Government Shut Down

[Perry Winkle]

You also sacrifice art and science and other forms of specialization. Want the return of a short, brutal existence? Move to Afghanistan or the Congo or something.

[henry quirk]

"You also sacrifice art and science and other forms of specialization."

Only if you assume yourself under attack 24/7.

That's never been the case, even in the worst of times.

Certainly: romance novels wouldn't get written, but War and Peace would.

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"Want the return of a short, brutal existence?"

Hmmm, let's see short, brutal (and probably immensely satisfying) versus long, boring, and FAT (slow death for the mind and body).

*shrug*

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"Afghanistan...the Congo"

Pretty sure, even in those places, there's a dollop of joy to be had.

Your mistake: thinkin' you are 'dependent' (on another for the stability and structure of your living).

Hell, maybe you 'are'.

My condolences, if that's the case.

[Perry Winkle]

Originally Posted by henry quirk

Only if you assume yourself under attack 24/7.

That's never been the case, even in the worst of times.

Certainly: romance novels wouldn't get written, but War and Peace would.

Hmmm, let's see short, brutal (and probably immensely satisfying) versus long, boring, and FAT (slow death for the mind and body).

It's a continuum. The more security you have the more you can raise the bar of human expression and achievement. Sure a lot of dross gets created, but that's the case with anything.

Leo Tolstoy was born into nobility. He had the stability of an accidental heritage that secured him the means (time, safety, food, shelter, education) to write. You don't see tribal societies generating sophisticated art. That's not to say it can't be technically impressive, meaningful or intricate.

I'm genuinely curious. Do you masturbate when you watch apocalyptic movies? It really seems like you have a brutality fetish. Why do you get off on the idea of masses of people dying in stark raving terror and of preventable diseases? It seems like you somehow think that you won't be such a victim.