

Mark Twain: Corn-pone Opinions - garret
http://www.paulgraham.com/cornpone.html

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SwellJoe
I got hooked on Mark Twain in the third grade, and had worked my way through
just about everything he wrote by the 8th grade. I suspect it was the
prevailing influence on my early life, and the reason I was an atheist,
libertarian, and vegetarian by the time I finished school (Twain was not a
vegetarian, but independent thought was the over-arching lesson I took away,
not any specific activity or belief).

Anyway, almost every profound and contrary thing anyone says today has been
said before, and better, by Mark Twain. (I know the same could be said of
others...but as an American, it is my God-given right to ignore everything
that happened before 1776 as irrelevant and distasteful.)

Though I'm surprised pg is a fan, given Twain's colorful, though playful,
comments about Jane Austen (pg is apparently a bit worshipful of Austen). My
girlfriend, also a big Austen fan, scowls whenever I mention Twain in
conversation, but maybe that's just because she's already heard all of my
blowhard opinions on the subject.

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nazgulnarsil
it is depressing how slowly we are learning the full implications of natural
selection. political parties gain power not by being right, but by being more
effective at spreading themselves. It is the same for feudalism as it is for
democracy. "bringing democracy" to "less fortunate nations" is no different
than the warring of the feudal lords for more land. All social systems must
expand or be squeezed out of existence by those movements that do expand. We
don't have our current system because it was more justified and more right
than others. it was simply good at spreading itself. Capitalism started in the
late 1600's and only faced serious opposition during the 20th century, but
even that opposition was a trifle. Communism was never a threat because
communism isn't competitive.

Now this isn't to say that capitalism and democracy suck and we should abolish
them. Humans need competition to bring out the best in them. Capitalism is
responsible for the increases in the standard of living over subsistence
agriculture that much of the world still lives in. But they both have flaws
that are potentially crippling if left undressed. Corn-pone opinions is a
perfect example. Capitalism does concentrate power in the hands of the few and
left unregulated has the potential for monopolies. These powerful few can then
dictate the values that are advantageous to them to society. some would argue
this has already happened.

bleh, enough ranting.

~~~
anamax
> Capitalism does concentrate power in the hands of the few and left
> unregulated has the potential for monopolies.

Except that monopolies tend to be created and maintained by regulation.

In what universe does govt constrain the politically powerful more than it
constrains others?

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nazgulnarsil
this is very true. government creates the legal environment within which
corporations operate. most monopolies have required government participation
to work well. Mussolini famously said fascism should be called corporatism
because it was the ultimate union between industry and state.

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gruseom
My favorite Mark Twain line (commenting on a Henry James novel): "Once I put
it down I couldn't pick it up."

