Carrots and Sticks

There are two schools of thought on how to elicit behavior that someone or a group has decided is the way things 'should be'. Each group religious, economic, military, intellectual etc. has ways that they think things should be. Some actually have power to try and make it happen.

What is common to all of these people is that they know how others 'should be', they have a hot-line to God or they know right from wrong or they are the 'smart ones'. That is to say that the 'others' have none of these advantages; the others are poor saps that need 'parenting' because they can't figure it out on their own, they have 'bad' tendencies. So, … how do we create this Utopian dream that we have in our heads? How do we get the children to behave?

The 'carrot school' gives a nice feeling of benevolent superiority. Encourage people, give them incentives to behave the way that they should. It feels good to be the power that gives pleasure, come to daddy, I have candy. Be good. Carrot people want to be rewarded for their good behavior, they are good people and they know it, they want to be acknowledged. They want the rewards for living properly and contributing to society, my daddy showed me this. People are not evil by nature. We want a nice world, life is short, lets enjoy it. We are alive! come smell the roses. We want a pleasant world so lets build one. 

The 'stick school' provides a feeling righteousness and definitive power. Discourage people from following their wicked nature. It feels good to show people the penalties of transgress, go and sin no more. Do not force me to hunt you down, there will be pain. The stick people feel good about being beaten when caught transgressing the rules; breaking the rules is bad, we all want to do that but that is evil, that is letting our true nature out; we deserve the pain, my daddy showed me this. People are evil by nature. Stick people do not like rewarding people for doing what they should be doing anyway. It will spoil them. We want a harsh world, it makes us strong. It makes us invincible. The others, the evil ones will not get us, ever.

That being said, the stick people worry me, profoundly. Sometimes I think that many of them rather enjoy punishing others for their 'sins'. Sometimes I think that they make some rules simply to assure a steady supply of people to punish. They think it works best. "Damn, don't make me beat you again". They clearly like the stick. They like it a lot. They do not really have a problem with people breaking the rules. Hey, it gives is the opportunity to show the others what the penalties are. The harsher and nastier the punishment the more effective it is. You do want to work effectively and efficiently toward having the society that I want us to have, don't you? Yeah, the stick people worry me.

Power, Diplomacy and Balls: Terrified Republicans.

I read a Globalpost article By Michael Moran, Why Israel and Saudi Arabia really hate the Iran deal. He gave me food for thought. I have reduced it to the components that I could use. It was a good article, filled with the nutrients needed to build and interesting structure. Here is what I build with it ______________________

Apparently the Executive Branch of the US government has just wrapped up a deal with Iran that is supposed to reduce the danger that Iran poses to 'the west'. This has met with some pretty strong criticism from people within the US and from some World governments, notably Syria and Israel. Each country has it's own constituency and its own problems. For whatever reason some of the upper echelon of these countries have expressed their misgivings. I have no idea whether this is political posturing for some hidden treasure or if they are indeed unhappy with the deal. Frankly, I don't care because I don't know enough about their situations and culture and I can not do anything about it anyway. I do know something about the American culture and what is traveling around the blogosphere and newspapers. In America we have one group in particular (New Conservatives) who have lots of people that are outraged that we would 'appease the enemy'.

I would like to expose these 'hardliners', these defenders of liberty for what they are. Fearful cowards, but more than just fearful cowards, they are ignorant jerks that do not understand power or its use. I am being generous here. War is the last resort of someone who has already lost. This is nothing new for those that study conflict. For these conservatives however, the only 'acceptable' outcome To the US 'negotiation' with Iran would be war. For war is the only definitive way to solve 'the problem', whatever that means. These are people that accuse the American President of weakness and even traitorous behavior when he allows anyone in his administration to have any contact with someone in a 'hostile country'. Any compromise is seen as defeat, even saying hello on the street is seen as defeat.

Only those that are strong have the option of being generous with their opponents. I am not speaking of a perception of strength, I am speaking of real demonstrable strength. America has finally begun to behave as if it were strong; strong enough to talk with those that disagree and even strong enough to throw them a face-saving bone once in a while. America has started to behave as if it is not afraid of the boogie man anymore and has the quiet confidence of a country with real power. Absolute power.

