Monday, September 15, 2014

"Pink slime"- no, not that kind...

When you hear of "pink slime", do you think of this?:



Next time, think of this, instead:

Found here
Notice the "Pink market". Those things which are immoral/unethical, but "legal" anyway.

Now, consider the "Red market"- immoral/unethical and "illegal"- for a minute.

A murderer might kill a kid who would grow up to be the next Chairman Mao, and therefore save millions of innocent future lives.

A thief might steal a family's TV thereby freeing up a kid's mind to discover reading or experiencing life first-hand.

A rapist might discover a lump in his victim's breast, and might make her aware of it with a crude comment, saving her life in the process.

A slave owner might have prevented a person from starving to death by enslaving him.

You still don't argue that the above people are good or necessary. Any "benefit" to their "red market" activities would be better done without violating people or property. The bad guys are still bad, even if they accidentally do something good.

In the same way, looking at the "pink market" examples...

War might save a culture and particular individuals by killing other individuals.

Taxation might fund a family's food and housing- either through welfare or a government job (but I repeat myself).

State torture might get information that saves some lives- either innocent lives or government employees' lives.

Imprisonment might remove some violent and thieving people from society.

Compulsory education might force some kids to learn, and might give some a damaged sort of socialization.

I would also add that a cop might stop a bad guy from victimizing an innocent person, and an FBI profiler might stop a serial murderer.

But to argue that the above activities (and the people who commit them) are good or necessary ignores the fact that they are all funded through theft (which is enforced with the threat of death), and the harm they do to society (by harming individuals) is greater than any benefit. And, any "system" that doesn't allow you to opt out is aggressive by nature, rather than peaceful and voluntary.

Sometimes I think I can be a miserable b**tard. Such as when I express my hatred of government schools in the presence of someone who worships that pink market monstrosity. I don't bring it up on my own, because I don't like to dwell on the negative. But when I am exposed to praise and support of such a vile institution, over and over, without end, I am going to speak up, and the Believers aren't going to like it.

It's hard since most of my relatives work in government schools in one capacity or another, leading the rest to praise those child abuse institutions. But, they know if they keep pushing, I'm going to speak up.

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