Subject:
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Re: Gotta love Oracle...
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Sat, 13 Oct 2001 18:41:54 GMT
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Viewed:
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622 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> > But let's assume I agree to both. Is it true then, that Bill Gates works
> > 10000 times harder than I do? Is he 10000 times smarter than me? Am I 10000
> > times smarter than the average inhabitant of Africa, or do I work that much
> > harder than they do?
>
> Yes, yes, yes and yes.
Hmm, Larry, I think you fired that off without thinking about it, or you're
being obtuse.
My circumstances have a great deal to do with how hard I work, yes. That
applies, in a relative degree, to virtually everyone on the planet (work
harder/be smarter = better circumstances).
However, I would lay very good odds that the average inhabitant of Africa
works much harder than I do, and isn't significantly different in
intelligence. My situation is still worlds better than most of them will
ever know, and it has nothing to do with our relative work habits or brains;
it has everything to do with environment and opportunity. I do not have to
put in 12 hour days every single day to keep myself and my family from
starving, I have the great good fortune to be in a country where I can do a
ridiculously tiny amount of work to provide the basics, and I can put my
work and time and brain into things that *aren't* basic subsitance. Many
africans don't have that luxury, despite working harder and possibly even
being smarter.
I was given a leg up in life that has nothing to do with *me* working harder
or being smarter. I will indeed conceed that it has everything to do with
my ancestors working harder and/or being smarter, though.
thanks,
James
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Gotta love Oracle...
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| (...) Paid for by whom? Government sets up systems but should not be providing goods. What is the value of a life, by the way? Don't answer infinite, that's the wrong answer and will give you silly results. The proper functions of goverment in a (...) (23 years ago, 13-Oct-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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