This is the image that Barak Obama is now projecting. He has started to show respect for those that disagree, he will listen to them and even try to help them out once in a while, he will show them real respect. I am pleased, for this is the stance of a person that controls real power, the winning hand. His position is so strong that he can even grant them some concessions if it will help them manage their own internal public relationship challenges. Why not? They will have to come around eventually, there is no choice. They know that and we know that. Why make it difficult on them? It is not courteous. We have real power we do not need to strut around on the world stage like a 13 year old bully taunting his prey.

Frankly, I am sick and tired of the New Conservatives total lack of confidence in American power; They are the ones that think we are weak and cannot afford to negotiate. They are the ones that make Americans look fearful and weak to the rest of the world. This is more than just an appearance. These people are afraid and fear does make one weak and vulnerable. These are the people that are so afraid of being perceived as 'weak' that we cannot treat our opponents on the world stage with the utmost courtesy and respect. These are the people that think America is so weak that we cannot give them concession that will make it easier for them to manage their own people.

Let me remind our terrified and insecure Conservative cowards that America has the power to vaporize any of these 'problems' in just a couple of hours for a cost of a couple of billion dollars and without the loss of a single American. We can do this in the afternoon then go out to dinner that evening. I am not exaggerating  at all. We can afford to be courteous and respectful with our 'opponents' because anything short of that, is a straightforward admission that we are just asshole bullies and nothing else.

The Iranian culture deserves a HUGE amount of respect. Now, in addition to just being assholes, the 'War Monger Conservatives' are also demonstrating that they are dumb-fucks as well. Read some history about the rise of civilization on the planet and the place that Iranian culture played in that rise. Dumb people seldom win conflicts. A battle once in a while but never the conflict. You give our opponents confidence and you destroy the confidence that is rightly ours.

Now, you 'New Conservatives', stand up straight and stop acting like terrified little children. We have real power and everyone on the planet knows it. Grow some balls. Treat the 'enemy' with the utmost courtesy and respect. Offer to talk anytime and give them the concessions the need to effectively govern their people. This is very important because one afternoon, on one cloudy day, we might have to annihilate their entire civilization from the planet and that would be sad.

Weak Sissy Liberals; The Conservative View.

This is in response to an acquaintance of mine that published an article "Conservatives want Universal Healthcare In the US (and don’t know it)". He asked for feedback; he wanted to know if he might be delusional. That is always 'delicate' but here goes.

You are definitely delusional, Frank; welcome to the club. I think you are calling this one wrong and I am guessing that the reason for this is some kind of cognitive dissonance. The world is not how you think that it should be so you refuse to listen when people try and explain it to you. You are going out of your way to show how it just really 'isn't so'. Yes, it is so. What you are hearing is not stupid. It is well thought out philosophy and the truth of this philosophy is there for everyone to see. It is clear and it is concise and it is correct. Yes, the Conservatives are correct. The government must stay out of this 'taking care of the people' business or it will destroy the country. Here is how I know this.

Life is about proving oneself, it is how evolution works, the strongest survive. Any thing short of that compromises the very species. You become strong and prove yourself or … well, you are part of the problem. If you end up dying? Well, that is God's will. This is how it works, period. This was beaten (literally sometimes) into their heads by the time that they were 3 yrs old.

"Prove to daddy that you are strong and independent. It is how it must be and I must teach you to understand this, it is important. No, we will not pick you up just because you want us to. You may cry and scream in your crib if you like. We will not be manipulated like this and we will not allow you to get away with that All babies/people are naturally manipulative. We can see the results of spoiling the children and this will not happen in our house. You have been changed and fed and now it is time to go to sleep, period. It may be painful but you will learn the rules. You MUST learn to be strong and take care of yourself, it is my personal responsibility to make you strong. I am taking my responsibilites seriously, you should too. I love you too much to let you fail. We do not tolerate spoiled children in this household. Scream in you crib all you like but you are going to learn that other people are not here to take care of whatever whim you have. Scream all night if you want, we are not going to give you what you want. We are not going to help you."

If the parents were successful the child has learned by about 3 yrs of age that he cannot count on anyone but himself when he has a need for something. Yes, his parents will feed and change him but that is it. When they want to play, they will play, when he wants to play, well they don't want to spoil him. This is how people are. How can you possible dispute this Frank? Even this 3 yr old has figured it out. He will be strong and he will be independent. He knows the rules. You want something? Well you do it yourself, whatever it takes, whatever it takes. I am giving nothing away for free, now, go cry in your crib. I will not be manipulated by your stupid emotional games. You want to give me something for free? Cool, I'll take it but I will loose respect for you. What are you some kind of Liberal with 'emotions' and stuff? No, I will not do the same for you, I don't believe in spoiling people. 

