Grim “I've always wondered about that 'tall poppy' syndrome.”

Yes cut them down and level them so they can see no benefit for their “natural (unearned) advantage”. On that basis, we would cut everyone down all the way back to retardation… hardly the sort of mindset which would ever promote “development of the species”.

Maybe we should cut the ham strings of all the footballers, since they have a gift which is earns them a disproportionate material reward, more than the average process worker.

RobP “Actually, I'd like to see Col being eclipsed by someone who was manifestly undeserving. With a bit of luck, he would put his energies to good use, whip out the axe and chop the poppy down”

Making such comments gives me insight into that narrow, shallow and tiny space which must be your own small world, a micro structure where you can claim to be an all powerful “King”.

Conversely, I find I have no desire to see you so “eclipsed”. Maybe my disposition is more generous and charitable than yours.

“But then again, his libertarian ideals probably extend to leaving such tall poppies alone.”

It sounds like my stated philosophy are, at last, starting to illuminate your small, dark corner.

Tall poppies, exotic orchids or short violets, it makes no difference, they are all uniquely beautiful.

I would sooner live in a world filled with the inequalities produced by diversity, than exist the regimented, monochromatic monotony of what the likes of you and other unimaginative socialist levelers would impose.

That is the difference between

The “social diversity”, of rich and poor etc.

to “mandatory equality”… of uniform socialist poverty

in the former, people have the opportunity to “live”

in the latter, they merely “exist”.

In the former, a small minority have the opportunity to 'live'.
For the majority, about two thirds manage to merely exist, if they're lucky.
The rest just die.

Col Rouge,

You are a first-class intellectual tosser. Enjoy yourself.

All your diatribe is, is a cover to continue to hang it on people who you look down upon. And you call yourself humble. Oh dear.

Grim “In the former, a small minority have the opportunity to 'live'.”

And in the latter no one gets an opportunity to be anything….

I will always fight for the former, since your feeble attempt at selling the latter rates as something less than puerile.

RobP “You are a first-class intellectual tosser. Enjoy yourself.

All your diatribe is, is a cover to continue to hang it on people who you look down upon. And you call yourself humble. Oh dear.”

Maybe you can quote from me where I have “looked down” upon anyone.

Of course, it is you who make the judgments, I guess you cannot understand how I accept people as they are, gifted or otherwise, individuals everyone instead of reflecting the class-bound, envy based values which you espouse.

But you remind me of something Margaret Thatcher once said

“I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.”

I know what your intent was, even though your collective mediocrity ensured fell well short of “wounding”.

You cannot challenge the merit of my view.

It is simple

You lack the intellectual rigor and certainly whatever you are, you are not “first class”, so that leaves “tosser”

Well, yes tosser you are

You are in fact, a third rate retarded tosser, who is so hung up on the politics of envy that you cannot find merit in anyone who is different to you, not necessarily better nor worse, just different.

“I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.”
Six sentences later, by the same author:
"You are in fact, a third rate retarded tosser, who is so hung up on the politics of envy that you cannot find merit in anyone who is different to you, not necessarily better nor worse, just different."
"Cannot challenge the merit of my view"?
Your view has no merit.
Col Rouge, you always assume someone else's argument must be from envy. You really can't get your head around the idea that some people don't run everything through the 'me' filter. Some people are actually able to imagine the plight of those poorer than themselves, and argue on their behalf.
The fact that I own a computer, and a home to house me and my computer, and I have the time to post on these pages makes me part of that rich minority.
Yes, I am rich. I am never hungry, I have always been able to feed and clothe my children.
What I don't understand is why anyone would need to be ten million times richer than I am, and how they can live with themselves, when millions of innocent children are starving.

Grim "What I don't understand is why anyone would need to be ten million times richer than I am, and how they can live with themselves, when millions of innocent children are starving"

it is simple,

other people are not subject to your determination and definition of what you consider to be "wealth"

they are not subject to your arbitary expectations or self-contrived standards.

the are not required to explain to you how or why the "live with themselves"

They are individuals with the same rights to accumulate property as you and are not limited by what you consider is either adequate or superfluous.

In short,

you opinion to millions of people both worse off and better off than you just does not matter a toss.

You are, I am pleased to say, in the cosmic scheme of things, a complete irrelevance.

so just be happy and maybe wonder what you would do if you had more... you could give more away and feel superior to many... I am sure that would give you some sense of empowerment and maybe even a self-righteous sense of self-worth.

Now I must go out and watch the man polish the Mercedes... one has to keep an eye on the hired help...