Interesting thought and no doubt true.Get a bunch of 10 year olds and ask them to list the 5 most powerful countries in the world. Practically all of them will place Australia on the list.
Now try the same exercise with cities but change it slightly to which have the best facilities, the most opportunities etc. Unless they have travelled more than most that age, they will list their own city, or their state capital if they don't live in a city, as one of the best in the world.
Then there comes a point where you grow up and reality sets in. Australia is nowhere near the world's most powerful nation, we're not even on the list. And few would genuinely believe that any Australian city has the world's best facilities or the most opportunity(though they do have their own good points). But if you had never travelled, and had no access to outside media etc, then it's entirely possible that people would think their own country to be good in comparison to others if that's all they are told.
While not an answer I believe this quote from A Clash of Kings is relevant and thought provoking in this context:
Riddle: "In a room sit three great men, a king, a priest, and a rich man with his gold. Between them stands a sellsword, a little man of common birth and no great mind. Each of the great ones bids him slay the other two. 'Do it,' says the king, 'for I am your lawful ruler.' 'Do it,' says the priest, 'for I command you in the names of the gods.' 'Do it,' says the rich man, 'and all this gold shall be yours.' So tell me- who lives and who dies?"
Just started reading A Song of Ice and Fire. I haven't read a series that I've had to force myself to take breaks from, in a long time.
I read the first 3 books (4 books in Australia if you included the 3rd being split into two) almost a decade ago now. I thought it was fantastic then as a late-teenager. He took a long time in releasing the next book so I forgot about it. Re-reading it again now, up to the 2nd part of the third book, and I think I like it even more (especially compared to the TV series which I think is very poorly paced and loses much of the subtle characterisation).Have read every book. Pure gold. You have got a lot of twists and turns to come if you have just started
Dunno if it is my ideal as it is has never been tested but i would be keen for proper democracy through the Internet where each issue is voted on or abstained from by the populous. Minimal politicians required
It's a nice idea. I have a few friends who dream of such a benevolent dictatorship utopia. Of course in this model society, it is always them who is the dictator.
In the real world............ I've never been there, but missus lived in Switzerland for a while and claims it is pretty close to what is achievable in real life.
Libertarian/minarchism with Free Market Capitalism
wonder how many other people know who Bastiat is on this forum
sounds like a disaster, mob rule.. democracy in its purest form is akin to gang rape
My ideal society would value education more than entertainment; science more than religion; production more than consumption; and every "Right" would be conditional upon a commensurate "Responsibility".
+2 for Pixel's remarks.
They all belong to someone else apparently.what ever happened to "responsibilities"?
Contented happiness: Eudaimonia.
Could probably only start to occur if the world's human population started shrinking.
My ideal society would value education more than entertainment; science more than religion; production more than consumption; and every "Right" would be conditional upon a commensurate "Responsibility".
White, have you read any of his sons work. I'm reading The Machinery of Freedom at the moment, he is an Anarcho-Capitalist. It's thought provoking, especially if you have a libertarian leaning it may pique your interest.
no i only read his blog whenever he updates it, ill give it a look
what type of 'rights' do you refer to?
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