The KGB Oracle Forums General Public Discussion (PUBLIC) The Pub The mother of all polls

Ah communism... Wouldn't it be great if it worked?





























BWAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahahaha

Seriously though. If you don't look out for #1 first, how will you ever be in a position to take care of anyone else... That's a rhetorical question, Drakiis.

"That's a rhetorical question, Drakiis."


LOL I nose laughed at that one.

I aim to please

What is virtue? Beneficence towards the fellow-creature. Can I call virtue things other than those which do me good? I am needy, you are generous. I am in danger, you help me. I am deceived, you tell me the truth. I am neglected, you console me. I am ignorant, you teach me. Without difficulty I shall call you virtuous. But what will become of the cardinal and divine virtues? Some of them will remain in the schools.

What does it matter to me that you are temperate? you observe a precept of health; you will have better health, and I am happy to hear it. You have faith and hope, and I am happy still; they will procure you eternal life. Your divine virtues are celestial gifts; your cardinal virtues are excellent qualities which serve to guide you: but they are not virtues as regards your fellow-creature. The prudent man does good to himself, the virtuous man does good to mankind. St. Paul was right to tell you that charity prevails over faith and hope.

But shall only those that are useful to one's fellow-creature be admitted as virtues? How can I admit any others? We live in society; really, therefore, the only things that are good for us are those that are good for society. A recluse will be sober, pious; he will be clad in hair-cloth; he will be a saint: but I shall not call him virtuous until he has done some act of virtue by which other men have profited. So long as he is alone, he is doing neither good nor evil; for us he is nothing.

-Voltaire, (François-Marie Arouet)

You seem to have neglected the meat of my arguement. I'll forgive your ignorance, as one who glorifies in his virtues as the expense of his well being, and hope that one day the fruits of some one's labor will afford them the opportunity to help you so you can spend your time revelling in your piety. Unfortunely I think our country is heading in a direction that will quickly remove all desire to help one's fellows since it will be required of you...

What Voltaire is really saying here, is that self interest to the exclusion of all esle is a bad thing. That is not at all what I am saying, but I think you already knew that and are just arguing for arguements sake.

And now you know, and knowing is half the battle...

Thank you for the concession. I WIN!

Half, not whole...

But now that I know (1/2), and my arguement is far superior to yours (1/2), I win.

That is all.

Not even half correct...