabbling at the bottom.
With a certain irony that it is with retrospect that a country or period is 'great' for the trails they faced and feats they did, but these were necessary acts at the time; a greatness not actively looked for but achieved through happenstance.
Or a country can be 'great' just because a small cadre of loud elites say it is so, because their ancestors said so, while ignoring the crumbling present and the adject failure in governance.
Or it is just a bigger version of two things.
The problem however, is that in chasing such an ideal, in a country which isn't 'great' or doesn't feel 'great' is that it can all turn away from a sense of greatness towards a hunger for the past and nationalism.
A slippery slope of pointing fingers at 'others' and 'minorities' or other countries as the fault for why the country isn't great; rather than admit a weakness in the country's spirit but aiming to make it better.
- Investing in a country's infrastructure, justice system, social mobility, equality, regional importance, cultural history, capacity for cultural change: all these are hard, whereas blame and hatred can be easy.
I would say that a 'great' country also has to be better than it's neighbours and peers in some form or manner. This can be anything from a strong economy, to outstanding and maintained natural beauty, to a moral high ground, or as a pioneer in science and engineering, or a cultural powerhouse with renown art.
However, such things are not simple to generate, and often rely on many people and a certain zeitgeist; a drive towards greatness through many acts.
A problem with being 'great' in the modern age is that the world is global and not as focussed on spheres of empire as it once was. This means that being 'great' is not as feasible as it once was, because more countries are on an equal footing or have the capacity to excel in various fields. With the option of exploiting a resource or people, a past method to make the home country 'great', is not an option. It is especially not an option when there multi-national companies that exploit internally and externally in a constant flux, so that achieving greatness has a stupid amount of factors to complicate it.
There is also the idea that 'great' does not necessarily equal 'good', and that it is a an act of the good to be selfless and aim towards global uplifting rather than just one country at the top and the rest scrabbling at the bottom.
With a certain irony that it is with retrospect that a country or period is 'great' for the trails they faced and feats they did, but these were necessary acts at the time; a greatness not actively looked for but achieved through happenstance.
Or a country can be 'great' just because a small cadre of loud elites say it is so, because their ancestors said so, while ignoring the crumbling present and the adject failure in governance.
Or it is just a bigger version of two things.
Thank you all for your contributions ...
So far what I'm picking up about a nation earning the title 'Great' are:
1). Fairness and equality backed up by an unbiased justice system;
2). A culture that can accommodate 'the foreigner' (without prejudice);
3). A functioning infrastructure;
4). Opportunity to better oneself (ie: social mobility);
5). ?? (please add) ...
(and/or question any of the above 4 points
)
So far what I'm picking up about a nation earning the title 'Great' are:
1). Fairness and equality backed up by an unbiased justice system;
2). A culture that can accommodate 'the foreigner' (without prejudice);
3). A functioning infrastructure;
4). Opportunity to better oneself (ie: social mobility);
5). ?? (please add) ...
(and/or question any of the above 4 points
) Josh said:Thank you all for your contributions ...
So far what I'm picking up about a nation earning the title 'Great' are:
1). Fairness and equality backed up by an unbiased justice system;
2). A culture that can accommodate 'the foreigner' (without prejudice);
3). A functioning infrastructure;
4). Opportunity to better oneself (ie: social mobility);
5). ?? (please add) ...
(and/or question any of the above 4 points)
Does number 2 include religious affiliation? If not, then I would suggest a secular country for #5.
So far what I'm picking up about a nation earning the title 'Great' are:
1). Fairness and equality backed up by an unbiased justice system;
2). A culture that can accommodate 'the foreigner' (without prejudice);
3). A functioning infrastructure;
4). Opportunity to better oneself (ie: social mobility);
5). ?? (please add) ...
(and/or question any of the above 4 points
) Does number 2 include religious affiliation? If not, then I would suggest a secular country for #5.
Josh said:
Are you meaning a basically secular country but one that has a tolerant attitude to a variety of religious practices??
