I just think that you can have a free market and still have taxes that pay for the military. It’s not that I don’t recognize the property rights of taxpayers…it’s just that your property won’t be your property anymore if you can’t defend it. I don’t feel like going around hiring mercenaries. I’d rather just have a national military. I’m willing to pay for that. I’m sorry you’re not.
you presumably also believe in square-circles.
i have some friends i’d like you to meet that would like to talk to you about fiduciary media… [:P]
In what shapes do you think all powerful moderator?
you cannot see the contradiction in saying you can have a free market while supporting a monopoly position for a firm?
clueless.
The market and the military are two totally different things that are not governed by the same forces at all. So no, I don’t see it as a contradiction. Everyone in here has participated in a market, so they know what that’s like, but I dunno how many people in here have ever fought or gone to war. So they think markets and wars are the same. They’re not. Markets are variable sum games. Wars are zero sum.
justify this assertion
Markets are places where individuals shop for the things they need and the individual rules. In wars, individuals are irrelevant. It’s about the mass known as the army. Human beings no longer exist as individuals but instead as gears that make up one big machine. War is not the business of individuals fighting individuals but collectives fighting other collectives. Also, markets are…at least in some sense logical and ruled by self optimizing behavior that cannot be tampered with. Wars are ruled by collective optimizing behavior whereby an entire group coordinates in order to defeat another group. Markets are also variable sum games, so many people can all do well without anyone losing. Wars are inherently zero sum, either you live or you die.
if individuals were irrelevant, armies would not need individuals, armies would not have soldiers.
…if one is a complete fantasist
you obviously confuse ‘wars’ with ‘military’ as taco asked you one question and you answered another. but whatever…
Basic training is all about teaching the individual that he is no longer an individual but instead just a part of the collective. Men go in as individuals, they come out as vessels for militarism.
The business of the military is war.
more square-circle nonsense.
the military dont have a ‘business’ they are not subject to profit and loss. hazlitt would agree.
In war, the metrics of success and failure are “live or die” not “profit or loss.”
in peace the metrics of success are that you have avoided war. whats your point?
You suffer under a common illusion.
You simply cannot get what you want from government [military, police etc.] without everyone else having /getting what they want also[ e.g. welfare, social security, medicare, medicaid, affirmative action, the Federal Reserve etc. etc. etc. ad infinitum].
That is the the true [although mostly unrecognized] , price of having a government in the first place.
Governments can never be limited to doing just the things you [or anyone else] thinks they should do.
I am in total agreement with you. I do, however, think that because socialistic measures implanted into our democratic capitalist system will fail, that ultimately the majority will demand the changes that I see as being necessary because they lead to success. In other words, in time, I think the majority will see it my way. Or not, I don’t know the future.
Why would you be concerned [if you are] , as to what a majority might, or might not do?
Is avoiding war somehow not improtant?
I do too. And I see that the biggest threat in this world to my loved ones, friends, and family is Israel - and the US, for that matter.
No he doesn’t! The Iranian military isn’t all that, and Israel has nukes. Iran wouldn’t stand a chance. But by all means: keep making yourself look like a fool.
The comm intercepts put to lie the Israeli version. If you are so brainwashed as to believe Israel can never do any wrong, you’re sad.
Jacob, for someone who likes military stuff, you’re really ill-informed on modern tactics and strategy. Maybe in an alternate universe… back in the 40’s… But the form of warfare and “command and conquer” style governance you reference is simply over. It just is.
Proof, please. And no: your Hobbesian protestations don’t count.