Well, I took a chance once tonight. Here's another risky topic: slavery in an economic, wider context. But again - read a little before you assume you know what I'm saying. Please.
Why did men want slaves?
Why did men want slaves?
2. Men wanted slaves so they could control and reap the harvest of more land than they could manage with their own bodies, minds, families and community.
Why do men want tractors? So they could control and reap the harvest of more land than they can manage with their own ...
Why do men want tractors? So they could control and reap the harvest of more land than they can manage with their own ...
3. I read a report lately that humans actually feel as if the tools we use are parts of our bodies.
No shit. I guarantee my nervous system extends to the end of a wrench around on the back side of a transmission where I can't see it. It's just more me.
No shit. I guarantee my nervous system extends to the end of a wrench around on the back side of a transmission where I can't see it. It's just more me.
4. So, everybody in the developed world has these things which are half extensions to our body and half slaves that never talk back. Tools with motors on them. We have superhuman powers.
So we can extend our personal control over more Earth than we could otherwise.
So we can extend our personal control over more Earth than we could otherwise.
5. I routinely go 60 miles one way to do some thing I want to do.
And the two most likely ones are, from here, in different directions by about 160°. So, 120 mile radius.
That's a big hunk of world. One guy. One face.
And the two most likely ones are, from here, in different directions by about 160°. So, 120 mile radius.
That's a big hunk of world. One guy. One face.
6. Next is a video of a process that took me about the same amount of time as driving up to Jamesport to do business with Amish people.
Amish people offer services you pretty much can't get anywhere else. They know things nobody else knows.
But - here's how far you get on foot.
Amish people offer services you pretty much can't get anywhere else. They know things nobody else knows.
But - here's how far you get on foot.
7. Here's how far I get on foot in the time it takes me to drive to Kansas City or Jamesport.
8. Back around to slavery.
Slavery was a great evil. Under slavery, humans were forced to endure the most degraded, depraved circumstances imaginable. One of the worst slavery systems I know of was the African enslavement in this nation.
It harmed more than the slaves, as well.
Slavery was a great evil. Under slavery, humans were forced to endure the most degraded, depraved circumstances imaginable. One of the worst slavery systems I know of was the African enslavement in this nation.
It harmed more than the slaves, as well.
9. No non-slave-owning person on the land could compete on an equal footing with the slaveholders.
It was the mom-and-pop store against Walmart.
Slavery was the foundation of a broadly evil system, not a narrowly evil system.
When slavery "ended" we said,
It was the mom-and-pop store against Walmart.
Slavery was the foundation of a broadly evil system, not a narrowly evil system.
When slavery "ended" we said,
10. "OK you're free, take the clothes on your back and the shoes on your feet and get the fuck off my land and go somewhere, or you could stay here and farm and I'll keep most of everything."
Words to that effect.
Sharecropping.
But technically you could leave and they couldn't
Words to that effect.
Sharecropping.
But technically you could leave and they couldn't
11. chase you down with hounds, so yes, it was better.
We could have done better yet. But the system was, the richest man gets the best of everything, then the next richest man gets the best of everything that's left, and at each level, the more land you could hog for yourself,
We could have done better yet. But the system was, the richest man gets the best of everything, then the next richest man gets the best of everything that's left, and at each level, the more land you could hog for yourself,
12. And profit from yourself, the better that was.
And Devil take the hindmost.
In the first place - and everybody knows this - the black people have never been let into the game, and in the second place, fewer white people are allowed in every year too.
And Devil take the hindmost.
In the first place - and everybody knows this - the black people have never been let into the game, and in the second place, fewer white people are allowed in every year too.
13. And instead of whipping bleeding wounds into the backs of humans to force them to work for them, the rich pour death into the air and water, pour debt into the employee class, and jet off to near space just because they can.
I'd be lying if I said I wish the motherfucker well
I'd be lying if I said I wish the motherfucker well
14. The deepest and most pervasive evil in all of slavery was the greed to grab more than one could hold, and claim it to oneself. The rest all stemmed from that.
I have read that Bill Gates owns more American farmland than any other man on Earth.
I don't wish him well either.
I have read that Bill Gates owns more American farmland than any other man on Earth.
I don't wish him well either.
Errata: in 5, diameter.
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