Hi Foxy,

I don't recall Marx writing this, maybe Groucho Marx, but it could be the origins of an infinite source of brilliant possible initiatives in economic theory. I'm trying to hypothesise what Engels, Adam Smith, Aristotle, Paul Samuelson, Milton Friedman, Homer Simpson or Henry Ergas might draw some lessons from it.

When I was a Maoist, working in Melbourne at Noon Pies in Preston in the late sixties, I used to come home from the evening shift, at around 1 or 2 am, sometimes, when the machines had broken down, at 4 am, and read through Marx's letters, and his Capital. Nothing like dedication. It's a tragedy that Marx never actually worked, let alone in a pie factory. Most of my workmates were Greeks, back in the late sixties, lovely blokes, very hard workers, they taught me important sayings like "Tha sevalo to boutso sto golo" which I think means something like "The chicken carefully looks after its eggs." I still don't know what it means.

Life is an adventure !

Love,

PS. IF life is an adventure, when are you running away from your husband ?

PPS. Jesus, how big is he ?

Hi Joe,

No, not Groucho but Karl. Although not sure where or when
he said it.

Yes, life is an adventure - and you've certainly had your
fair share by the sound of it. One of my colleagues at
work was a Greek guy - great to work with, a terrific
flirt who used to tell me - "Not all girls are made of
sugar and spice and everything nice. Some girls are made
of adventure and wine and all things fine". Cheeky.

My husband is over 6 ft.

Take care.

Joe,

Really like your recent posts, and mostly agree, but have some reservation regarding:

"I suspect that 'cancel culture' is in this paddock. It's not that different from the intolerant attitudes of fifty and sixty years ago."

Not trying to be difficult, and maybe my '60's memory's not that good - certainly missed most of '65 to '67 in Nasho's - but I thought, for example, that dissatisfaction with 'Vietnam' was really justified.
A pretty rotten show really.

'Intolerance'? I guess would include gay bashing by ignorant louts and some anti-feminism, and Free-Love was in, Hare Krishna, flower people, and the 'sexual revolution' (and some 'tune in, turn on and drop out - for some). Quite some rejection present, especially by the 'olds'.

But, then there was the 'space race', and the moon landing in '69. An amazing breakthrough, including the lead-up - Sputnik, Gagarin, and so many very fine US fellows - and more landings. Brilliant (including the photos), and the Aus tracking and video relaying was just great. Made us all proud I'm sure.

Of course, JFK's assassination in '63 was a very low point, and I was not that impressed with LBJ (or Holt's 'All the Way ...), and then, Tricky Dick and Laos. Rotten show. And Agent Orange, and its aftermath.

However, I think the current Culture Wars, BLM, attempts at re-writing history (and taking so much out of context), the general Woke (hate that word - almost as bad as Existential) 'Populism', Political Correctness 'gone mad', fights over Birth Certificate 'sexualisation', gender dysphoria and so much other uncertainty regarding 'identity', and what is now being taught in school about these things, is generally troubling.

So, give me the '60's, and '70's any day. We are now in troubling times, and I'm unsure how it's going to end.

Anyhow, all the best to you Joe, and to Foxy. You've both been lighting up my day.

BTW, have you noticed Bronwyn and Mox - maybe both on other threads (eg re PNG) - very pro-CCP. Ring-in's?

Dear Foxy,

Thank you for your remarks. I tried to ignore it. It hurt.

David

david f,

Why did it hurt?
What was it that offended YOU personally?
If you are referring to the criticism of the Illuminati, I would have thought you would agree, unless you are not familiar with their agenda and objectives.
Do not be mis-led by those who feel jilted and found guilty of spreading mis-information, so much so that people find themselves having to follow her with a verbal broom and bucket, to clean up after her in having to set the record straight.
If you are referring to my comments then you need not feel hurt on my account.
As much as you may dis-agree, you should feel hurt about the person who made the accusation, they chose to read it the way they saw it.
I will say it once more, and if anyone actually cares about the truth they will know or confirm my position over my past postings, and that is and has always been, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH JEWS!
Ordinary people are all the same, as we all very well know, so just because I choose to berate and correct someone for whatever reasons only means they refuse to consider that they might be wrong, so having hit a nerve they respond by implying falsehoods in a vain attempt at redemption and retribution for hurting their delicate sensibilities.
David, if you want to dislike me because I have besmirched you personally, on purpose, by all means do so, but I won't stand by and be accused of something I KNOW I am not guilty of.
Once more, I NEVER denigrate or put down ordinary Jews!
OK? Are we clear, so please do not feel hurt on my account, but by all means be wary of certain seemingly, do-gooder, well meaning posters here or elsewhere anywhere else for that matter.
Stay well.

.

Dear David f.,

.

You wrote :

« I see hate, violence, fanaticism and inequality as part of the human condition. I recognise all those feelings within me. We are not equal. »
.

Quite so, David, but life is not static. It is evolutive. We have come a long way since we branched off from our common ancestor with the chimpanzees five to seven million years ago. We still have a long way to go.

But, unlike you, I do not “recognise all those feelings within me”. There is no hate, passion or fanatism in me. Anybody who knows me would attest that I am fairly easy-going, calm and polite by nature. At worst, I become annoyed at times, but never really lose my temper.

Sport has always played a major role in my life and my education, many different sports – both individual and team sports – including some, such as boxing and rugby, that can be quite violent. I have learned to take the blows and deal a few out myself, to accept defeat with dignity and modesty just as I accept victory, to play the game fairly and respect opponents and teammates.

In addition, sport has taught me what loyalty and team spirit really mean in practice when the going gets tough and defeat is inevitable.

It is that experience and that philosophy that has guided me in every aspect of my life, including in my professional life. I have lost count of the number of times I have been stabbed in the back by some of my affable work colleagues. The scars are still there, together with all the wisdom they injected into me with their knives.

I guess it was my natural disposition, as well as my “weltanschauung” (worldview) and hard-earned wisdom that vaccinated me from hate and fanatism.

As for violence, my mottos are : “nemo me impune lacessit” (no one assails me with impunity) and “non sine pulvere palma” (no laurel without effort).

And like John Rawls, I only accept inequality if it is fair (“I cut, you choose”).

.