*Are we doomed?

[bendog]

Hey look, an Ayn Rand quote. Those never get old.

As for the content, that seems to describe to me the 80's under Reagan far more than today. During that period you saw the rise of folks that made money not by making stuff, but by making deals. Folks that took over companies not because they were interested in what the company made, but because they could take advantage of tax and finance loopholes to make a quick buck and then shut down the company.

Ayn may have feared government, but her followers probably should be keeping an eye on the folks that have ended up in control of Wall Street. Those guys are far closer to the villains she railed against than the Government that can barely keep up with what Wall Street is up to.

Were you in a coma during the 80's?

Well, she doesn't get old in the same sense as biblical prophets. It's always doom and gloom, and frankly no one really knows what the F she's weeping about, but you can twist a quote to fit most any occassion. Probably not good for wedding toasts though.

 

[Doubletap]

“When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion—when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing—when you see money flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors—when you see that men get richer by graft and pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you—when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice—you may know that your society is doomed.” – Ayn Rand

 

[Doubletap]

“When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion—when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing—when you see money flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors—when you see that men get richer by graft and pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you—when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice—you may know that your society is doomed.” – Ayn Rand

 

[RandallFlagg]

“When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion—when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing—when you see money flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors—when you see that men get richer by graft and pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you—when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice—you may know that your society is doomed.” – Ayn Rand

Yes. We are all doomed. Every human on this planet is doomed. We are all doomed the moment we are born. At my age, I have more time behind me than in front of me.

"We all expect to achieve great, world changing things in our lifetimes. But in the end, no matter our accomplishments, or rather the lack of, we all meet our maker; well before we intended." - Marcus Aurielius

 

[editec]

WEll hell...apparently this nation has been DOOMED since 1789, then.

Because Ayn just described the motus operandi this nation has been employing since day one.

 

[yidnar]

“When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion—when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing—when you see money flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors—when you see that men get richer by graft and pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you—when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice—you may know that your society is doomed.” – Ayn Rand

if you think corporations are evil wait to you see what the government can do when it becomes all powerful !!

 

[Doubletap]

*Are we doomed?
“When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion—when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing—when you see money flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors—when you see that men get richer by graft and pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you—when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice—you may know that your society is doomed.” – Ayn Rand http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?id=7429

 

[ecinicola]

our country is no longer the country it once was, and it has gone to the dogs. Unfortunately alot of people can't see that and just go along with whatever these communist people in washington want. Lots of people don't even pay attention to what is going on. I think our country is lost and definitely doomed. Its going to be very hard for the youth';s furture and not the same as it once was.

 

[Ava]

*Are we doomed?
“When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion—when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing—when you see money flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors—when you see that men get richer by graft and pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you—when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice—you may know that your society is doomed.” – Ayn Rand

"We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force"....Ayn Rand

"A government is the most dangerous threat to man’s rights: it holds a legal monopoly on the use of physical force against legally disarmed victims."---Ayn Rand

 

[ScienceRocks]

Does a bear shit in the woods?

 

[TheOldSchool]

Thank goodness you're relying on an Ayn Rand quote. That means we should be good to go for at least a few hundred or so more years

 

[DarkLion]

our country is no longer the country it once was, and it has gone to the dogs. Unfortunately alot of people can't see that and just go along with whatever these communist people in washington want. Lots of people don't even pay attention to what is going on. I think our country is lost and definitely doomed. Its going to be very hard for the youth';s furture and not the same as it once was.

Ugh, these people who toss around the "communist" without having a clue what it means. There are no commies in Washington. The US has become an Oligarchy, not a communist state.

 

[The2ndAmendment]

*Are we doomed?
“When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion—when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing—when you see money flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors—when you see that men get richer by graft and pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you—when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice—you may know that your society is doomed.” – Ayn Rand

Yes, this is why I've learned how to farm, blacksmith and create basic and rudimentary generators and batteries, along with my gun expertise. Shit is going to hit the fan once China dumps US treasuries.

 

[auditor0007]

*Are we doomed?
“When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion—when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing—when you see money flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors—when you see that men get richer by graft and pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you—when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice—you may know that your society is doomed.” – Ayn Rand

Yes, this is why I've learned how to farm, blacksmith and create basic and rudimentary generators and batteries, along with my gun expertise. Shit is going to hit the fan once China dumps US treasuries.

Yea, China wants to destroy their own economy by destroying ours. That's good thinking. Truth is it would hurt them much more than us.

 

[S.J.]

Not necessarily doomed, but definitely facing a very trying period in our history. Our government is turning on us and because of greed and laziness, half of the country will allow it to happen.

 

[FA_Q2]

our country is no longer the country it once was, and it has gone to the dogs. Unfortunately alot of people can't see that and just go along with whatever these communist people in washington want. Lots of people don't even pay attention to what is going on. I think our country is lost and definitely doomed. Its going to be very hard for the youth';s furture and not the same as it once was.

Ugh, these people who toss around the "communist" without having a clue what it means. There are no commies in Washington. The US has become an Oligarchy, not a communist state.

Oligarchy and communism are in no way opposites. As a matter of fact, they tend to go hand and hand. That does not mean I think that we are a communist state but while trying to point out the idiocies of other posters it pays to at least not say things equally absurd.

Yea, China wants to destroy their own economy by destroying ours. That's good thinking. Truth is it would hurt them much more than us.

That misses the point. At some point, there might not be an option. If we are falling, there is nothing that China can do about it and they might be FORCED to drop those assets.

 

[Decus]

China is too dependent on exports to dump US Treasuries. Japan on the other hand could present a greater level of uncertainty. As the second largest holder of US debt, it may seriously contemplate dumping its US holdings. If China keeps up its aggressive posture and saber rattling towards countries like Japan, the Japanese may feel they need to rearm themselves. Already first steps are being taken by Japan's nationalistic PM, Mr. Abe:

"“Abe’s positions--such as changing the interpretation of Japan’s pacifist Constitution to allow for Japanese participation in collective self-defense--were largely welcomed by U.S. officials. ... Other statements, however, suggest that Abe embraces a revisionist view of Japanese history that rejects the narrative of imperial Japanese aggression and victimization of other Asian nations.”"
U.S. report raises concerns about Abe's perception of Japan's wartime history - AJW by The Asahi Shimbun

Dumping US debt could have a two-fold advantage for Japan:
- allow them to pay for their re-armament
- weaken China's largest importer (the US) thereby driving down the Chinese economy

America's support of Japan has been somewhat muted given that the present US government's efforts to appease China.

Japan is far less export dependent than China and could dump US debt with less impact to its economy.

Asia is presently shaping up to be the next war zone.

 

[ba1614]

If we continue to submit to the tyranny of this big, and ever expanding government and repressive rules and regulations we are forced to submit too then we will be within a few generations.

 

[Old Rocks]

Anytime I see someone quoting Ayn Rand, I know we have another fruitloop on board.

No, this nation is not going to hell in a hand basket. We do have some problems with an inequitable distribution of wealth. And a 19th century health care system. But we can iron those problems out.

 

[SanTropez]

I can tell you after driving through several times - that anyone attempting to live in Oklahoma is DOOMED.