All Philosophy Is Bunk

For all things philosophical.

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promethean75
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Re: All Philosophy Is Bunk

Post by promethean75 »

Meh. Mencken is a little too optimistic for my tastes.
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vegetariantaxidermy
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Re: All Philosophy Is Bunk

Post by vegetariantaxidermy »

RCSaunders wrote: Fri Jan 07, 2022 5:19 pm
promethean75 wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:55 pm ^^^ this pleases Stirner.

However, most folks aren't cut out for the mad max life style, so we, the untimely ones, must forge a government for the people.
You obviously have no idea what it means to be a truly successful human being. It is certainly the opposite of a, "mad max life style." It is true, 99% of the mankind will never always will fall for the lies of politics and believe it is the solution to all their problems--and suffer the consequences.

This is from an old article, "Never Take Any Of It Seriously."
Mencken On Politics

No one describes the nature of politics better than H.L. Mencken:

Politicians, political candidates, and elections, beyond their entertainment value, have no importance whatsoever. All politicians and would-be politicians are buffoons who are incapable of producing any product or performing any service anyone would willingly pay for. I'm not suggesting they are without ability or talent, they are all consummate con-men successfully accruing to themselves as much unearned wealth and undeserved power as possible.

"Congress consists of one-third, more or less, scoundrels; two-thirds, more or less, idiots; and three-thirds, more or less, poltroons." [H.L. Mencken, Damn!]

The success of politicians actually has little to do with any ability of their own beyond their psychopathic ability to lie without compunction—the success of politicians, as well as any others whose success depends on popularity or notoriety, lies in the incredible ignorance, gullibility, and paranoia of the mass of humanity.

"So long as there are men in the world, 99 percent of them will be idiots." [The New Mencken Letters, (1977), "Letter to Upton Sinclair, 14 Oct. (1917)]

When Mencken refers to, "the inferior man," he means the 99 percent of them who are idiots. It is important to understand this to understand his correct view of politics.

"The one permanent emotion of the inferior man is fear—fear of the unknown, the complex, the inexplicable. What he wants above everything else is safety." [H L Mencken, A Mencken Chrestomathy (1949)]

"The inferior man's reasons for hating knowledge are not hard to discern. He hates it because it is complex—because it puts an unbearable burden upon his meager capacity for taking in ideas. Thus his search is always for short cuts. Their aim is to make the unintelligible simple, and even obvious." [The Impossible H.L. Mencken]

The inferior man, who may be identified as any member of the TV viewing public, is therefore willing to believe anything any leader, religious teacher, or authority says that promises easy answers and simple solutions. He is thoroughly gullible and credulous. He even admits it; he calls it faith.

The costliest of all follies is to believe passionately in the palpably not true. It is the chief occupation of mankind. [H.L. Mencken, A Mencken Chrestomathy (1949)]

"The curse of man, and cause of nearly all of his woes, is his stupendous capacity for believing the incredible." [H L Mencken, A Mencken Chrestomathy (1949)]

Thus, what seems inexplicable about politics, and civilization itself, is explained:

"Civilization, in fact, grows more maudlin and hysterical; especially under democracy it tends to degenerate into a mere combat of crazes; the whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary." [H.L. Mencken, In Defense Of Women.]

Justice Prevails


Is there terrible oppression in the world, crushing poverty, incredible cruelty, sickness and suffering? Yes there is. No one wants to hear it, but all the misery one hears about every day is exactly what those who are suffering it deserve. It is not some omnipotent being imposing some kind of punishment, it is simply the consequence of defying reality.

In a truly moral society, most of the people living today would be dead, because most people live by mooching off the productive efforts of others, or live totally irresponsible lives which would kill them if others were not forced to clean up after them. Far from instituting justice, all governments defy justice; every government policy and law flies in the face of justice producing the greatest injustices imaginable. Nevertheless, the justice of reality prevails, and all the horrors, misery, and suffering of the modern world are not injustices at all, but the ruthless justice of reality.

