Subject:
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Re: Preaching to the Choir
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Tue, 10 Aug 2004 15:59:42 GMT
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Viewed:
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2109 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Larry Pieniazek wrote:
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OK, can I run a thought experiment here for a sec? Suppose I’m a brain
surgeon and a darn good one. Save lots of lives every day I go in to work.
But one day I decide my real calling is digging holes. So I go out in my yard
and put in a 40 hour week digging holes.
They’re very nice holes, really, but they serve no useful purpose, in fact
they detract from the value of my yard. However I worked really really hard
at it, I wasn’t goofing off at all, I put in 40 hours fair and square.
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This sounds to me like a strong statement in support of Chris’ thesis that one
person’s workhour is not inherently worth more than another’s. If my brain is
working just fine (let’s say that it is), and the brains of my friends and
family members are likewise working just fine, then your services as a brain
surgeon are irrelevant to me. But if I live next door to you and I hate the
fact that the local landscape is degraded by your hole-less yard, then I’d
probably be greatly appreciative of your hole-digging efforts. And if your
holeful yard increases the value of my property, then perhaps (hypothetically)
I’d be willing to compensate you for your diggery.
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The very desire to have more than others is a sickness that we probably
can’t help.
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How so? How is wanting to have a Lexus instead of a Tercel a “sickness”?
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To answer this, perhaps it would be useful for you to identify why you want to
have a Lexus instead of a Tercel.
Dave!
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Preaching to the Choir
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| (...) But suppose you're not? What I'm driving at here is that it is difficult to take worth as stated by the person doing the task... and that further, some activities are indeed worth less. It rather seems to me that even in Chris's scheme he's (...) (20 years ago, 10-Aug-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, FTX)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Preaching to the Choir
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| (...) Seriously? Have you read "The Road to Serfdom"? I'm just curious. (...) OK, can I run a thought experiment here for a sec? Suppose I'm a brain surgeon and a darn good one. Save lots of lives every day I go in to work. But one day I decide my (...) (20 years ago, 9-Aug-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, FTX)
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