Yes. Most people once matured and became more conservative as they aged and gained experience. These days, alas, the most uneducated young people in history have been ruined by the brain-washing camps called universities to the point that maturation and the ability to think freely no longer exists in the appalling people who will eventually finish off Western society.

Quite a surprisingly impressive article. I started off a bit earlier than David, but finished up quite a bit later :(

Yes, I don't recognise the current crop of nihilists as socialist - not that, on reflection, socialism ever appealed to the blokes I worked with. As David says, and quite rightly too, they were much more interested in working hard AND hanging onto whatever they earned. And anyway, by the mid-sixties when I started in factories, trying to rally my comrades for the imminent proletarian revolution, almost all of them were fairly new immigrants, some with far more experience of real socialism than I could ever imagine.

Marx would probably categorise much of today's 'left' as nihilist, or anarchist: tear everything down and start from scratch sort of people. There are only right or wrong people in their view, and if you're wrong, it's total: you're Alt Right, fascist, etc. The irony is of course that such absolutism verges inevitably towards the fascist.

There used to be two kinds of anarchist (at least): those like my poor old grand-dad who wanted all people to be free and equal and nobody ruling over them, no governments, no power at all anywhere, somehow; and those who impatiently want to destroy all of tainted society, to hell with the consequences, and start again with (somehow) a clean slate, to build a New Utopia, for which they need tight control, i.e. total power. Of course, Marx had a bit of both.

I hope the journey these days is shorter than it used to be, but I fear that it will inevitably move off in a very wrong direction. It's worth remembering that the great majority of Germans who voted Communist in the late twenties, voted Nazi in the thirties.

Joe

I disagree with your particular take David and find my eyebrows marching up my forehead so far they merge into a receding hairline at the idea you were once a young socialist!

All those who claim to be left-leaning are anything but, including the divisive greens.

The problem is not young elf indulgent socialists but rather the selfish and self-serving political opportunists And say almost anything for a headline. The idea you ever had a heart also beggars belief.

And brains? Can only see where your thinking ability has been mostly circular and one doesn't need to have much in the way of brains for that or your well-publicised attack, for rank political outcomes, on single mums e.g.

You'll have a nice day now y'hear.
Alan B.

Joe I am always delighted by your common sense but you are surprised that Germans who first voted communist then voted Nazi? I would have thought they were two sides of the same coin and it said a lot about the political classes at that time. Let's face it, politics is a filthy business infested by even filthier people.
What's the solution? Sorry I do not know.

J.B. Nazi fascists (Social democrats haha) were what we now describe as far-right or alt-right, the communists of the extreme left.

What they share in common is a predilection for extremely authoritarian administrations/leaders.

Communism requires slavery for its economic survival!

Neither system is moderated by integrity or a moral compass. And seems to hare the latter with most politicians with their non-core promises, weasel words, endless blame-shifting and eternal prevarication?
Alan B.

Hi JBowyer,

Yes, I know that now, but it took a long time: of course, being on the idiot Left, I assumed for decades that Communism and Nazism were at opposite ends of a spectrum, totally unlike, with wishy-washy democracy somewhere in the ineffective middle. Bullsh!t.

As Hayek pointed out, there is really more like a triangle (if you like graphical representations), between communism, fascism and democracy: sometimes some people at the edges of democracy flirt with extreme-right or extreme-left, but more often in practice, the totalitarianism of those extremes drives them towards each other.

So, according to Hayek (and I fully agree), there are two alternatives: democracy; or one of the 'brotherly' extremes of fascism and communism. We fight either for democracy, equality, the rule of law, etc., in the context of an imperfect and always-changing political scene - or we submit our brains and bodies to one form of totalitarianism or the other. Or of both varieties, alternately.

This might explain why, back in the 1920s, so many writers, philosophers, academics, etc., could visit both Mussolini's Italy and Lenin/Stalin's Soviet Union, and praise both equally. That sounds crazy now but it was so. Both types of society devalued anything democracy, being so sure that they had hit on the Perfect Society blueprint, their Utopia, immaculate and fully-formed. So why risk democracy when you could already have perfection ?

As Churchill said about democracy .......

Joe

I have long said that Democracy is the worst kind of Dictatorship !

Individual,

Democracy is the most uncertain form of government, precisely because it's the most equitable in terms of allowing everybody to periodically express their choice. So it's the least Utopian, most open to change, most unpredictable.

I'm not sure what you mean, if you think there are 'better' forms of dictatorship ? That sounds like 'better' forms of cancer. And of course, one huge problem with dictatorships is that they get more and more entrenched and brutal (viz. Zimbabwe, the Philippines, Russia), so that only a very violent revolution can overthrow it - and that usually means yet another 'new' dictatorship, to start the whole rotten process all over again.

Give me uncertain democracy any day, even if I didn't vote for the bastards.

Joe

Give me uncertain democracy any day, even if I didn't vote for the bastards.
Loudmouth,
And I'd rather see a benevolent Dictator who comes down hard on the wrong-doers !
I always believed that's what Democracy does but it turned out it doesn't !
It's a very effective tool for greed & elitism !

If their was any doubt how putried, deceitful and immoral Marxism turns out, just look at the Democrats in America.

runner, better the world suspect you are a complete fool than to open your yap and remove all doubt! And when you do, try talking from a little higher up!

Y'all have a nice day now y'hear.
Alan B.

Individual,

"And I'd rather see a benevolent Dictator who comes down hard on the wrong-doers !"

And when has that ever happened ? A 'benevolent dictator' is - so far in history - a contradiction in terms.

