>>why.kap!tal!zm.

>Because, with all its problems, it still works better than socialism.
Of
>course, any system doesn't work too well in immoral or amoral
societies,
>of which we seem to have a great number these days...

morality sucks.

That was my =cw4t7abs impersonation.
But it does suck, really, because it seems to imply decisions made for
nonphysical, inhuman reward. Regardless of where you come down on the
God thing, "moral" decisions can be made simply because society works
better with them than without them. If we strip away morality, we end up
still making the same practical decisions. It's still better not to
covet someone else's property; it's still better not to hurt somebody;
it's still better to be loyal and to be concerned for the welfare of
others. If we strip away the God-motivation, we (meaning most of these
societies you refer to) might get clearer results. (Then again, maybe
not.)
This is one of the (many) things that Gandhi recognized--that these
decisions have to be made, regardless of one's religious faith, for the
practical benefit of all mankind. And it is mankind's nature to make
them. That's why he refused to denounce aetheists, or any belief system
that professed a quest for the truth. The truth, in fact, became a
higher goal than God.
Go Gandhi. (And he was a very religious man.) We need more men like
that.

Sorry for the rant. I came unglued for a minute there.
--
Carlton Joseph Wilkinson
http://excaliber.net/alex/wilkwrks.htm

Ahhhh, philosophy on the Csound list.  I love it! :-)
(especially when it makes sense like the message below)
Now, back to gen 17...

On Mon, 1 Jun 1998, Carlton Wilkinson wrote:

> morality sucks.
> 
> That was my =cw4t7abs impersonation.
> But it does suck, really, because it seems to imply decisions made for
> nonphysical, inhuman reward. Regardless of where you come down on the
> God thing, "moral" decisions can be made simply because society works
> better with them than without them. If we strip away morality, we end up
> still making the same practical decisions. It's still better not to
> covet someone else's property; it's still better not to hurt somebody;
> it's still better to be loyal and to be concerned for the welfare of
> others. If we strip away the God-motivation, we (meaning most of these
> societies you refer to) might get clearer results. (Then again, maybe
> not.)
> This is one of the (many) things that Gandhi recognized--that these
> decisions have to be made, regardless of one's religious faith, for the
> practical benefit of all mankind. And it is mankind's nature to make
> them. That's why he refused to denounce aetheists, or any belief system
> that professed a quest for the truth. The truth, in fact, became a
> higher goal than God.
> Go Gandhi. (And he was a very religious man.) We need more men like
> that.
> 
> Sorry for the rant. I came unglued for a minute there.
> --
> Carlton Joseph Wilkinson
> http://excaliber.net/alex/wilkwrks.htm
> 
> 
> 

end soundbite