Quote:
Originally Posted by Snake Eyes
George Friedman also wrote a couple epic StratFor articles in the lead-up & aftermath of Katrina (dated 8/28 & 9/1/2005) on the strategic importance of New Orleans, the Port of Southern Louisiana and the Mississippi River delta.
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Okay so this is tangentially related to Katrina but I found the following passage interesting in relation to how things seem to be in the Western World at the moment - particularly when it comes to such things as "political correctness".
It comes from a larger discussion on ethics from a now defunct website but the whole article can be found in the link after the passage I'm referencing.
I've highlighted certain sentences as much for importance as for breaking up the 'wall of text' look.
"
The people within the society begin to believe that it exists solely for their benefit and over a period of time the survival of the society is taken for granted. Individual viewpoints are common and
consensus is a matter of offending the least number of people. Soldiers are phased out because they are nasty and, after all, kill other people.
Funds are spent on the well being of the individual and not on the protection of the state. Individuals in the society contribute less-and-less while demanding more. Positive ethical issues start to conflict with other positive ethical issues. (I.e. “Child Protection Laws” versus the “Rights of the Parent”.).
Criticism, blame and responsibility are avoided unless it’s aimed at the leadership. Slowly, the
society becomes increasingly introverted and vulnerable until it “falls” victim to social / financial disaster or the barbarians at the gates. No great civilization has survided this process - yet."
In a sense, this passage is saying to me that reasoned conflict for a greater aim is not necessarily a bad thing and a group/society etc. should look outwards as much as inwards but should also look to the greatest benefit to the greatest number of people - because an overabundance of "ethical" or "appeasement" behaviour actually stifles a group/society.
Maybe I'm being a touch too philosophical but seriously, screw political correctness, all it does is hide the reality.
Full article here
http://web.archive.org/web/201104221...om/ethics.html