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re: One essential problem...
Robert — (archived)

You made many good points, Larry, and I found myself both agreeing and disagreeing. On the practical level, you're describing how thing work in the world as it is, and there's little to dispute. Yet on the philosophical level, it bothers me. I don't necessarily accept that the way things are is the best way they can be.

The notion that the worth of a human being can be measured solely in terms of economic utility sticks in my craw. It's not only demeaning, but it's easily demonstrated that money has almost no connection to intrinisic worth, with the help of the iconic Bill Gates.

All due respect to Gates, he's a million times wealthier than the average American, but by any stretch of the imagination is he a million times smarter? Does his day have 24,000,000 hours? Is his grasp of technology and business a million times deeper and subtler than the average? Not hardly.

I'm not arguing about the justice of it, just pointing out that equating economic value with human value is so narrow as to be meaningless. A society whose values are based on such a narrow focus will end up impoverished in every sense except monetary. I think America's becoming such a society. We express our values by paying schoolteachers a pittance, and stockbrokers a fortune. Nurses fight tooth and nail for incremental increases in their pay, yet we shower millions on NBA players and reality-TV whores. Materialism has made us materially wealthy, but spiritually impoverished.

Ah geez, I know I'm pounding my head against the wall. I'm not demanding that you personally defend The Way Things Are, Larry, just venting my frustration. I'm an impractical idealist...and though it's a dirty job, somebody's got to do it. Thanks for listening.

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