Subject:
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Re: Pay It Forward
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Sun, 26 Aug 2001 13:39:05 GMT
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Viewed:
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398 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Christopher L. Weeks writes:
> In lugnet.off-topic.debate, David Eaton writes:
> > In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Daniel Jassim writes:
>
> > In short, take the example of Communism. Great idea, never worked well in
> > practice.
>
> How about Cuba?
Are you saying that Cuba's systems are working well in practice? Are you
saying Cuba is an example of Communism? Not clear what you're saying,
exactly. I would say that it's not working well at all and isn't a very good
example either.
David E. makes a common assertion, that Communism is a good idea that we
never have been able to make work. I've disputed that assertion before, and
I hold that it is a fundamentally flawed idea that never WILL be able to be
made to work, precisely because it is flawed. The very nature of the flaw
ensures that whenever it is tried it sooner or later will mutate into
something else, usually (but not always) nasty, IMHO.
The "pay it forward" idea seems interesting (good topic, Dan!) but as was
pointed out, if you're "banking" good work in order to "collect" later, it's
not quite charity. More like insurance. That doesn't necessarily make it a
bad idea though.
The charity work I do, though, I do for my own reasons, not in hope of
future repayment. (you could argue that giving to the Nature Conservancy
means I will have lands to go enjoy later, I guess, but that's not exactly
why I give). I suspect most others think that way about charity too.
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Pay It Forward
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| (...) You are correct that it isn't a good example, but because Communism has not been ALLOWED to work in Cuba due to the crippling sanctions (embargo, boycott, whatever you wish to call it) imposed by America. It's like denying someone food and (...) (23 years ago, 26-Aug-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
| | | Re: Pay It Forward
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| (...) It would certainly depend on how you defined "working well." There are a large number of Cuban citizens who are quite content with their situation. Only the wealthy oppressors of the common man who have mostly come to the US were unhappy with (...) (23 years ago, 27-Aug-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Pay It Forward
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| (...) How about Cuba? (...) Agreed. If it is within your ability to help (and only you can define "ability") someone who needs the help (and, I think, only they can really define "needs"), then you "ought" to help. But not for more reward than the (...) (23 years ago, 26-Aug-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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