Yes, many of the most vociferous are those that are on or have been on the 'take' at some point. They are deeply ashamed of this. To offset this proof that they themselves are or were not worthy and to pay for their sins they must push even harder against the 'injustice', against their sin. They double down to teach their children even more fervently the lesson. They do not want their children to be failures, as they were/are. And so it goes.

There is no logic in the world, there is no factual basis in the world that will get these people to change the way they think about this. Why? Because this is indeed how the world works for them, their dad showed them and they are going to demonstrate this to their children, work or starve, yes, they will withholds food and yes they will be beaten. If violence is necessary to teach the child, so be it; it is that important. The children, like them, will find examples of this throughtout their lives, hundreds and thousands of examples. There are lots and lots of people like this and they band together, they know what the rules are, the rules are self evident. Liberals ! What a bunch of namby pambies. Hey, it is just business.

You liberal fantasy world pretty boys, intellectual with all this 'education' and as smart as you think you are can't see this? Pretty silly, if you ask me. No, we will not let you run the show, you live in a fantasy land and you will destroy us all. Survival of the fittest, no free lunch. These are the laws of our species; these are the laws of God. Any idiot can see that.Work or die, be strong, no free lunch, We will not allow it, We will actively stop you from rewarding people that do not deserve it. I will not let you destroy us, we know how things work, you do not. Heck, even one of your own 'smarty pants' guys said this, Darwin. You don't even listen to your own people. Jeesh, and you want us to let you run the country? Are you nuts? I get to keep what I worked for, just try and take if from me you lazy son of a bitch. What about freedom is it that you don't understand? When I was a kid, I had some asshole telling me what I could and could not do, well I am not a kid anymore and I'll be damned if I am going to lets to ruler think he can be my daddy. At least my dad taught me how things are and taught me discipline. He taught me to be strong. He showed me how the world works.

"Obama care", the ACA, propagates;weakness and steals from people. In addition, the people that will get stuff for free are the weak and lazy and we do not want to be a part of the destruction of the species. No, keep the 'government' out of this business of helping people that have not proved themselves, it will destroy us. It is a law of nature. It is harsh but that is just the way it is. There is no free lunch and there should not be any free lunch; it would violate the law of nature. We are the strong, we are surviving, we are not weak. If I mess up well, I will pay the price. I would not not deserve to survive. The government needs to stay out of this entirely. They are inefficient and encourage the weak to survive and they do this by stealing the money that I worked hard to get.. Frankly it is against the most fundamental law of nature. Work, be strong, or die. Hey, it is not my rule, it is God's rule. It is natures rule. There is no free lunch. Yeah, yeah, I know it hurts but we ain't in the business of spoiling people, lie in your crib and cry and scream all you like, we are not going to spoil you. It is the only way you can learn to be strong, like me.

Obama is evil;he goes against the laws of nature actively and with forethought. This is the very definition of evil. Some of the Liberals know this as well and they are evil too. The rest are sheep and incapable of thinking for themselves or even seeing the world for what it obviously is. Why does he actually want to destroy? Because that is the job of Satan. That is just the way it is. I can show you thousands of examples of people bent on destruction for destructions sake, just to hurt people. That is what evil is.

The argument is correct, the evidence is there for;everyone;to see. It is even written in our oldest books. It is knowledge that has persisted for countless thousands of years. It has withstood the test of time and all the forces that have been pitted against it; it is correct. Keep the government out of our healthcare, we don't need them 'taking care of us'. We can do it just fine by ourselves. We don't need some 'daddy' to rule over us and frankly we don't even like the asshole. But he did teach us how the world is. You liberals just want 'daddy' to cater to your every whim. Well, fuck you. We are the strong, you are the weak. You are one of the poor dupes that cannot see that the world is harsh and therefore so must we be, to survive, no we do not want to give away anything for free; it would be a sin.You are wrong. You are indeed 'delusional'. Go back to your crib and cry all you want, we are not going to help you. That is not how it works.  We are not weak, we are strong and you liberals are going to wreck everything and make us weak.