The zero-sum mentality

While I'm going to continue posting at Skeptical Eye, I'll be posting my more provocative or esoteric stuff here--for the simple reason that I don't want to piss off all of SE's readers. Not because I care about the reactions I'll get, but because SE's a good guy and I don't want to sabotage his blog.

With this in mind, I wanted to respond to some of the comments made by Ginx at one of his blog posts.

He writes:

Mises.org for some reason is not allowing me to create an account, and this post was snidely mentioned in their forums:

(http://mises.org/Community/forums/t/8709.aspx)

This is correct. I did indeed mention his post in the forums, and did so snidely.

I'd like to point out that I'm well aware of the "zero-sum" myth. A system does not have to be zero-sum in order for inequalities to exist and persist.

The statement he made was, "Being rich is not a victimless crime, and some (often many) must to be without in order for some to have so much." Sorry, but that's a zero-sum-game statement if there ever was one.

Also, why post about it somewhere else and not comment here, where I can learn from your input or address your reaction? I thought Libertarians had testicles. I guess all that gun propoganda really was compensating for something.

Because I'm not interested. Your arguments are just the standard, predictable, unimpressive boilerplate that even left-wingers have mocked. You're a bit of a naif (or a total newb to libertarianism) if you think you wrote anything the slightest bit original or compelling. I'm not saying that as an insult; it's just obvious that you haven't engaged many libertarians.

Sure, I could come in and address your arguments. I just don't care. I don't even care if you find this post. C'est la vie.

I'm more fascinated with the "zero-sum" mindset, which--by itself--is worth discussing with other libertarians. Where does this bizarre mentality come from? How is it that one man's gain is another man's loss? Why do so many people have this view when it doesn't make any sense?

Over at Skeptical Eye

I encourage all my readers to read Skeptical Eye, where SE and I are bringin' down the house. I'm too lazy to cross-post everything back here (at least at the moment).

Irritating the world, one blog post at a time

I've accepted SE's invitation to contribute to Skeptical Eye, for anyone interested.

It's funny 'cause it's true

Good stuff

I think I'm going to scream...

The Obombya administration's latest gut-wrenchingly insane idea: force EVERYONE to buy health insurance, whether they want it or not. Those who thumb their noses at his reckless, bizarre decree will pay a brutal "financial penalty."

I try not to use excessive profanity on my blog, but...

WHAT THE FUCK!? Could there be a more ludicrous or whacked-out idea? Is the Obama administration run by four-year-olds? Calling them morons is an insult to actual morons. Even statists can't possibly be this stupid.

As one HuffPo comment puts it:

Frakking brilliant. I guess their answer to homelessness is to require the homeless to buy homes?

Be careful what you wish for...

It's gonna be a long night

Sometimes I think I have some kind of insomnia. I often can't fall asleep even when I'm exhausted.

On weekends, it doesn't matter. But on nights like tonight, where I have to get up early the next morning for work...cripes. It's tempting to down a couple Tylenol PM tablets, but I don't really want to get in the habit.

Does anyone have any advice on how to fall asleep or something?

Bad Ilana, Bad!

I like Ilana Mercer. She speaks out against horrific war crimes, unlike Jon Stewart. And she's kinda cute. But her recent column is silly. She thinks the stance anarcho-libertarians take on the border is unwarranted. And she thinks there's something wrong with us, just because we enjoyed this hysterical (and apt) Absolut ad:

Well Ilana, the ad is funny for a reason. Americans, especially Southerners, obsess over "the border" without realizing that we stole all that land in the first place! It doesn't even belong to us, for cryin' out loud! Such is the lunacy of "borders," imaginary lines drawn by ruthless conquerors and criminals.

And god, Blogger is retarded for shoving random words to the right of the picture when they're supposed to be underneath it.