Yes; that was the intention for the U.S., thus The Colossus on the Statue of Liberty and Amendment I of the Bill of Rights: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;[. . .]
Are you meaning a basically secular country but one that has a tolerant attitude to a variety of religious practices??
Yes; that was the intention for the U.S., thus The Colossus on the Statue of Liberty and Amendment I of the Bill of Rights: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;[. . .]
Updating ...
Thank you all for your contributions ...
So far what I'm picking up about a nation earning the title 'Great' are:
1). Fairness and equality backed up by an unbiased justice system;
2). A culture that can accommodate 'the foreigner' (without prejudice);
3). A functioning infrastructure;
4). Opportunity to better oneself (ie: social mobility);
5). A secular country that is tolerant of a variety of religious practices;
6). ?? (please add) ...
(and/or question any of the above 5 points )
Thank you all for your contributions ...
So far what I'm picking up about a nation earning the title 'Great' are:
1). Fairness and equality backed up by an unbiased justice system;
2). A culture that can accommodate 'the foreigner' (without prejudice);
3). A functioning infrastructure;
4). Opportunity to better oneself (ie: social mobility);
5). A secular country that is tolerant of a variety of religious practices;
6). ?? (please add) ...
(and/or question any of the above 5 points )
Being a simple man
I think of simple
Commonsense
Logical reasoning
Solutions
To solvable problems
To have a great country
One must begin
The first steps
To protect democracy
To protect the Morals of the laws
Not just the letter of the law
To protect the old and the young
To protect the education system
To do away with
Listen remember repeat
No questions
To protect the election system
Against cheating
And most importantly
To protect the Justice System
For without a real justice system
WE have nothing
Just tribes within borders
That we call a country
To have a proper society
TO make a Country great Again
To be proud
Being a simple man
The only thing
That I can think of
To begin the process
Of making a country great
Is a new
upgraded modern System
To cut down Currption
LIES and decit
In local and state government
Maybe someone
Has a better idea
Coz the the system we have now
Is leading us
TO a new world order
Of Pain
I think of simple
Commonsense
Logical reasoning
Solutions
To solvable problems
To have a great country
One must begin
The first steps
To protect democracy
To protect the Morals of the laws
Not just the letter of the law
To protect the old and the young
To protect the education system
To do away with
Listen remember repeat
No questions
To protect the election system
Against cheating
And most importantly
To protect the Justice System
For without a real justice system
WE have nothing
Just tribes within borders
That we call a country
To have a proper society
TO make a Country great Again
To be proud
Being a simple man
The only thing
That I can think of
To begin the process
Of making a country great
Is a new
upgraded modern System
To cut down Currption
LIES and decit
In local and state government
Maybe someone
Has a better idea
Coz the the system we have now
Is leading us
TO a new world order
Of Pain
I'm stateless...I always use the ancient Greek term whenever I'm asked what nationality you are...I'm a Cosmopolitan...just one of over 8 billion other human beings living on this tiny speck of cosmic dust. Countries are just man-made concepts, countries are not real, they are just non-truths that we mistake for truths...well, you will find them in an atlas, of course the Olympic Games are full of "countries"...and all those little pieces of dirty rag...what are they again...oh yes, flags..
badmalthus said:I'm stateless...I always use the ancient Greek term whenever I'm asked what nationality you are...I'm a Cosmopolitan...just one of over 8 billion other human beings living on this tiny speck of cosmic dust. Countries are just man-made concepts, countries are not real, they are just non-truths that we mistake for truths...well, you will find them in an atlas, of course the Olympic Games are full of "countries"...and all those little pieces of dirty rag...what are they again...oh yes, flags..
I agree, I'm one of 8Billion+. I like the description 'cosmopolitan'.
And like you say: Flags - nothing but strange old rags - but still ain't they powerful to rouse the troops and play dirty.
I agree, I'm one of 8Billion+. I like the description 'cosmopolitan'.
And like you say: Flags - nothing but strange old rags - but still ain't they powerful to rouse the troops and play dirty.
