Yebiga, every lie ye make is biga than the next one; the so-called growing wealth gap caused by the greedy capitalists:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/no-the-rich-dont-pay-a-fair-share-of-tax-they-pay-all-of-it/story-e6frgd0x-1226841174461

And what proportion of the Australian and indeed every Western nation's budget goes on welfare?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-09/interactive-budget-2013-where-will-your-tax-go/4682404

Just under 35% on direct assistance with much more on indirect assistance.

The idea that the workers are being oppressed in the capitalist paradise is such a lie.

Marx never envisaged a communist evolution occurring in a largely agrarian country like Russia, China or Cuba

Rather he and even the likes of j.Schumpeter believed a mature capitalists system, with large oligopolies like our own would more than likely evolve into socialism.

The owners of BHP, Coles, CBA merely possess certificates, pieces of paper. The management running these entities may also own pieces of paper. They are disconnected from private property and this clerical abstraction makes them something entirely different to an entrepreneur.

In fact these large oligopolies become enemies of private ownership by individuals. This is your socialist revolution by stealth. These clerks manipulate government, media and education.

We live in the socialist nirvana without even being conscious of it.

jayb

‘They were a very man hating vicious lot at James Cook …’

What an objectively mature and devastatingly insightful observation. Any more where that came from? … Ah, yes. Unfortunately, there are ...

‘… all the Text books they were studying from stressed how evil all men were. Left Wing, feminist & biased in the extreme.’

OMG! Imagine my shock! Not by the comment, mind you … only its mind-blowing originality. This must be the first time in the whole history of the world that someone has actually said that feminists think all men are evil. And remember, folks … you read it first on OLO.

‘As the only male at a dinner, I was asked what it was like to be an A$#ole by one of the women doing the Councillors Course …’

Oh, really? And if such a question was asked of you, was it because you happened to be born with Y chromosome or because you were behaving at dinner like a complete cretin on paternalistic arrogance overdrive and spoiling everyone’s meal. My common-sense-O-meter is moving in the direction of the latter. In fact, it’s almost blowing a fuse in the process.

‘I gave as good as I got that night, which was a lot but I'm great at retort, so it was a fun night.’

Yeah, right … Translation: ‘I behaved like a complete creep and earned everyone’s utter contempt but I was too dense … or maybe drunk … to notice.’

Well, you have made it obvious what side you bat for, luv.

Killarney: And if such a question was asked of you, was it because you happened to be born with Y chromosome or because you were behaving at dinner like a complete cretin on paternalistic arrogance overdrive and spoiling everyone’s meal.

Y chromosome. She made it very obvious that she was with my wife's friend. (she hadn't gone over to the dark side at that stage) No the Night was a complete Boilersuit affair & they were interested in my wife. They questioned her intently about how badly I treated her & they could help her. If I was being nice to her it must be my way of controlling her. We've been together for a little over 30 years neither one of us has ever felt the need to bash or control the other. We must be different to what is taught in these Courses. Although... "She who must be obeyed" does rule the roost. Aah....Ha. Hmmm.

Killarney: Yeah, right … Translation: ‘I behaved like a complete creep and earned everyone’s utter contempt but I was too dense … or maybe drunk … to notice.’

Don't drink, smoke & the wife says I'm not to go out with bad women. Sorry luv. One should always act in a manner consummate with ones fellow travellers, don't you think. They wanted to play, I love to play.

Killarney: OMG! Imagine my shock! Not by the comment, mind you … only its mind-blowing originality. This must be the first time in the whole history of the world that someone has actually said that feminists think all men are evil. And remember, folks … you read it first on OLO.

Yes it's hard to come up with something original. It would have been original if I would have said that they were all fine Ladies of refined distinction, but they weren't. the Fisherman's wife comes to mind when thinking of the language.

Now back to the subject.

I have noticed here, reading back through the posts, that there seems to be some sort of mutual admiration society going on. All based around name dropping. So far 39 in all. 8 of these fellows were born last century, 16 before 1945 & 22 soon after.

I've had a bit of a skim through some of their writings & I've come to the conclusion that there is little in originality in any of them. The same set of ideas or arguments just put in a different form to avoid Plagiarism, I guess.

The people that were born in the 18th. Century have no relationship with todays world. It would be like quoting Da Vinci theory of flight as being entirely valid. Even those born before 1945 writings on the human condition bear little relevance in the 21st. Century.

Writers after 45 & still alive may have something to contribute but are stuck in following & using past Century thinking & applying it today. Marx, Durkheim, Gramsci, Law, Kautsky & Berstein lived in a different age. One of huge Class differences & Religious practices. A way of thinking about the World & it inhabitancy that has changed so completely that they would not recognize it as even being Earth.

I dream of our History, Sociology, Literature, Politics and Philosophy students all familiar with Joseph Schumpeter's CAPITALISM, SOCIALISM and DEMOCRACY.

Whilst, on the one hand this is a foundational text for economic rationalism, it remains so only by a singular perspective. Schumpeter's book is not an evangelical love song to capitalism but provides a detailed critique of Capitalism and Socialism.

Now left leaning or postmodernist students armed with Schumpeter's work would present a formidable intellectual opposition to the prevailing economic rationalism. Business student is rarely a very reflective personality and confronted with his own cant turned against him/her would either be forced to further depth or as I expect skulk out of the room.

The postmodernist identity obsessed, anti-imperialist would now possess are an understanding of how the world works and with this more responsible world view would become far more capable at transforming society in accordance with their compassionate mission.

I know it's a crazy dream.