tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22301740.post5097929339513365159..comments2024-03-26T09:49:07.212-07:00Comments on The Scratching Post: FlatnessK T Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10259428595745509790noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22301740.post-23108975261199290802021-01-25T18:51:42.991-08:002021-01-25T18:51:42.991-08:00"... and that containerized shipping has made..."<i>... and that containerized shipping has made transporting goods across the world competitive with trucking it across town.</i>"<br /><br />Something like that has always been the case. For example, in late-Republic/early-Empire Rome, it was far cheaper to ship grain from Africa (Tunisia), and later from Egypt, to the city than to cart Italian grain to the city.IlĂonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15339406092961816142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22301740.post-7643609624685964782021-01-19T12:06:18.716-08:002021-01-19T12:06:18.716-08:00"I don't see how the enforced, cultural f..."I don't see how the enforced, cultural flatness follows, though."<br /><br />Well, multiple cultures can coexist as long as they are at least partially isolated from each other by difficult travel and limited communication. But without some sort of impediment, whichever culture is more "invasive" will eventually subsume the other, kind of like the way dandelions take over your yard. And the end result is that all cultures end up more or less the same (particularly the ones that share a common language), because what's to stop this from happening?tim eiselehttp://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22301740.post-10418015649660911732021-01-19T06:33:21.786-08:002021-01-19T06:33:21.786-08:00K T Cat,
For One Brow, all roads lead back to Trum...K T Cat,<br /><i>For One Brow, all roads lead back to Trump. Yawn.</i><br /><br />I know you like to think of yourself as a fair person, so I hope you don't mind my pointing out that I took a statement *ligneus* made about Trump, and used it to refer to a more general group of people.One Browhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11938816242512563561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22301740.post-66591334858428033502021-01-19T06:30:00.565-08:002021-01-19T06:30:00.565-08:00Ohioan@Heart,
One Brow - I agree with the general ...Ohioan@Heart,<br /><i>One Brow - I agree with the general intent of your message. I hope you would concur that your statement is meant to be general, and not strictly apply to every business person.</i><br /><br />Of course. Very few statements apply to everyone. Also, I agree wholeheartedly with your point constraints placed by the government, although we should also not dismiss the constraints placed by stockholders and the call of more short-term money as well.One Browhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11938816242512563561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22301740.post-85786054186740276582021-01-19T06:04:13.503-08:002021-01-19T06:04:13.503-08:00For One Brow, all roads lead back to Trump. Yawn.For One Brow, all roads lead back to Trump. Yawn.K T Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10259428595745509790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22301740.post-66194612203086323552021-01-19T06:03:45.083-08:002021-01-19T06:03:45.083-08:00Tim, this is spot on, when it comes to the economi...Tim, this is spot on, when it comes to the economic realities we face. <i>I think the thing about the "flatness", is that it is a mistake to think that it was caused intentionally. I think, instead, it is a direct result of the fact that long-distance communication is so cheap as to be practically free; that it is easier to fly across the country or even to another continent than to drive the length of Michigan[1]; and that containerized shipping has made transporting goods across the world competitive with trucking it across town.</i><br /><br />I don't see how the enforced, cultural flatness follows, though.<br /><br />As for the first part, you could probably ameliorate it through, <i>gasp!</i>, regulation. That is, you could make it illegal to provide certain goods via online retailers. You'd inconvenience the multitudes, but you'd save the productive lives of many.K T Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10259428595745509790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22301740.post-22884717016232220172021-01-18T11:46:59.657-08:002021-01-18T11:46:59.657-08:00One Brow - I agree with the general intent of your...One Brow - I agree with the general intent of your message. I hope you would concur that your statement is meant to be general, and not strictly apply to <i>every</i> business person. <br /><br />I would also suggest that business people work <i>within</i> the constraints placed upon their businesses by the government (and yes, many of them do, quite successfully, lobby for the constraints to be in their favor). The politicians <i>impose</i> said constraints and do so for the continuation of their own positions of power. From this I conclude that a given business person is no less likely to be part of the solution (and since they have to always adjust to the conditions and constraints of the market, they may well be more likely to be a part of the solution) than a life long politician.Ohioan@Hearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08650494620853971183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22301740.post-24960340623561514322021-01-18T08:08:36.513-08:002021-01-18T08:08:36.513-08:00ligneus said...
Yes I read that article, it's ...ligneus said...<br /><i>Yes I read that article, it's so sad that the lunatics have been allowed to take power. It seems like Trump was the last chance, who else would or could take on the entrenched deep state.</i><br /><br />The Trumps of the world are part of the group that created the flatness in the first place. They are the ones knocking down the borders for commerce, destroying the unions, and placing efficiency over humanity. They thrive in the problem, and won't be part of the solution.One Browhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11938816242512563561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22301740.post-15683631622525050392021-01-18T05:38:01.731-08:002021-01-18T05:38:01.731-08:00I think the thing about the "flatness", ...I think the thing about the "flatness", is that it is a mistake to think that it was caused intentionally. I think, instead, it is a direct result of the fact that long-distance communication is so cheap as to be practically free; that it is easier to fly across the country or even to another continent than to drive the length of Michigan[1]; and that containerized shipping has made transporting goods across the world competitive with trucking it across town. <br /><br />We aren't going to be able to go back and "unflatten" the world. We're going to need to adapt to what we have. If you don't like the way that other people are adapting to the flattening, the solution is not to try to revert back, because that is Not Going To Happen (at least, not without the complete collapse of civilization). Instead, you are going to have to look at how to use the "flatness' to achieve the things that <i>you</i> feel are important.<br /><br />------------<br />[1] It takes me 10 hours to drive from Houghton to the Ohio border near Toledo. In comparison, when my wife flew to England a few years ago, it only took 8 hours. The last time I went to Australia, it only took 5 hours to get to Los Angeles, and only another 14 hours to go from Los Angeles to Sydney (roughly equivalent to driving to Ohio and back). And when we got to Australia, it was different in detail, but the overall "feel" of the place was almost identical to the US. And we were not at any time out of communication with people back home.<br /><br />tim eiselehttp://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22301740.post-30386456735765315992021-01-17T18:11:08.418-08:002021-01-17T18:11:08.418-08:00Now you've been and gone and made me feel hung...Now you've been and gone and made me feel hungry!<br /><br />Yes I read that article, it's so sad that the lunatics have been allowed to take power. It seems like Trump was the last chance, who else would or could take on the entrenched deep state. It wasn't just the Dems that did whatever it took, the Rinos, the Courts, the FBI and CIA, they're all in on it. However I'm still optimistic, they can do it and keep it up for a while but with increasing difficulty and then another Trump will arrive on the scene when the time is ripe and the country will be full to the brim with pissed off people. It will take more than a rigged election and a bunch of traitors and lunatics to beat them. Hope I live long enough to see it!ligneushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00906867668009351290noreply@blogger.com