1943 was the same year that Maslow first presented his hierarchy of needs. I believe that it goes much further to explain the requirements for human happiness.
Why Socialists Don't Believe in Fun (1943)
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Re: Why Socialists Don't Believe in Fun (1943)
#72There's a fundamental conflict between conceptual Utopia/Heaven and the law of supply and demand. All literary conceptions of a utopia rely on abundance of some good that is scarce in the author's time. Usually ignoring that its ubiquity makes it tend toward zero value. Here's my stab at Utopia, but it requires a belief that Knowledge is infinite: Utopia is a state of unhindered, continual learning at your own chosen…
The U.S. founding fathers had another definition which is life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is very individualized. Suggests it is relevant to the one as opposed to relevant to the masses. Very anti-elitist on its own merit.
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Re: Why Socialists Don't Believe in Fun (1943)
#73"This Christmas Day, thousands of men will be bleeding to death in the Russian snows, or drowning in icy waters, or blowing one another to pieces on swampy islands of the Pacific; homeless children will be scrabbling for food among the wreckage of German cities." - Should be some context for how completely alien the world of the writer is to us now.
It may be alien to us, but there are millions of people for which this describes their reality.
Yeah, gp seem disconcertingly disconnected from the reality of Yemen, Syria or Palestine - just to mention a few places off the top of my head.
Re: Why Socialists Don't Believe in Fun (1943)
#74Is anyone else intrigued that this is hosted on a Russian domain? I’m thinking ideological honeypot, lol.
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Re: Why Socialists Don't Believe in Fun (1943)
#75There's a fundamental conflict between conceptual Utopia/Heaven and the law of supply and demand. All literary conceptions of a utopia rely on abundance of some good that is scarce in the author's time. Usually ignoring that its ubiquity makes it tend toward zero value. Here's my stab at Utopia, but it requires a belief that Knowledge is infinite: Utopia is a state of unhindered, continual learning at your own chosen…
Utopia is sustainable, scalable happiness.
Re: Why Socialists Don't Believe in Fun (1943)
#76Earlier quoted context omitted.
It may be alien to us, but there are millions of people for which this describes their reality.
Yeah, gp seem disconcertingly disconnected from the reality of Yemen, Syria or Palestine - just to mention a few places off the top of my head.
Or maybe they have a sense of context.
Despite any media hype, the world is more peaceful than ever, and a fewer % of people are living in poverty than ever.
Maybe they're exceedingly well connected with reality.
Re: Why Socialists Don't Believe in Fun (1943)
#77Earlier quoted context omitted.
Are you? Do you have no worries in the world?
If we take each of those issues: Ignorance - developed countries have never sent so many people to university. War - Is less common in recent history and the wars we do get involved have fewer casualties. I know people will raise Iraq but you only need to go back as far as Vietnam to find a conflict that was an order of magnitude worse. Poverty - Absolute poverty is very low in the developed world and decreasing else…
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Re: Why Socialists Don't Believe in Fun (1943)
#78There's a fundamental conflict between conceptual Utopia/Heaven and the law of supply and demand. All literary conceptions of a utopia rely on abundance of some good that is scarce in the author's time. Usually ignoring that its ubiquity makes it tend toward zero value. Here's my stab at Utopia, but it requires a belief that Knowledge is infinite: Utopia is a state of unhindered, continual learning at your own chosen…
If by 'value' you mean 'monetary value' you may be right. Otherwise, not.
Re: Why Socialists Don't Believe in Fun (1943)
#79Judging by the list of "Ignorance, war, poverty, dirt, disease, frustration, hunger, fear, overwork, superstition all vanished." it seems many of us are living in a utopia yet we still aren't satisfied.
Fear is everywhere nowadays, it seems to power capitalism or at least is encouraged by it. I suspect the reason is that actual capitalism (as opposed to the ideal construct) is more based on Social Darwinism and capital accumulation than on trading for the mutual benefit of all market participants.
Re: Why Socialists Don't Believe in Fun (1943)
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
It may be alien to us, but there are millions of people for which this describes their reality.
Yeah, gp seem disconcertingly disconnected from the reality of Yemen, Syria or Palestine - just to mention a few places off the top of my head.
Or Venezuela.