The ultimate moral principle is, produce or die. The requirements of human life are not provided by nature. Human beings are not, like the animals, provided the equivalent of instinct to know what the requirements of their lives are. Every individual human being must discover or learn what those requirements are and then choose to work and produce what their nature requires.

One Gets What One Deserves

Those who refuse to be engaged in some effort or work that produces some product or provides some service of value to themselves or others deserve to die. Those who claim they cannot work, have no more expectation of life than those who cannot breathe, or cannot digest food. Anyone who claims they cannot work, which claim is almost always a lie, is claiming they cannot live, and should not. They would not live in a just society. Any society in which those who produce nothing are able to live is an evil society which makes slaves of those who do produce for the sake of those who do not. "Produce or die," is the principle reality imposes on humanity. Where the unproductive live reality is defied and the consequences are always tragedy and disaster, both individually and socially.

All governments are an attempt to provide people, or at least promise to provide them, what reality forbids—the unearned and the undeserved.

So to worry about the terrible "injustices" one sees every day in today's society, or the world, is a distraction from what is really important in life. It is one of those things one should never worry about. Not only is it something one can do nothing about, which one should never worry about*, it is, in fact, an affirmation of the principles of truth, of the ruthless implacable justice of reality.

[*NOTE: There is nothing to worry about. There are only two kinds of situations in this world, those you can do something about, and those you cannot. One should never worry about those things they can do something about, they should just do whatever it takes to correct or improve the situation. One should never worry about that which they cannot do anything but learn to accept and adjust to the inevitable facts of reality. Wisdom is knowing the difference.]

You Can't Save the World

One of the things you cannot do anything about is the world. The aim of all activists is to save the world, or at least some aspect of it, like their society or their country. However different they are, the solutions all activists propose are political solutions. In a 2010 article entitled, "No Political Solution," I explained why all supposed political solutions are actually "social engineering," and none of them will work, because they require changing people.

Here are two things: a fact and a principle, that are the basis of all social values, the true nature of politics in the philosophical sense:

1. The fact is there is no way to change other people. There is no way to make a society the kind of society anyone supposes they would like. It is not possible because it is the kind of people that make up a society that determines the kind of society it is. It is not a society's political system, dominant philosophy, level of education, religion, ideology, or anything else that determines the nature of a society; it is what the individual people in a society choose to believe that determines a society's political system, dominant philosophy, level of education, religion, and ideology and the only way to change any of those things would be to change the people whose choices, beliefs, desires, and superstitions they are.

The reason people cannot be changed is because every individual is a volitional being. Even if one can influence another in some way to make changes, those changes must still be chosen by the individual. One can use force to make people behave in certain ways sometimes, but one cannot force anyone to think or to think any particular thing.

2. The principle is it is immoral to ever interfere in the life of another human being. It is meddling, presumptuous, intrusive, arrogant, tyrannical, and morally wrong.

The common idea is that interference in others' lives means using force or the threat of force. The use of coercive force is certainly immoral, but it is not the only immoral method of interfering in other's lives. Those who consider themselves "activists," who advocate any method of producing the kind of society they decide is the right kind, whether it is a totally "free," "capitalist," or "libertarian" society they are "working" for, their methods are as immoral as those who are working for a totally collectivist or statist society.

There is only one method by which individuals may morally deal with one another, the method of reason. Any other method is an abandonment of reason in favor of an appeal to the irrational in others, their feelings, their desires, their sentiments, their fears, their superstitions, their ignorance, or their gullibility. To appeal to any of these is as immoral as using threats of force. It is an attempt to manipulate others by means of their own irrational weaknesses. These are the methods of the con-man, scam artist, and politician, not a rational moral individual.