Joe

And when has that ever happened ? A 'benevolent dictator' is - so far in history - a contradiction in terms.
Loudmouth,
Philippines right now !

Individual,

The Philippines ? Are you kidding ? The murder of thousands of people suspected - suspected - of being drug pushers ?

Duterte as a 'benevolent dictator' ? For one thing, right or wrong, he was elected - he's not a dictator, thank Christ. If he WAS a dictator, god knows what he might get up to.

So what's his 'benevolent' record, Individual ?

The craving for fascist certainty never seems to die, on the 'left' or on the right.

Joe

There are two reasons why a personal statement should be prepared very attentively. The first reason is your chance to stand out among equal and even stronger competitors. The second reason is in the fact that this paper is able to smooth out the shortcomings of the individual components of your application. Perhaps, you have chosen a program that does not coincide with the previous education, or you have no specific work experience. A personal statement will help present this information properly and shift the emphasis to your strengths.
Determine the Structure of the Paper
Think about which sections and paragraphs will be included in your essay and how they will be linked; do not forget to include the introduction and conclusion.
Define Your Career Goals and Describe Them
Try to define your career goals for the next five years. Follow these recommendations. Your aims should be:Clear and reachable;
not simple yet realistic;
professional goals should be related to life goals;
specific, demonstrating your understanding of the industry, the area where you want to work;
focus on improving not only your life and the content of your bank account but also the lives of people around you, society, the country, and possibly the world as a whole.
Tell about Your Best Qualities
Determine what special qualities and knowledge are needed for success in the chosen program and your future profession. Describe these skills, giving examples from the study, work, and everyday life. Think about what kind of common human dignities will help you to succeed in the chosen path. Describe these merits, giving examples from your academic, professional, public, and sports life. If you have interesting hobbies, mention them. Inform about what qualities and knowledge are necessary for the successful progress of your career. Do not praise or demean yourself.

I also have to point out Joe that the Nazis and Communist Russia signed a non-aggression pact purely for Germany to attack and take half of Poland and Russia to take the Baltic States and the other half of Poland. Both were preparing to attack the other but Adolf got in first and Stalin went on a 24 hour drunken bender in shock before taking up his cudgels. Dictators are useless!
Beccaa you have me confused, your missive is a bit too deep for me.
Alan B stop sniping from the back of the room or you will get detention!

Democracy, socialism and fascism are essentially one and the same, so which is better and which is worse is a matter of luck, depending on your personal circumstances at the time.

The commonality in all three is that other(s) are ruling over you, telling you, on pain of violence, what you must, may and must-not do in your life, without your prior consent.

I don't mind either method, PROVIDED that you were freely able in advance to choose the society/group that imposes on you its particular method of rule.

---

Dear Individual,

«I have long said that Democracy is the worst kind of Dictatorship !»

How can you tell? Shouldn't it be tried first?

«And I'd rather see a benevolent Dictator who comes down hard on the wrong-doers !»

Well and good so long as you or your family do not find yourselves among these "wrong-doers". Now who is to decide what is wrong? You?

Well, In my opinion doing the right thing would be not to adversely affect the people around me.
The wrong thing to do is to feign indignation & exploit loop holes such as is being done by Lawyers etc. who get massive income from encouraging greedy people to go to the extreme outer limits & even beyond of what's commonly considered the law !
Drug abusers which cause to a lot of crime get resources lavished on them whilst the victim is being persecuted such as we witness in so-called Democracy !
Also protected in Democracy are the countless bureaucrats & officials who turn a blind eye to wrong-doing in their circles. Local Govt are a well publicised factor in that.
Who should decide who is right or wrong ? Definitely not those who have a record of being on the side of the wrong-doers. Duterte is making that very clear in the Philippines !

"It's worth remembering that the great majority of Germans who voted Communist in the late twenties, voted Nazi in the thirties."

Indeed the single biggest recruiting day in the history of the Nazi party was the day after the communists were banned. Their leadership was killed/imprisoned or both. But the rank and file simply changed party without needing to really change their habits or beliefs.

One does not need to compose a paper (work of fiction) to know what their true values are or what actual integrity is! Or what a moral compass looks like! What comprises integrity is having the courage of conviction and a moral compass that guides your every decision, but particularly in relation to others!

It also demands you speak the truth even if that angers some!

Those with a moral character will go away cool down, think on what was said and maybe alter some part of their life and guiding value system.

And will never ever include those on the extreme right or left or the self-deluded or the ideologically driven, runner, who allow others to do all their critical thinking or them and are strangers to the truth!
Alan B.

No, not really too worried about the heartless, brainless commies, more so worried about the creeping fascism that has pervaded the LNP (Lying Nazi Parasites). A Dr Lawrence Britt identified the hallmarks of rising/emergent Fascism in this: ratical.org › ratville › CAH
At one time I thought that an "Australian Republic" might be the answer, but the more I found out about our own Constitution, the more I liked it. We have a wonderful & unique mechanism called; "Your Will" which was expounded upon by a Constitutional lawyer - Arthur Chresby in his writings: 'Your Will Be Done'. See: www.peoplesmandate.iinet.net.au › your_will_be_done

Under Fuhrer Howard we saw many freedoms eroded and taken away. The subsequent Abbott, Turnbull & Morrison governments carry on that tradition.

Albie the Nazis killed about ten million and were totally destroyed. The communists killed twenty times that number and are still going strong. But you, genius, are worried about the defeated Nazis? Have a big think and try and identify where your short comings are.

http://m.harunyahya.com/tr/works/581/Communism-In-Ambush/chapter/56/The-history-of-Bolshevik-savagery

A bit o' light reading on the subject !