This thread discusses the Content article: THE CURSE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE

Lots of good stuff in this article. However, I don't think greed is the source of envy; it's chopping down the other fellow instead of achieving for oneself whether because of personal or political reasons--that is, some countries are so bad significant personal achievement isn't possible. Perversion of "greed" means you don't want so much to live in a big house, you want to live in a bigger house than the other guy even if we are essentially talking about shacks. The trick is to use politics to further pervert the situation into a realized form of revenge against anyone who has more money, status, power, achievement. Turn the urban into the rural as once was done in Cambodia after the Vietnam War. Kill the Jews!

--Brant Gaede

Instinctive envy is not simply helpless greed.
Instinctive envy is wanting the other guy to NOT have what he has that you do not have.
Instinctive envy halts progress
The greatest gift of Christanity was to reduce the power of the "Evil Eye" the emblem of instinctive envy

The trick is to use politics to further pervert the situation into a realized form of revenge against anyone who has more money, status, power, achievement. Turn the urban into the rural as once was done in Cambodia after the Vietnam War. Kill the Jews!

Brant,

When you say "kill the Jews" are you referring to the Moslems (and others) who hate the Jews because of their success and prosperity?

I was thinking of the Nazis. I think the others basically want to subjugate, control and rule the Jews. In Iraq Moslims are killing other Moslims as a means to domination not extermination. Of course, once they rule the Jews they can kill them too. I think sect to sect conflict within a religion can be much worse than religion to religion. Antagonism towards Israel is a major unifying force for Moslims. Sans Israel they'd be much more at each other's throat.

--Brant

After reading this great article and your posts it appears there is
atleast two forms of envy (is this possible?)



1. Culturally driven over generations/centuries. (EVIL EYE)

2. Greed driven as in (SOCIAL HUSSEIN INJUSTICE)

I'm not sure if there can be two forms because they both involve one emotion right? Just different ways it's exploited?

Your definition of envy as helpless greed is a great insight!

People not only have greed for things, but greed for dominance. They want to be the alpha dog - but are helpless to be that. Hence the Social Justice demands.

Things are so often just placeholders for dominance. They want a Lexus XYZ because they want to be dominant. The leather seats are just impractical symbols of financial power and thus dominance.

Conservatives (especially rational conservatives) have a sense of Self-Sovereignty that is relatively immune to getting caught up in others' dominance struggles. We see ourselves as dominant in any social situation. Nicely, kindly dominant but still dominant. We rule ourselves absolutely.

Perhaps that is why I neither bow to king nor politician nor God. I just can't see myself as that submissive.

I think the first lends a social structure that grants permission for people to indulge in their feelings of envy, much as people like reverend Wright and all liberal politicians do. Much better if a social structure discourages envy by encouraging individual responsibility and gratitude.

Just one of many reasons that the classical liberal or American conservative (as opposed to, say, Russian conservative) position is the more ethical position.

Joel

Nice revelations Dr. Joel.

I swam in college and envied others on my team who swam faster and farther than I, but learned to accept myself for who I was and therefore was able to have good relationships with my teammates.

My fifth grade teacher (a nun) said many times: "Jealousy is born in hell".

Dr. Joel, I feel gratitude that you write for TTP and guide our moral ship
through some narrow straits in turbulent waters.

tbs3,

Great points in your post, especially:

Conservatives (especially rational conservatives) have a sense of Self-Sovereignty that is relatively immune to getting caught up in others' dominance struggles. We see ourselves as dominant in any social situation. Nicely, kindly dominant but still dominant. We rule ourselves absolutely

You also wrote:

Perhaps that is why I neither bow to king nor politician nor God. I just can't see myself as that submissive.

I think submission to the Will of Jesus actually makes you a more dominant entity (in dominant control of your spiritual self) as opposed to being submissive to Satan's desires.

Satan wants us to believe we’re in control if we reject/ignore the Will of God but in actuality; we’re in bondage to lie.

Just a thought.

BTW, the king and politician can kiss my A$$.