The truth is, no society is anyone's society to make into the one he would like. As noble as the activist's ideas might be, and however good an activist's intentions, the desire to save the world is actually a desire to make other people what the activist would like them to be. Mencken got that right too:

"The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it." [H.L. Mencken, Minority Report]

None Of It Matters

Any concern with the world, society, or mankind is a wasted concern, which means there is no political or world-wide issue that matters. The so-called, "founders," of the United States believed, or at least expressed belief in human progress. It was Jefferson that wrote that all men were endowed with the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But it is apparent, even when men are free to pursue happiness, they never achieve it. Again Mencken expresses it best:

"I have little belief in human progress. The human race is incurably idiotic. It will never be happy. [Letters of H.L. Mencken (1961)]

There is only one moral requirement: to be the best human being one can be in all things, physically, mentally, and morally. Everything else is a distraction from that moral imperative and must never be taken seriously.
And you have the recipe for what makes a 'truly successful human being'? What about all those who have a completely different viewpoint?
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RCSaunders
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Re: All Philosophy Is Bunk

Post by RCSaunders »

vegetariantaxidermy wrote: Fri Jan 07, 2022 11:22 pm
RCSaunders wrote: Fri Jan 07, 2022 5:19 pm
promethean75 wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:55 pm ^^^ this pleases Stirner.

However, most folks aren't cut out for the mad max life style, so we, the untimely ones, must forge a government for the people.
You obviously have no idea what it means to be a truly successful human being. It is certainly the opposite of a, "mad max life style." It is true, 99% of the mankind will always will fall for the lies of politics and believe it is the solution to all their problems--and suffer the consequences.

This is from an old article, "Never Take Any Of It Seriously."
Mencken On Politics

...
And you have the recipe for what makes a 'truly successful human being'? What about all those who have a completely different viewpoint?
There is no such recipe. There is no, "one way," for human beings to live successfully. Every human being is unique and what would work for one individual to achieve being all they choose and desire to be will be different for every human being. It's why almost all moral pronouncements are wrong.

By, "successful human being," I mean an individual who is totally satisfied with their own life, confident they have achieved all they could and have made of themselves the best human being they could, enjoying everything they have and are because they have earned and produced a life that is worth living.

How does one know if they are successful as a human being? If they have to ask that question, they aren't.
Veritas Aequitas
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Re: All Philosophy Is Bunk

Post by Veritas Aequitas »

RCSaunders wrote: Fri Jan 07, 2022 5:19 pm
promethean75 wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:55 pm ^^^ this pleases Stirner.

However, most folks aren't cut out for the mad max life style, so we, the untimely ones, must forge a government for the people.
You obviously have no idea what it means to be a truly successful human being. It is certainly the opposite of a, "mad max life style." It is true, 99% of the mankind will never always will fall for the lies of politics and believe it is the solution to all their problems--and suffer the consequences.

This is from an old article, "Never Take Any Of It Seriously."
Mencken On Politics

No one describes the nature of politics better than H.L. Mencken:

Politicians, political candidates, and elections, beyond their entertainment value, have no importance whatsoever. All politicians and would-be politicians are buffoons who are incapable of producing any product or performing any service anyone would willingly pay for. I'm not suggesting they are without ability or talent, they are all consummate con-men successfully accruing to themselves as much unearned wealth and undeserved power as possible.
..........
..........
In the above, H.L. Mencken [an egomaniac] is merely making noises in expressing his views arrogantly.

A more intellectual, philosophical and wiser person will provide a reasonable list of references with balanced views from both sides before justifying and opting for his personal views.
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RCSaunders
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Re: All Philosophy Is Bunk

Post by RCSaunders »

Veritas Aequitas wrote: Sat Jan 08, 2022 5:54 am H.L. Mencken [an egomaniac]
He would have appreciated the complement. There is nothing more noble than the self-esteem of those who are certain of their own integrity and self-worth.

