Eugine_Nier comments on Rationality Quotes May 2012 - Less Wrong

6 Post author: OpenThreadGuy 01 May 2012 11:37PM

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Comment author: Multiheaded 10 May 2012 02:01:43PM *  -1 points [-]

The economic benefits and comforts for most of its citizens are being dismantled, the space of acceptable opinion seems to be shrinking.

I see no proof of that. What economic benefits and comforts? Sure, real wages in Western countries have stopped growing around the 1970s, but e.g. where welfare programs are being cut following the current crisis, it's certainly not the liberals but economically conservative governments championing the cuts.

Now consider the various universalist standards of personal behaviour that are normative in 2012 and in 1972. They aren't that different in stated ideals, but the practical costs have arguably risen.

I don't understand. Do you mean prestigious norms like "never avoid poor neighbourhoods for your personal safety, because it's supposedly un-egalitarian", or what? What other norms like that exist that are harmful in daily life?

Comment author: Eugine_Nier 11 May 2012 04:05:00AM *  3 points [-]

but e.g. where welfare programs are being cut following the current crisis, it's certainly not the liberals but economically conservative governments championing the cuts.

What's happening is, to paraphrase Thacher, that governments are running out of other people's money. Yes, conservative parties are more willing to acknowledge this fact, but liberal parties don't have any viable alternatives and it was their economic policies that lead to this state of affairs.

Comment author: Multiheaded 11 May 2012 08:46:57AM *  0 points [-]

Hmm? And in places where fiscally conservative parties were at the helm before the crisis? What about them?

Comment author: Eugine_Nier 12 May 2012 06:43:12AM -1 points [-]

The places that are being hardest hit have been ruled by left wing parties for most of the time since at least the 1970s. Also in these places the right wing parties aren't all that right wing.

Comment author: Multiheaded 12 May 2012 07:47:44AM 0 points [-]

The places that are being hardest hit have been ruled by left wing parties for most of the time since at least the 1970s.

Are the Scandinavian nations among the ones hit hardest? Or, say, Poland?

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