Ritchie asks or tells us perhaps:
I think Strategist is right – Worstall’s great ability is to be negative
And you have to conclude as a result with regard to all that he says “so what?” When did a cynic ever achieve a result? Or increase the sum of human well being?
He certainly never will
To which I would offer three answers.
1) Being negative about some of the damn fool things that are proposed is an addition to the sum of human well being. If there had been more negativity about the Groundnut Scheme utility would have increased. So with many of Ritchie\’s proposals.
2) I would refer to an earlier answer given here. When your work is visible from space please do come back to me.
3) I would refer you to the answer given in Pressdram v. Arkell (1971).
Ritchie falls prey to the greatest “progressivist” fallacy of all, viz:
Something must be done!
This is something!
Therefore we must do this!
without ever bothering to think through the implications or even consider reality.
I very doubt a cynic could achieve anything and even if they could it wouldn’t be very good or only down to pure luck
Cheers
FAV
(see what I tried t0 do there!?)
HL Mencken has kept many of us amused for ages. He, I think, has added to the sum of human well-being.
I think Richie has actually fallen prey to that other Leftie delusion – I care deeply, therefore I am right about everything and anyone who doesn’t care as deeply must be wrong. If not evil.
His moral righteousness precludes questioning.
His attack on our host is on his motives and personality. Not facts or logic.
Made me think of this: http://d-squareddigest.blogspot.com/2006/12/i-shit-on-progressives-of-this-planet.html
“The point here is that negativism is the only sensible course of action for the plain man, because many “progressive” schemes are practically worthless or dangerous.”
Tim, are you cynical about everything?
Or is Richie just resorting to personal attacks again?
Made me think of this:
“The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it. ”
George Bernard Shaw
A cynic, Minister, is what an optimist calls a realist.
One of the noticeable things about Richard Murphy is how negative and cynical he is about everyone else. Everyone who disagrees with him is a neoliberal far-rightest who is only disagreeing with him because they are too blind to see the natural righteousness of his arguments.
So, given that he thinks negativity is so bad, why is he so negative?
Like all leftists Murphy pedles sanctimonious bullshit.
Sanctimonious bullshit is the most dangerous substance on the planet, vastly more dangerous than any radiation.
It is how people can belong to socialism, a movement that has murdered 150-200 million people (for their own good of course) and still stand there and say “I am a socialist” as if it was something to be fucking proud of.
While cursing “nazi murderers” with their next breath.
If you can’t think of a good argument, just slur your opponent – it’s much easier.
@Emil – also summed up by Ambrose Bierce in The Devil’s Dictionary:
cynic (n.) – blackguard who insists on seeing the world as it is and not as it should be
Actually Arkell v Pressdram, m’lud; ‘Private Eye’ suing someone for libel doesn’t compute.
Flatcap Army, that is indeed another of my favourite quotes together with:
“If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.”
Anatole France