Compared to Mencken, those who criticize him are worms and nobodies.
Veritas Aequitas
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Re: All Philosophy Is Bunk

Post by Veritas Aequitas »

RCSaunders wrote: Sat Jan 08, 2022 4:10 pm
Veritas Aequitas wrote: Sat Jan 08, 2022 5:54 am H.L. Mencken [an egomaniac]
He would have appreciated the complement. There is nothing more noble than the self-esteem of those who are certain of their own integrity and self-worth.

Compared to Mencken, those who criticize him are worms and nobodies.
Mencken was merely an arrogant egomaniac journalists with no philosophical credentials and lack critical thinking who is merely making noises where worms and nobodies like you would idolize.
Skepdick
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Re: All Philosophy Is Bunk

Post by Skepdick »

promethean75 wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 3:44 am Yes, but they're not stupid by any stretch. Many of them have strong linguistic-verbal intelligence but are lacking in logical-mathematical intelligence.
Through the lens of computer scientists/ formal language theorists - it's the same thing.
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attofishpi
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Re: All Philosophy Is Bunk

Post by attofishpi »

Skepdick wrote: Sun Jan 09, 2022 8:59 am
promethean75 wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 3:44 am Yes, but they're not stupid by any stretch. Many of them have strong linguistic-verbal intelligence but are lacking in logical-mathematical intelligence.
Through the lens of computer scientists/ formal language theorists - it's the same thing.
..u r seriously taking da piss. :twisted:
Skepdick
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Re: All Philosophy Is Bunk

Post by Skepdick »

attofishpi wrote: Sun Jan 09, 2022 11:03 am
Skepdick wrote: Sun Jan 09, 2022 8:59 am
promethean75 wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 3:44 am Yes, but they're not stupid by any stretch. Many of them have strong linguistic-verbal intelligence but are lacking in logical-mathematical intelligence.
Through the lens of computer scientists/ formal language theorists - it's the same thing.
..u r seriously taking da piss. :twisted:
No, I am not.

English is a language.
Mathematics is a language.

One can acquire linguistic-verbal intelligence in both languages.
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attofishpi
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Re: All Philosophy Is Bunk

Post by attofishpi »

Skepdick wrote: Sun Jan 09, 2022 11:25 am
attofishpi wrote: Sun Jan 09, 2022 11:03 am
Skepdick wrote: Sun Jan 09, 2022 8:59 am
Through the lens of computer scientists/ formal language theorists - it's the same thing.
..u r seriously taking da piss. :twisted:
No, I am not.

English is a language.
Mathematics is a language.

One can acquire linguistic-verbal intelligence in both languages.
I agree. It's the LAN_gauge
promethean75
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Re: All Philosophy Is Bunk

Post by promethean75 »

"Compared to Mencken, those who criticize him are worms and nobodies."

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Jori
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Re: All Philosophy Is Bunk

Post by Jori »

Science cannot answer all our questions because there is no scientific method for investigating them. For example, we always say that this or that is better. This makes things better. Things are better now than before. Better is the comparative is good. However science cannot define good. What is good? Philosophy tells us what is good. Although different philosophical views on what is good exists, and they cannot be verified scientifically, they are all we have. It's like facing conflicting scientific hypotheses and theories, but we have to act anyway.
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RCSaunders
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Re: All Philosophy Is Bunk

Post by RCSaunders »

Jori wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 9:00 am Science cannot answer all our questions because there is no scientific method for investigating them. For example, we always say that this or that is better. This makes things better. Things are better now than before. Better is the comparative is good. However science cannot define good. What is good? Philosophy tells us what is good. Although different philosophical views on what is good exists, and they cannot be verified scientifically, they are all we have. It's like facing conflicting scientific hypotheses and theories, but we have to act anyway.
Oh, there are certainly answers to questions such as, "what is true?" and, "what are the principles by which a human being can life his life successfully and happily?" It's just that none of those answers will be found within the corpus of all that goes by the name philosophy (or religion or ideology).
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