"That Which is Seen, That Which is Not Seen"

[Avalux]

Frederic Bastiat:

"In fact, it is the same in the science of health, arts, and in that of morals. It often happens, that the sweeter the first fruit of a habit is, the more bitter are the consequences. Take, for example, debauchery, idleness, prodigality. When, therefore, a man absorbed in the effect which is seen has not yet learned to discern those which are not seen, he gives way to fatal habits, not only by inclination, but by calculation.

This explains the fatally grievous condition of mankind. Ignorance surrounds its cradle: then its actions are determined by their first consequences, the only ones which, in its first stage, it can see. It is only in the long run that it learns to take account of the others. It has to learn this lesson from two very different masters - experience and foresight. Experience teaches effectually, but brutally. It makes us acquainted with all the effects of an action, by causing us to feel them; and we cannot fail to finish by knowing that fire burns, if we have burned ourselves. For this rough teacher, I should like, if possible, to substitute a more gentle one. I mean Foresight. For this purpose I shall examine the consequences of certain economical phenomena, by placing in opposition to each other those which are seen, and those which are not seen."

http://bastiat.org/en/twisatwins.html

Very good read, including the broken window parable.

The Neocons will suffer the consequences of their actions.

[Cleita]

1. Unfortunately, everyone else will too.

Tell all those dead, wounded and tortured Iraqis, that those who did this to them will suffer too. Tell all the old people who find themselves without Social Security in the future or the children who find themselves with no schools to go to after "no child left behind" finishes what it set out to do that the neo-cons will also get theirs.

Sorry, but platitudes aren't going to fix this. We have to do it.

[Avalux]

2. platitudes?

Human nature my dear. Who's going to get up from in front of their TVs to stop the neocons? I don't see anyone marching in the streets.

[Cleita]

4. That's untrue. People are marching in the streets. No one is

putting it on TV or on the paper. In my area alone, there are protests every weekend on Saturday morning. There will be a big one on March 19, to join with the nationwide one planned. I and many others write to our elected representatives regularly. If everyone took the time even an hour a week to do something like write or protest, it will have an effect and they can't ignore it.

I didn't mean to offend you. What I was saying was that we can't sit around and wait for them to get their just deserts. We have to push them there, the sooner the better.

[Avalux]

6. I agree with you completely about taking action -

you misunderstand my reasons for posting this. Did you read the entire essay?

[Cleita]

7. No I didn't read the whole thing. I thought you posted the points

you wanted to make. Somewhere the word parable put me off reading the whole thing.

[Avalux]

8. Well please read it then and tell me what you think -

I just posted the first couple of paragraphs. :hi:

[chlamor]

3. Thanks

Will Read

[Avalux]

5. "You're welcome"

:hi: